If I were king, my pipe should be premier.
The skies of time and chance are seldom clear,
We would inform them all with bland blue weather.
Delight alone would need to shed a tear,
For dream and deed should war no more together.
Art should aspire, yet ugliness be dear;
Beauty, the shaft, should speed with wit for feather;
And love, sweet love, should never fall to sere,
If I were king.
But politics should find no harbour near;
The Philistine should fear to slip his tether;
Tobacco should be duty free, and beer;
In fact, in room of this, the age of leather,
An age of gold all radiant should appear,
If I were king.
(William Ernest Henley)
More Poetry from William Ernest Henley:
William Ernest Henley Poems based on Topics: Time, Love, Gold, Chance, Beauty, Art, Kings & Queens, Weather, Politics, Facts, Age- Arabian Night's Entertainments (William Ernest Henley Poems)
- Andante Con Moto (William Ernest Henley Poems)
- Allegro Maestoso (William Ernest Henley Poems)
- A Desolate Shore (William Ernest Henley Poems)
- As Like The Woman As You Can (William Ernest Henley Poems)
- A New Song to an Old Tune (William Ernest Henley Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Time Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Beauty Poems, Gold Poems, Art Poems, Age Poems, Chance Poems, Weather Poems, Facts Poems, Politics PoemsBased on Keywords: tobacco, sere, bland, wit, harbour, inform, tether, philistine, premier, ugliness