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Poem
January 31, 1852
New England Religious Herald
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
A meditative poem on the inevitability of death, which levels all social distinctions between kings and commoners, emphasizing that only the actions of the just endure beyond the grave.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Death's Final Conquest,
The glories of our birth and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;
Death lays his icy hands on kings:
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.
The garlands wither on your brow;
Then boast no more your mighty deeds:
Upon Death's purple altar now
See where the victor-victim bleeds.
All heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust.
The glories of our birth and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;
Death lays his icy hands on kings:
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.
The garlands wither on your brow;
Then boast no more your mighty deeds:
Upon Death's purple altar now
See where the victor-victim bleeds.
All heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust.
What sub-type of article is it?
Elegy
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Death Conquest
Fate Inevitability
Kings Equality
Warriors Yield
Virtuous Actions
Poem Details
Title
Death's Final Conquest
Key Lines
Sceptre And Crown
Must Tumble Down,
And In The Dust Be Equal Made
With The Poor Crooked Scythe And Spade.
Early Or Late
They Stoop To Fate,
And Must Give Up Their Murmuring Breath
When They, Pale Captives, Creep To Death.
Only The Actions Of The Just
Smell Sweet, And Blossom In The Dust.