William Watson Quotes

19 Sourced Quotes

And though circuitous and obscure
The feet of Nemesis how sure!

William Watson
Threadbare his songs seem now, to lettered ken: They were worn threadbare next the hearts of men.

William Watson
Lord of the golden tongue and smiting eyes; Great out of season and untimely wise: A man whose virtue, genius, grandeur, worth, Wrought deadlier ill than ages can undo.

William Watson
A dreamer of the common dreams, A fisher in familiar streams, He chased the transitory gleams That all pursue; But on his lips the eternal themes Again were new.

William Watson
He saw wan Woman toil with famished eyes; He saw her bound, and strove to sing her free. He saw her fall'n; and wrote "The Bridge of Sighs"; And on it crossed to immortality.

William Watson
She is not old, she is not young, The Woman with the Serpent's Tongue. The haggard cheek, the hungering eye, The poisoned words that wildly fly, The famished face, the fevered hand, Who slights the worthiest in the land, Sneers at the just, contemns the brave, And blackens goodness in its grave...

William Watson
We hold our hate too choice a thing, for light and careless lavishing.

William Watson
Song is not Truth, not Wisdom, but the rose Upon Truths lips, the light in Wisdom's eyes.

William Watson
Empires dissolve and peoples disappear,
Song passes not away.

William Watson
Best they honor thee
Who honor in thee only what is best.

William Watson
His friends he loved. His direst earthly foes—
Cats—I believe he did but feign to hate.
My hand will miss the insinuated nose,
Mine eyes the tail that wagged contempt at Fate.

William Watson
Braying of arrogant brass, whimper of querulous reeds.

William Watson
On from room to room I stray,
Yet mine Host can ne'er espy,
And I know not to this day,
Whether guest or captive I.

William Watson
In this world with starry dome,
Floored with gemlike plains and seas,
Shall I never feel at home,
Never wholly be at ease?

William Watson
April, April,
Laugh thy girlish laughter;
Then, the moment after,
Weep thy girlish tears!

William Watson
The after-silence, when the feast is o'er,
And void the places where the minstrels stood,
Differs in nought from what hath been before,
And is nor ill nor good.

William Watson
O ye by wandering tempest sown
'Neath every alien star,
Forget not whence the breath was blown
That wafted you afar!
For ye are still her ancient seed
On younger soil let fall—
Children of Britain's island-breed,
To whom the Mother in her need
Perchance may one day call.

William Watson
The thirst to know and understand a large and liberal discontent.

William Watson
Deemest thou labor
Only is earnest?
Grave is all beauty,
Solemn is joy.

William Watson