WHO nearer Nature’s life would truly come
Must nearest come to him of whom I speak;
He all kinds knew,—the vocal and the dumb;
Masterful in genius was he, and unique,
Patient, sagacious, tender, frolicsome.
This Concord Pan would oft his whistle take,
And forth from wood and fen, field, hill, and lake,
Trooping around him in their several guise,
The shy inhabitants their haunts forsake:
Then he, like Æsop, man would satirize,
Hold up the image wild to clearest view
Of undiscerning manhood’s puzzled eyes,
And mocking say, “Lo! mirrors here for you:
Be true as these, if ye would be more wise.”
The brilliant writing- “Lo! mirrors here for you: Be true as these, if ye would be more wise.” //// the mirror and if you wise look at this mirror and find yourself
A fine tribute to Thoreau by Alcott. According to his (Alcott's) biography, Henry David Thoreau died on May 6,1862, likely from an illness he caught from Alcott two years earlier. Interesting...
After reading his life history, he might have been writing this about himself as well.
Absolutely brilliant! I am stunned and speechless by the sublime beauty of this poem!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Hold up the image wild to clearest view Of undiscerning manhood’s puzzled eyes, And mocking say, “Lo! mirrors here for you: Be true as these, if ye would be more wise. a brilliant poem.