To+An+Athlete+Dying+Young

To An Athlete Dying Young

[|Biography Alfred Edward Housman]

The time you won your town the race We chaired you throught the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip ‍‍‍‍ **betimes** ‍‍ away From fields where glory does not stay And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut, <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">And silence sounds no worse than cheers <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">After earth has stopped the ears:

<span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Now you will not swell the ** rout ** <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Of lads that wore their honours out, <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Runners whom renown outran <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">And the name died before the man.

<span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">So set, before its echoes fade, <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The fleet foot on the sill of shade, <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">And hold to the low ** lintel ** up <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The still-defended challenge-cup.

<span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">And round that early-laurelled head <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">And find unwithered on its curls <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The garland briefer than a girl's.

ocassionally, or from time to time || a disorderly crowd of people; an overwhelming defeat || a horizontal beam that completes a door or window || //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Poem sourced from: //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-an-athlete-dying-young/
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 19px;">Alfred Edward Housman 1896 **
 * **betimes**
 * **rout**
 * **lintel**