Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ACHIEVEMENT, by MARGARET SACKVILLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ACHIEVEMENT, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: If we had sought adventurously, the stars
Last Line: —one day in spring. All other days are lost.
Subject(s): Death; Time; Dead, The


IF we had sought adventurously, the stars,
Or snared some wandering angel with a song,
Or healed men's hearts of fear, the world of wars,
Death of its sting, and love of half its wrong;

If we had lifted an imperious name
Beyond the narrow bounds of mortal mood,
Fanning with the quick impulse of our fame,
The crawling moments of the multitude:—

Then were there cause for pride—then might we dare
To claim some bright, extravagant reward
Beyond the reach of Time.—Alas! our boast

Is only that one day was wholly fair,
When beechen leaves cast patterns on green sward,
—One day in Spring. All other days are lost.





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