| Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891. | | | | Robert Browning | | By Louise (Chandler) Moulton (1835–1908) |
| | The Poet of Human Life
SILENCE and Night sequestered thee in vain! | |
| Oblivion’s threats thou proudly couldst defy. | |
| Thou art not dead—supreme souls do not die: | |
| One small world’s range no longer could constrain | |
| That strong-winged spirit of its freedom fain— | 5 |
| New stars, new lives thy fearless quest would try: | |
| Our baffled vision may not soar so high— | |
| We mourn as loss thine infinite, great gain. | |
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| Yet keen of sight, to whom men’s souls lay bare, | |
| Stripped clean of shams, unclothed of all disguise, | 10 |
| Revealed to thee, as if at each soul’s birth | |
| Thou hadst been nigh to stamp it foul or fair— | |
| Why shouldst thou seek new schools to make thee wise, | |
| Heir of heaven’s secrets even while on earth! | | | | |
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