Top Ten Best Lionel Johnson Quotes, Poems, & Written Works

Lionel Pigot Johnson was an English poet, essayist & critic.

The Top Ten

1 Vanquished in life, his death By beauty made amends: The passing of his breath Won his defeated ends.

2 Alone he rides, alone, The fair and fatal king: Dark night is all his own, That strange and solemn thing.

3 Through thee,the gracious Muses turn,To Furies,O mine Enemy!& all the things of beauty burn With flames of evil ecstasy.Because of thee,the land of dreams Becomes a gathering place of fears:Until tormented slumber seems One vehemence of useless tears

4 Now from the broken tower, what solemn bell still tolls, Mourning what piteous death? Answer, O saddened souls! Who mourn the death of beauty and the death of grace.

5 Ill times may be; she hath no thought of time: She reigns beside the waters yet in pride. Rude voices cry: but in her ears the chime Of full, sad bells brings back her old springtide.

6 Which are more full of fate: The stars; or those sad eyes? Which are more still and great: Those brows; or the dark skies?

7 Lonely, unto the Lone I go; Divine, to the Divinity.

8 What comes now? The earth awaits What fierce wonder from the skies? Thunder, trampling through the night? Morning, with illustrious eyes? Morning, from the springs of light: Thunder, round Heaven's opening gates.

9 Yet, when the city sleeps; When all the cries are still: The stars and heavenly deeps Work out a perfect will.

10 Our wearier spirit faints, Vexed in the world ‘s employ: His soul was of the saints; And art to him was joy.

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