Disappointment
A Drop of Ink
By Joseph Ernest Whitney
THIS drop of ink chance leaves upon my pen,
What might it write in Milton’s mighty hand!
What might it speak at Shakespeare’s high command!
What words to thrill the throbbing hearts of men!
Or from Beethoven’s soul a grand amen,
All life and death in one full compass spanned!
Who could its power in Goethe ’s touch withstand?
What words of truth it holds beyond our ken,—
What blessed promise we would fain be told,
And cannot,—what grim sentence dread as death,—
What venomous lie, that never shall unfold,—
What law, undoing science with a breath!
But—mockery of life’s quick-wasted lot—
Dropped on a virgin sheet ’t is but a blot!
By Joseph Ernest Whitney
THIS drop of ink chance leaves upon my pen,
What might it write in Milton’s mighty hand!
What might it speak at Shakespeare’s high command!
What words to thrill the throbbing hearts of men!
Or from Beethoven’s soul a grand amen,
All life and death in one full compass spanned!
Who could its power in Goethe ’s touch withstand?
What words of truth it holds beyond our ken,—
What blessed promise we would fain be told,
And cannot,—what grim sentence dread as death,—
What venomous lie, that never shall unfold,—
What law, undoing science with a breath!
But—mockery of life’s quick-wasted lot—
Dropped on a virgin sheet ’t is but a blot!
Labels: poetry
posted by Mary A | 1:36 PM
2 Comments:
I am glad you posted this poem. I think one of the reasons that I write poetry is because I feel that I am about as reclusive as Emily Dickinson so I figure that I should write poetry too. :) I have not reached her level but that does not keep me from putting my poems out there. I find people still enjoy my poems and they give people something to think about. It amazes me that a mind that has known such madness in the form of irrational(so they tell me) fears, can come up with words that uplift. I feel very simplistic that I do not have deep metaphors generally. However, I was reading Ted Kooser's book for beginning poets and learned that most beginning poets do not have a lot of obscure metaphors. I do not know what level my poetry will go to. Regardless of the end, I am having fun.
Glad you liked the poem, Barb! I thought it was charming. I like writing poetry, too, and I think it's a good exercise in creativity and thinking. I think we get better at it, too, as we write and do a little studying of poetry. I've liked what I've seen of yours, so keep it up!
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