Living

To George Peabody

by Oliver Wendell Holmes 1809–1894

From The Iron Gate and Other Poems (1877–1881)

Living

Bankrupt! our pockets inside out!
Empty of words to speak his praises!
Worcester and Webster up the spout!
Dead broke of laudatory phrases!
Yet why with flowery speeches tease,
With vain superlatives distress him?
Has language better words than these?
THE FRIEND OF ALL HIS RACE, GOD BLESS HIM!

A simple prayer--but words more sweet
By human lips were never uttered,
Since Adam left the country seat
Where angel wings around him fluttered.
The old look on with tear-dimmed eyes,
The children cluster to caress him,
And every voice unbidden cries,
THE FRIEND OF ALL HIS RACE, GOD BLESS HIM!

MLA

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. “To George Peabody.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/holmes/253/.

Chicago

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. “To George Peabody.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/holmes/253/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Oliver Wendell Holmes