THE POET.

THE POET.

THE poet hath the child's sight in his breast,

And sees all new.

What oftenest he has viewed,

He views with the first glory. Fair and good
Pall never on him, at the fairest, best,
But stand before him holy and undressed
In week-day false conventions, such as would
Drag other men down from the altitude

Of primal types, too early dispossessed.
Why, God would tire of all his heaven as soon
As thou, O godlike, childlike poet, didst,
Of daily and nightly sights of sun and moon!
And therefore hath he set thee in the midst,

Where men may hear thy wonder's ceaseless tune,
And praise his world forever as thou bidst.

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING