| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Laughter and Death |
| | | Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840–1922) |
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| THERE is no laughter in the natural world | |
| Of beast or fish or bird, though no sad doubt | |
| Of their futurity to them unfurled | |
| Has dared to check the mirth-compelling shout. | |
| The lion roars his solemn thunder out | 5 |
| To the sleeping woods. The eagle screams her cry. | |
| Even the lark must strain a serious throat | |
| To hurl his blest defiance at the sky. | |
| Fear, anger, jealousy, have found a voice. | |
| Love’s pain or rapture the brute bosoms swell. | 10 |
| Nature has symbols for her nobler joys, | |
| Her nobler sorrows. Who had dared foretell | |
| That only man, by some sad mockery, | |
| Should learn to laugh who learns that he must die? | |
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