Death & Dying

Elegy on Mr. William Smith

by Thomas Chatterton 1752–1770

From Poetical Works, ed. Skeat (1875)

Death & Dying

Ascend, my Muse, on sorrow's sable plume,
Let the soft number meet the swelling sigh;
With laureated chaplets deck the tomb,
The blood-stained tomb where Smith and comfort lie.

I loved him with a brother's ardent love,
Beyond the love which tenderest brothers bear;
Though savage kindred bosoms cannot move,
Friendship shall deck his urn and pay the tear.

Despised, an alien to thy father's breast.
Thy ready services repaid with hate;
By brother, father, sisters, all distressed,
They pushed thee on to death, they urged thy fate.

Ye callous-breasted brutes in human form,
Have you not often boldly wished him dead?
He's gone, ere yet his fire of man was warm,
O may his crying blood be on your head!

MLA

Chatterton, Thomas. “Elegy on Mr. William Smith.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/chatterton/98/.

Chicago

Chatterton, Thomas. “Elegy on Mr. William Smith.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/chatterton/98/.

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