| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | Objects Which Influence the Ambitious Nature
III. The Triumph | | By William Gilmore Simms (1806–1870) |
| | | THE GRAVE but ends the struggle!—Follows then | |
| The triumph, which, superior to the doom, | |
| Grows loveliest, and looks best to mortal men, | |
| Purple in beauty, towering o’er the tomb! | |
| O, with the stoppage of the impulsive tide | 5 |
| That vexed the impatient heart with needful strife, | |
| The soul that is Hope’s living leaps to life, | |
| And shakes her fragrant plumage far and wide! | |
| Eyes follow then in worship which but late | |
| Frowned in defiance;—and the timorous herd | 10 |
| That sleekly waited for another’s word | |
| Grow bold at last to bring—obeying Fate— | |
| The tribute of their praise but late denied,— | |
| Tribute of homage which is sometimes—hate! | | | | |
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