Even in a palace, life may be led well!
So spake the imperial sage, purest of men,
Marcus Aurelius. But the stifling den
Of common life, where, crowded up pell-mell,
Our freedom for a little bread we sell,
And drudge under some foolish master’s ken
Who rates us if we peer outside our pen–
Match’d with a palace, is not this a hell?
Even in a palace! On his truth sincere,
Who spoke these words, no shadow ever came;
And when my ill-school’d spirit is aflame
Some nobler, ampler stage of life to win,
I’ll stop, and say: ‘There were no succour here!
The aids to noble life are all within.’
(Matthew Arnold)
More Poetry from Matthew Arnold:
Matthew Arnold Poems based on Topics: Life, Man, Fool, Hell, Sincerity- Stanzas In Memory Of The Author Of 'Obermann' (Matthew Arnold Poems)
- Thyrsis: A Monody (Matthew Arnold Poems)
- The Scholar-Gyps (Matthew Arnold Poems)
- The Church Of Brou (Matthew Arnold Poems)
- Epilogue To Lessing's Laocooen (Matthew Arnold Poems)
- A Summer Night (Matthew Arnold Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, Life Poems, Hell Poems, Fool Poems, Sincerity PoemsBased on Keywords: outside, nobler, bread, ken, match, stop, led, words, sell, spirit, freedom