John Townsend Trowbridge Quotes

14 Sourced Quotes

Darius was clearly of the opinion
That the air is also man's dominion,
And that, with paddle or fin or pinion,
We soon or late
Shall navigate
The azure, as now we sail the sea.

John Townsend Trowbridge
With years a richer life begins,
The spirit mellows:
Ripe age gives tone to violins,
Wine, and good fellows.

John Townsend Trowbridge
Men are polished, through act and speech,
Each by each,
As pebbles are smoothed on the rolling beach.

John Townsend Trowbridge
Not in rewards, but in the strength to strive,
The blessing lies.

John Townsend Trowbridge
The birds can fly, an' why can't I? Must we give in, says he with a grin, That the bluebird an' phoebe are smarter 'n we be?

John Townsend Trowbridge
Our days, our deeds, all we achieve or are,
Lay folded in our infancy; the things
Of good or ill we choose while yet unborn.

John Townsend Trowbridge
Of nothing comes nothing: springs rise not above
Their source in the far-hidden heart of the mountains:
Whence then have descended the Wisdom and Love
That in man leap to light in intelligent fountains?

John Townsend Trowbridge
If you will observe, it doesn't take
A man of giant mould to make
A giant shadow on the wall;
And he who in our daily sight
Seems but a figure mean and small,
Outlined in Fame's illusive light,
May stalk, a silhouette sublime,
Across the canvas of his time.

John Townsend Trowbridge
For me the diamond dawns are set
In rings of beauty,
And all my ways are dewy wet
With pleasant duty.

John Townsend Trowbridge
I keep some portion of my early gleam;
Brokenly bright, like moonbeams on a river,
It lights my life, a far illusive dream,
Moves as I move, and leads me on forever.

John Townsend Trowbridge
The tears of the young who go their way, last a day; But the grief is long of the old who stay.

John Townsend Trowbridge
A flower more sacred than far-seen success Perfumes my solitary path; I find Sweet compensation in my humbleness, And reap the harvest of a quiet mind.

John Townsend Trowbridge
"The birds can fly, an' why can't I? Must we give in," says he, with a grin, "'T the blackbird an' phoebe are smarter 'n we be? Jest fold our hands, an' see the swaller An' blackbird an' catbird beat us holler?... Jest show me that! er prove 't that bat Hez got more brains thans's in my hat, An' I'll back down, an' not till then!"

John Townsend Trowbridge
On turf and curb and bower-roof
The snow-storm spreads its ivory woof;
It paves with pearl the garden-walk;
And lovingly around the tatter'd stalk
And snivering stem its magic weaves
A mantle fair as lily-leaves.

John Townsend Trowbridge