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Poem
October 15, 1874
The Kenosha Telegraph
Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
What is this article about?
A poem addressing a friend, urging him to abandon fanciful utopian imaginings and focus on real-world human efforts to do good amid conflicts of right and wrong.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Up in the Clouds.
My friend, your fancy flies too far,
The world of man lies round our feet,
Here its unceasing conflicts are
And here its varying forces meet.
Pray, curb the thought that vaguely rise
Above life's real and stubborn facts;
Give o'er wild flights to distant skies,
And do some good by human acts.
Utopian dreams are pleasant things,
No doubt; but dreams are poor at best:
We live not by imaginings,
Nor thrive on vague and vain unrest.
We must behold with eyes of sense,
Our feet must tread in actual ways,
And ere we gain the recompense
'Tis ours to number toilsome days.
Grand theories of what might be,
Prodigious schemes for changing all,
Heaven's order here can never free
Mankind from Nature's bond and thrall,
What is, howe'er or whence it came,
Is that which all must recognize;
What might be wears a winsome name,
But brings no joy to tearful eyes.
So, friend give o'er your fancy flights,
Below the clouds you'll daily find
Much strife 'twixt struggling wrongs and rights,
Much good to do to aid your kind.
Pray, curb the dreamy thoughts that rise
Above life's real and stubborn facts;
Forsake void realms and vacant skies,
And do some good by human acts.
My friend, your fancy flies too far,
The world of man lies round our feet,
Here its unceasing conflicts are
And here its varying forces meet.
Pray, curb the thought that vaguely rise
Above life's real and stubborn facts;
Give o'er wild flights to distant skies,
And do some good by human acts.
Utopian dreams are pleasant things,
No doubt; but dreams are poor at best:
We live not by imaginings,
Nor thrive on vague and vain unrest.
We must behold with eyes of sense,
Our feet must tread in actual ways,
And ere we gain the recompense
'Tis ours to number toilsome days.
Grand theories of what might be,
Prodigious schemes for changing all,
Heaven's order here can never free
Mankind from Nature's bond and thrall,
What is, howe'er or whence it came,
Is that which all must recognize;
What might be wears a winsome name,
But brings no joy to tearful eyes.
So, friend give o'er your fancy flights,
Below the clouds you'll daily find
Much strife 'twixt struggling wrongs and rights,
Much good to do to aid your kind.
Pray, curb the dreamy thoughts that rise
Above life's real and stubborn facts;
Forsake void realms and vacant skies,
And do some good by human acts.
What sub-type of article is it?
Verse Letter
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Utopian Dreams
Practical Action
Human Acts
Idealism Critique
Moral Instruction
Poem Details
Title
Up In The Clouds.
Subject
Advising Practicality Over Utopian Dreams
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains In Iambic Tetrameter
Key Lines
My Friend, Your Fancy Flies Too Far,
The World Of Man Lies Round Our Feet,
Here Its Unceasing Conflicts Are
And Here Its Varying Forces Meet.
Pray, Curb The Thought That Vaguely Rise
Above Life's Real And Stubborn Facts;
Give O'er Wild Flights To Distant Skies,
And Do Some Good By Human Acts.
So, Friend Give O'er Your Fancy Flights,
Below The Clouds You'll Daily Find
Much Strife 'Twixt Struggling Wrongs And Rights,
Much Good To Do To Aid Your Kind.