Horace to Melpomene

Eugene Field 1850 (St. Louis) – 1895 (Chicago)



Lofty and enduring is the monument I've reared,--
 Come, tempests, with your bitterness assailing;
And thou, corrosive blasts of time, by all things mortal feared,
 Thy buffets and thy rage are unavailing!

I shall not altogether die; by far my greater part
 Shall mock man's common fate in realms infernal;
My works shall live as tributes to my genius and my art,--
 My works shall be my monument eternal!

While this great Roman empire stands and gods protect our fanes,
 Mankind with grateful hearts shall tell the story,
How one most lowly born upon the parched Apulian plains
 First raised the native lyric muse to glory.

Assume, revered Melpomene, the proud estate I've won,
 And, with thine own dear hand the meed supplying,
Bind thou about the forehead of thy celebrated son
 The Delphic laurel-wreath of fame undying!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

43 sec read
91

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GBGB
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 817
Words 142
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4

Eugene Field

Eugene Field, Sr. was an American writer, best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays. more…

All Eugene Field poems | Eugene Field Books

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