How about this as a bracing poem to start the year?
SAY not the struggle naught availeth,
The labour and the wounds are vain,
The enemy faints not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.
If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke conceal'd,
Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers,
And, but for you, possess the field.
For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.
And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
The labour and the wounds are vain,
The enemy faints not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.
If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke conceal'd,
Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers,
And, but for you, possess the field.
For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.
And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!
But westward, look, the land is bright!
But westward, look, the land is bright!
It's a real 'never give up' rallying cry. If was the only poem of his I had ever read, (and up until a moment or two ago, it WAS the only poem of his I had ever read) I might have put him down as some kind of Victorian muscular Christian; then I read this, which sort of confirmed my opinion until I got to the second line;
The Latest Decalogue
Thou shalt have one God only; who
Would be at the expense of two?
No graven images may be
Worshipp'd, except the currency:
Swear not at all; for, for thy curse
Thine enemy is none the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will serve to keep the world thy friend:
Honour thy parents; that is, all
From whom advancement may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but need'st not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Do not adultery commit;
Advantage rarely comes of it:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When it's so lucrative to cheat:
Bear not false witness; let the lie
Have time on its own wings to fly:
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Approves all forms of competition.
Would be at the expense of two?
No graven images may be
Worshipp'd, except the currency:
Swear not at all; for, for thy curse
Thine enemy is none the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will serve to keep the world thy friend:
Honour thy parents; that is, all
From whom advancement may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but need'st not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Do not adultery commit;
Advantage rarely comes of it:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When it's so lucrative to cheat:
Bear not false witness; let the lie
Have time on its own wings to fly:
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Approves all forms of competition.
I found more and more gems when I scrolled further through www.poemhunter.com - he does a good line in satire.
There is a last verse;
The sum of all is, thou shalt love,
If anybody, God above:
At any rate shall never labour
More than yourself to love your neighbour.
If anybody, God above:
At any rate shall never labour
More than yourself to love your neighbour.
Looking into his biography I find I was on the right track - he went to Rugby School when Arnold was the headmaster, revolutionising public school education and developing a 'manly, muscular Christianity. Clough was a star pupil - but at Balliol he lost his faith in amongst the turmoil of the Oxford Movement.
I'm going to enjoy reading more of his poems...
Meanwhile, Happy New Year to everyone; I'm sure any struggle will not naught availeth!
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