| Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922. | | | | The Last Word | | By Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) |
| | | CREEP into thy narrow bed, | |
| Creep, and let no more be said! | |
| Vain thy onset! all stands fast; | |
| Thou thyself must break at last. | |
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| Let the long contention cease! | 5 |
| Geese are swans, and swans are geese. | |
| Let them have it how they will! | |
| Thou art tired; best be still! | |
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| They out-talk’d thee, hiss’d thee, tore thee. | |
| Better men fared thus before thee; | 10 |
| Fired their ringing shot and pass’d, | |
| Hotly charged—and broke at last. | |
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| Charge once more, then, and be dumb! | |
| Let the victors, when they come, | |
| When the forts of folly fall, | 15 |
| Find thy body by the wall. | | | | |
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