Twee gedichten van Ella Wheeler Wilcox

LIFE

I FEEL the great immensity of life.
All little aims slip from me, and I reach
My yearning soul toward the Infinite.

As when a mighty forest, whose green leaves
Have shut it in, and made it seem a bower
For lovers' secrets, or for children's sports,
Casts all its clustering foliage to the winds,

And lets the eye behold it, limitless,
And full of winding mysteries of ways :
So now with life that reaches out before,
And borders on the unexplained Beyond
I see the stars above me, world on world :
I hear the awful language of all Space ;
I feel the distant surging of great seas,
that hide the secrets of the Universe
In their eternal bosoms ; and I know
That I am but an atom of the Whole.




MOMUS, GOD OF LAUGHTER

THOUGH with the gods the world is cumbered,

Gods unnamed, and gods unnumbered,
Never god was known to be
Who had not his devotee.

So I dedicate to mine,
Here in verse, my temple-shrine.

'Tis not Ares—mighty Mars,

Who can give succes in wars.

'Tis not Morpheus, who doth keep

Guard above us while we sleep,

'Tis not Venus, she whose duty
'Tis to give us love and beauty ;
Hail to these, and others, after
Momus, gleesome god of laughter.
Quirinus would gueard my health,
Plutus would insure me wealth ;

Mercurys looks aftert trade,
Hera smiles on youth and maid.

All are kind, I own their worth,
After Momus, god of mirth.

Though Apollo, out of spite,
Hides away his face of light

Though Minerva looks askance,
Deigning me no smiling glance,
Kings and queens may envy me

While I claim the god of glee.

Wisdom wearies, Love has wings—
Wealth makes burdens, Pleasure stings,

Glory proves a thorny crown—

So all gifts the gods throw down

Bring their pains and troubles after ;

All save Momus, god of laughter.
He alone gives constant joy,
Hail to Momus, happy boy.

Ella Wheeler-Wilcox (1850-1919)

Uit Poems of Life

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