Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry. 1920.
John Davidson18571909Imagination
(From New Years Eve)T
A brazier to contain the sun,
A compass for the galaxy,
A voice to wake the dead and done!
Imagination, gathers up
The undiscovered Universe,
Like jewels in a jasper cup.
Its accent with the thunder strive;
The ruddy sentence of its mouth
Can make the ancient dead alive.
The form and mould of every star,
The source and bound of good and ill,
The key of all the things that are,
In every age, can turn the year;
Can shift the poles and lightly change
The mood of men, the world’s career.