William Watson Quotes

William Watson's verses drift between vision, freedom and consequence, offering a poetic glimpse of rise and fall.

29 quotes

1. April, April, Laugh thy girlish laughter; Then, the moment after, Weep thy girlish tears!

2. O ye by wandering tempest sown 'Neath every alien star, Forget not whence the breath was blown That wafted you afar! For ye are still her ancient seed On younger soil let fall- Children of Britain's island-breed, To whom the Mother in her need Perchance may one day call.

3. The after-silence, when the feast is o'er, And void the places where the minstrels stood, Differs in nought from what hath been before, And is nor ill nor good.

4. Hate and mistrust are the children of blindness-

5. Best they honor thee Who honor in thee only what is best.

6. And though circuitous and obscure The feet of Nemesis how sure!

7. Braying of arrogant brass, whimper of querulous reeds.

8. Deemest thou labor Only is earnest? Grave is all beauty, Solemn is joy.

9. Empires dissolve and peoples disappear, Song passes not away.

10. In this world with starry dome, Floored with gemlike plains and seas, Shall I never feel at home, Never wholly be at ease?

11. On from room to room I stray, Yet mine Host can ne'er espy, And I know not to this day, Whether guest or captive I.

12. Deemest thou laborOnly is earnest?Grave is all beauty,Solemn is joy.

13. The thirst to know and understand a large and liberal discontent.

14. She is not old, she is not young, The Woman with the Serpent's Tongue. The haggard cheek, the hungering eye, The poisoned words that wildly fly, The famished face, the fevered hand, Who slights the worthiest in the land, Sneers at the just, contemns the brave, And blackens goodness in its grave.

15. Lord of the golden tongue and smiting eyes; Great out of season and untimely wise: A man whose virtue, genius, grandeur, worth, Wrought deadlier ill than ages can undo.

16. His friends he loved. His direst earthly foe - Cats-I believe he did but feign to hate. My hand will miss the insinuated nose, Mine eyes the tail that wagged contempt at Fate.

17. Personally, I do not believe that we shall have greater armaments in the future than we have had in the past. On the contrary, I believe there will be a gradual diminution in this respect.

18. Fiat justitia et ruant coeli. Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall. See Ferdinand I 320:1.

19. In this world with starry dome,Floored with gemlike plains and seas,Shall I never feel at home,Never wholly be at ease?

20. Too long, that some may rest, tired millions toil unblest.

21. Song is not Truth, not Wisdom, but the rose Upon Truths lips, the light in Wisdom's eyes.

22. He saw wan Woman toil with famished eyes; He saw her bound, and strove to sing her free. He saw her fall'n; and wrote "The Bridge of Sighs"; And on it crossed to immortality.

23. We hold our hate too choice a thing, for light and careless lavishing.

24. On from room to room I stray,Yet mine Host can ne'er espy,And I know not to this day,Whether guest or captive I.

25. A dreamer of the common dreams, A fisher in familiar streams, He chased the transitory gleams That all pursue; But on his lips the eternal themes Again were new.

26. Threadbare his songs seem now, to lettered ken: They were worn threadbare next the hearts of men.

27. Yes, threadbare seem his songs, to lettered ken - they were worn threadbare next the hearts of men.

28. Thou hadst, for weary feet, the gift of rest.

29. God, eldest of Poets.