Life (priest and poet say) is but a dream;
I wish no happier one than to be laid
Beneath a cool syringa’s scented shade,
Or wavy willow, by the running stream,
Brimful of moral, where the dragon-fly,
Wanders as careless and content as I.

Thanks for this fancy, insect king,
Of purple crest and filmy wing,
Who with indifference givest up
The water-lily’s golden cup,
To come again and overlook
What I am writing in my book.
Believe me, most who read the line
Will read with hornier eyes than thine;
And yet their souls shall live for ever,
And thine drop dead into the river!
God pardon them, O insect king,
Who fancy so unjust a thing! 

Added: Apr 8 2005 | Viewed: 582 times | Comments (0)

Poet: Walter Savage Landor
Poem: The Dragon-Fly

There are no comments for this poem. Why not be the first one to post something about it?

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, The Dragon-Fly, has not yet been commented on. You can click here to be the first to post a comment about it. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Walter Savage Landor with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!