Noli Aemulari

Arthur Hugh Clough

In controversial foul impureness
    The peace that is thy light to thee
Quench not: in faith and inner sureness
    Possess thy soul and let it be.

No violence—perverse—persistent—
    What cannot be can bring to be;
No zeal what is make more existent,
    And strife but blinds the eyes that see.

What though in blood their souls embruing,
    The great, the good and wise they curse,
Still sinning, what they know not doing;
    Stand still, forbear, nor make it worse.

By curses, by denunciation,
    The coming fate they cannot stay;
Nor thou, by fiery indignation,
    Though just, accelerate the day.

Next 10 Poems

• Arthur Hugh Clough : Perche Pensa? Pensando S'invecchia
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Qua Cursum Ventus
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Say Not The Struggle Naught Availeth
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Say Not The Struggle Nought Availeth
• Arthur Hugh Clough : The Last Decalogue
• Arthur Hugh Clough : The Thread Of Truth
• Arthur Hugh Clough : There Is No God, The Wicked Sayeth
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Through A Glass Darkly
• Arthur Hugh Clough : To Spend Uncounted Years Of Pain
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Where Lies The Land To Which The Ship Would Go

Previous 10 Poems

• Arthur Hugh Clough : In The Depths
• Arthur Hugh Clough : In A London Square
• Arthur Hugh Clough : In A Lecture Room
• Arthur Hugh Clough : How In All Wonder...
• Arthur Hugh Clough : How In All Wonder Columbus Got Over
• Arthur Hugh Clough : All Is Well
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Ah! Yet Consider It Again!
• Arthur Hugh Clough : Across The Sea Along The Shore
• John Clare : Wood Rides
• John Clare : Where She Told Her Love