English poetry

PoetsBiographiesPoems by ThemesRandom Poem
The Rating of PoetsThe Rating of Poems

Poem by Alfred Edward Housman


Additional Poems. 11a. They Shall Have Breath that Never Were


— They shall have breath that never were,
But he that was shall have it ne’er;
The unconceived and unbegot
Shall look on heaven, but he shall not.

— The heart with many wildfires lit,
Ice is not so cold as it.
The thirst that rivers could not lay
A little dust has quenched for aye;
And in a fathom’s compass lie
Thoughts much wider than the sky.



Alfred Edward Housman


Alfred Edward Housman's other poems:
  1. Additional Poems. 13. Oh Turn not in from Marching
  2. More Poems. 9. When Green Buds Hang in the Elm Like Dust
  3. More Poems. 37. I Did Not Lose My Heart in Summer’s Even
  4. More Poems. 32. Their Seed the Sowers Scatter
  5. More Poems. 24. Stone, Steel, Dominions Pass


Poem to print Print

1788 Views



Last Poems


To Russian version


Ðåéòèíã@Mail.ru

English Poetry. E-mail eng-poetry.ru@yandex.ru