Desponding Father! mark this altered bough,So beautiful of late, with sunshine warmed,Or moist with dews; what more unsightly now,Its blossoms shriveled, and its fruit, if formed,Invisible? yet Spring her genial browKnits not o'er that discolouring and decayAs false to expectation. Nor fret thouAt like unlovely process in the MayOf human life: a Stripling's graces blow,Fade and … [Read more...] about Sonnets – I – Desponding Father! Mark This Altered Bough, By: William Wordsworth
Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VIII – Fit Retribution, By The Moral Code, By: William Wordsworth
Fit retribution, by the moral codeDetermined, lies beyond the State's embrace,Yet, as she may, for each peculiar caseShe plants well-measured terrors in the roadOf wrongful acts. Downward it is and broad,And, the main fear once doomed to banishment,Far oftener then, bad ushering worse event,Blood would be spilt that in his dark abodeCrime might lie better hid. And, should the … [Read more...] about Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VIII – Fit Retribution, By The Moral Code, By: William Wordsworth
Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VII – Before The World Had Past Her Time Of Youth, By: William Wordsworth
Before the world had past her time of youthWhile polity and discipline were weak,The precept eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,Came forth a light, though but as of daybreak,Strong as could then be borne. A Master meekProscribed the spirit fostered by that rule,Patience 'his' law, long-suffering 'his' school,And love the end, which all through peace must seek.But lamentably do … [Read more...] about Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VII – Before The World Had Past Her Time Of Youth, By: William Wordsworth
Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VI – Ye Brood Of Conscience Spectres!, By: William Wordsworth
Ye brood of conscience Spectres! that frequentThe bad Man's restless walk, and haunt his bedFiends in your aspect, yet beneficentIn act, as hovering Angels when they spreadTheir wings to guard the unconscious InnocentSlow be the Statutes of the land to shareA laxity that could not but impair'Your' power to punish crime, and so prevent.And ye, Beliefs! coiled serpent-like … [Read more...] about Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – VI – Ye Brood Of Conscience Spectres!, By: William Wordsworth
Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – V – Not To The Object Specially Designed, By: William Wordsworth
Not to the object specially designed,Howe'er momentous in itself it be,Good to promote or curb depravity,Is the wise Legislator's view confined.His Spirit, when most severe, is oft most kind;As all Authority in earth dependsOn Love and Fear, their several powers he blends,Copying with awe the one Paternal mind.Uncaught by processes in show humane,He feels how far the act would … [Read more...] about Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death – In Series, 1839 – V – Not To The Object Specially Designed, By: William Wordsworth