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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ARS VICTRIX (IMITATED FROM THEOPHILE GAUTIER), by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Yes; when the ways oppose Last Line: With the resisting mass. Alternate Author Name(s): Dobson, Austin Subject(s): Art & Artists | |||
YES; when the ways oppose -- When the hard means rebel, Fairer the work out-grows, -- More potent far the spell. O POET, then, forbear The loosely-sandalled verse, Choose rather thou to wear The buskin -- strait and terse; Leave to the tiro's hand The limp and shapeless style, See that thy form demand The labour of the file. SCULPTOR, do thou discard The yielding clay, -- consign To Paros marble hard The beauty of thy line; -- Model thy Satyr's face For bronze of Syracuse; In the veined agate trace The profile of thy Muse. PAINTER, that still must mix But transient tints anew, Thou in the furnace fix The firm enamel's hue; Let the smooth tile receive Thy dove-drawn Erycine; Thy Sirens blue at eve Coiled in a wash of wine. All passes. ART alone Enduring stays to us; The Bust outlasts the throne, -- The Coin, Tiberius; Even the gods must go; Only the lofty Rhyme Not countless years o'erthrow, -- Not long array of time. Paint, chisel, then, or write; But, that the work surpass, With the hard fashion fight, -- With the resisting mass. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE OLD AND THE NEW MASTERS by RANDALL JARRELL TO A YOUNG ARTIST by ROBINSON JEFFERS BOATS IN A FOG by ROBINSON JEFFERS ART VS. TRADE by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON THE POET VISITS THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS by MARY OLIVER ON PASSION AS A LITERARY TRADITION by JOHN CIARDI A FANCY FROM FONTENELLE by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON |
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