While faith forecasts millennial years
Spite Europe’s embattled lines,
Back to the Past one glance be cast–
The Age of the Antonines!
O summit of fate, O zenith of time
When a pagan gentleman reigned,
And the olive was nailed to the inn of the
world
Nor the peace of the just was feigned.
A halcyon Age, afar it shines,
Solstice of Man and the Antonines.
Hymns to the nations’ friendly gods
Went up from the fellowly shrines,
No demagogue beat the pulpit-drum
In the Age of the Antonines!
The sting was not dreamed to be taken from
death,
No Paradise pledged or sought,
But they reasoned of fate at the flowing feast,
Nor stifled the fluent thought,
We sham, we shuffle while faith declines–
They were frank in the Age of the Antonines.
Orders and ranks they kept degree,
Few felt how the parvenu pines,
No law-maker took the lawless one’s fee
In the Age of the Antonines!
Under law made will the world reposed
And the ruler’s right confessed,
For the heavens elected the Emperor then,
The foremost of men the best.
Ah, might we read in America’s signs
The Age restored of the Antonines.
(Herman Melville)
More Poetry from Herman Melville:
Herman Melville Poems based on Topics: Man, War & Peace, Mind, World, Death & Dying, Time, Thought & Thinking, Law & Regulation, Fate & Destiny, Age, Past- Bridegroom Dick (Herman Melville Poems)
- The Haglets (Herman Melville Poems)
- The Victor Of Antietam (Herman Melville Poems)
- Stonewall Jackson (Ascribed To A Virginian) (Herman Melville Poems)
- A Meditation (Herman Melville Poems)
- On The Slain Collegians (Herman Melville Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, World Poems, Mind Poems, Time Poems, Death & Dying Poems, War & Peace Poems, Thought & Thinking Poems, Fate & Destiny Poems, Past Poems, Law & Regulation Poems, Age PoemsBased on Keywords: millennial, demagogue, parvenu, forecasts, fellowly, law-maker, antonines