Afternoon in School
The Last Lesson
When will the bell ring, and end this weariness?How long have they tugged the leash, and strained apart My pack of unruly hounds: I cannot startThem again on a quarry of knowledge they hate to hunt, I can haul them and urge them no more. No more can I endure to bear the bruntOf the books that lie out on the desks: a full three scoreOf several insults of blotted pages and scrawlOf slovenly work that they have offered me.I am sick, and tired more Than any thrall Upon the woodstacks working weariedly.
And shall I take The last dear fuel and heap it on my soul Till I rouse my will like a fire to consume Their dross of indifference, and burn the scroll.
Of their insults in punishment? - I will not!I will not waste myself to embers for them,Not all for them shall the fires of my life be hot,For myself a heap of ashes of weariness, till sleepShall have raked the embers clear: I will keepSome of my strength for myself, for if I should sellIt all for them, I should hate them -- I will sit and wait for the bell.
And shall I take The last dear fuel and heap it on my soul Till I rouse my will like a fire to consume Their dross of indifference, and burn the scroll.
Of their insults in punishment? - I will not!I will not waste myself to embers for them,Not all for them shall the fires of my life be hot,For myself a heap of ashes of weariness, till sleepShall have raked the embers clear: I will keepSome of my strength for myself, for if I should sellIt all for them, I should hate them -- I will sit and wait for the bell.
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