But what if One, through grove or flowery mead, Indulging thus at will the creeping feet Of a voluptuous indolence, should meet Thy hovering Shade, O venerable Bede!...
Lance, shield, and sword relinquished, at his side A bead-roll, in his hand a clasped book, Or staff more harmless than a shepherd's crook, The war-worn Chieftain quits the world to hide...
By such examples moved to unbought pains, The people work like congregated bees; Eager to build the quiet Fortresses Where Piety, as they believe, obtains From Heaven a 'general' blessing; timely rains...
Woe to the Crown that doth the Cowl obey! Dissension, checking arms that would restrain The incessant Rovers of the northern main, Helps to restore and spread a Pagan sway:...
Ah, when the Body, round which in love we clung, Is chilled by death, does mutual service fail? Is tender pity then of no avail? Are intercessions of the fervent tongue...
Behold a pupil of the monkish gown, The pious Alfred, King to Justice dear! Lord of the harp and liberating spear; Mirror of Princes! Indigent Renown Might range the starry ether for a crown...
When thy great soul was freed from mortal chains, Darling of England! many a bitter shower Fell on thy tomb; but emulative power Flowed in thy line through undegenerate veins....
Urged by Ambition, who with subtlest skill Changes her means, the Enthusiast as a dupe Shall soar, and as a hypocrite can stoop, And turn the instruments of good to ill,...
Not sedentary all: there are who roam To scatter seeds of life on barbarous shores; Or quit with zealous step their knee-worn floors To seek the general mart of Christendom;...
A pleasant music floats along the Mere, From Monks in Ely chanting service high, While-as Canute the King is rowing by: "My Oarsmen," quoth the mighty King, "draw near,...
Coldly we spake. The Saxons, overpowered By wrong triumphant through its own excess, From fields laid waste, from house and home devoured By flames, look up to heaven and crave redress...
"And shall," the Pontiff asks, "profaneness flow "From Nazareth, source of Christian piety, "From Bethlehem, from the Mounts of Agony "And glorified Ascension? Warriors, go,...
The woman-hearted Confessor prepares The evanescence of the Saxon line. Hark! 'tis the tolling Curfew! the stars shine; But of the lights that cherish household cares...
The turbaned Race are poured in thickening swarms Along the west; though driven from Aquitaine, The Crescent glitters on the towers of Spain; And soft Italia feels renewed alarms;...
Unless to Peter's Chair the viewless wind Must come and ask permission when to blow, What further empire would it have? for now A ghostly Domination, unconfined As that by dreaming Bards to Love assigned,...
Realms quake by turns: proud Arbitress of grace, The Church, by mandate shadowing forth the power She arrogates o'er heaven's eternal door, Closes the gates of every sacred place....
Black Demons hovering o'er his mitred head, To Caesar's Successor the Pontiff spake; "Ere I absolve thee, stoop! that on thy neck "Leveled with earth this foot of mine may tread."...
As with the Stream our voyage we pursue, The gross materials of this world present A marvelous study of wild accident; Uncouth proximities of old and new; And bold transfigurations, more untrue...
Redoubted King, of courage leonine, I mark thee, Richard! urgent to equip Thy warlike person with the staff and scrip; I watch thee sailing o'er the midland brine; In conquered Cyprus see thy Bride decline...
Is it true, Spoon River, That in the hall - way of the New Court House There is a tablet of bronze Containing the embossed faces Of Editor Whedon and Thomas Rhodes?...