Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904. | | | | Poems of Sentiment: II. Life | | London Bridge | | Frederic Edward Weatherly (1848–1929) |
| | | PROUD and lowly, beggar and lord, | |
| Over the bridge they go; | |
| Rags and velvet, fetter and sword, | |
| Poverty, pomp, and woe. | |
| Laughing, weeping, hurrying ever, | 5 |
| Hour by hour they crowd along, | |
| While, below, the mighty river | |
| Sings them all a mocking song, | |
| Hurry along, sorrow and song, | |
| All is vanity ’neath the sun; | 10 |
| Velvet and rags, so the world wags, | |
| Until the river no more shall run. | |
| |
| Dainty, painted, powdered and gay, | |
| Rolleth my lady by; | |
| Rags-and-tatters, over the way, | 15 |
| Carries a heart as high. | |
| Flowers and dreams from country meadows, | |
| Dust and din through city skies, | |
| Old men creeping with their shadows, | |
| Children with their sunny eyes,— | 20 |
| Hurry along, sorrow and song, | |
| All is vanity ’neath the sun; | |
| Velvet and rags, so the world wags, | |
| Until the river no more shall run. | |
| |
| Storm and sunshine, peace and strife, | 25 |
| Over the bridge they go; | |
| Floating on in the tide of life, | |
| Whither no man shall know. | |
| Who will miss them there to-morrow, | |
| Waifs that drift to the shade or sun? | 30 |
| Gone away with their songs and sorrow; | |
| Only the river still flows on. | |
| Hurry along, sorrow and song, | |
| All is vanity ’neath the sun; | |
| Velvet and rags, so the world wags, | 35 |
| Until the river no more shall run. | | | | |
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