dots-menu
×

Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  681. Grief

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 1806–1861

681. Grief

I TELL you, hopeless grief is passionless; 
  That only men incredulous of despair, 
  Half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air 
Beat upward to God’s throne in loud access 
Of shrieking and reproach. Full desertness         5
  In souls as countries lieth silent-bare 
  Under the blanching, vertical eye-glare 
Of the absolute Heavens. Deep-hearted man, express 
Grief for thy Dead in silence like to death— 
  Most like a monumental statue set  10
In everlasting watch and moveless woe 
Till itself crumble to the dust beneath. 
  Touch it; the marble eyelids are not wet: 
If it could weep, it could arise and go.