History & Politics
Sonnets LVI: Written at York on the Day of the Coronation of Queen Victoria, June 28, 1838
From The Poetical Works (1859)
Shine out, thou Sun, and let the minster-towers
Pour forth their solemn music, and the crowd
Utter their oft-repeated shouts and loud;
Let little children bless the gladsome hours
Of this auspicious day; for there are powers
Undreamt of by the selfish and the proud,
That work when Avarice in the dust is bowed,
And mean Utility. The summer flowers
That toil not neither spin, the deep-blue sky,
The ever-twinkling waves that gird our land,
Have taught ye to rejoice: therefore pass by,
Ye colored pageants; — shout, each girl and boy: —
Ill fare the heart that doth not feel your joy!
Cite this poem
MLA
Alford, Henry. “Sonnets LVI: Written at York on the Day of the Coronation of Queen Victoria, June 28, 1838.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/alford/85/.
Chicago
Alford, Henry. “Sonnets LVI: Written at York on the Day of the Coronation of Queen Victoria, June 28, 1838.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/alford/85/.
Read this poem with the Codex →