The fields are fair in autumn yet, and the sun's still shining there,
But we bow our heads and we brood and fret, because of the masks we wear;
Or we nod and smile the social while, and we say we're doing well,
But we break our hearts, oh, we break our hearts! for the things we must not tell.
There's the old love wronged ere the new was won, there's the light of long ago;
There's the cruel lie that we suffer for, and the public must not know.
So we go through life with a ghastly mask, and we're doing fairly well,
While they break our hearts, oh, they kill our hearts! do the things we must not tell.
We see but pride in a selfish breast, while a heart is breaking there;
Oh, the world would be such a kindly world if all men's hearts lay bare!
We live and share the living lie, we are doing very well,
While they eat our hearts as the years go by, do the things we dare not tell.
We bow us down to a dusty shrine, or a temple in the East,
Or we stand and drink to the world-old creed, with the coffins at the feast;
We fight it down, and we live it down, or we bear it bravely well,
But the best men die of a broken heart for the things they cannot tell.
In a published book
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
-
Brilliant!!!
An inspiration for my muse to really write poetry!!! 
-
Henry Lawson has long been one of my favourite poets. He writes beautifully about the common suffering of man and still captures a human beings capacity to find hope and humour in the most dire situations. If you haven't read it yet, try finding his poem "When your pants begin to go"
Good stuff.
-
-
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/23127-Henry---Lawson-When-Your-Pants-Begin-to-Go
for when YOUR pants begin to go
-
-
Timeless and true - so many broken hearts, for things untold.
-
revived
i wonder if henry lawson wrote this while he was feuding with banjo paterson?
ah yes, the things we dare not tell...are they the things that help give us cancer? sometimes the things we dare to tell are the things we should not have said!!
good to read lawson here in the 21st century...i wonder what he would think of the poetry written today... -
Astounding
What an astounding piece of poetry you have created and shared here. I'm fairly certain I've read you before, and I'm positive that I shall read you again. You most assuredly possess an amazing talent.
So very well written. A classic style to this piece, and yet easy to understand. Flows so very fluidly.
Very wonderful write. -
wow thats really great. waht a fantastic flow it has to it! i dont usually like poems like this, but this one is great! very very very nice!
~*~lee~*~ -
Truly Great
This is so interesting. Ain't it the truth! It's so elloquently worded...I'm amazed. Very good piece of work, Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
A~ -
it applies so well to life. reminds me of mine. there is an art to poetry that has been lost. most poems are so short. no thought put into rhymes or hidden meanings. well, i speak for my poetry...
gRemLin -
old!
i agree with both gemini and valkricry, this poem applies today as much as 102 years ago. there aint no such thing as "modern" any more...shame!
xxxxx -
I agree, with gemini, this poem DOES apply today as much as it did 102 years ago. So much for 'modern' society, I suppose. ~~~Val
-
It seems as though this poem was written yesterday and not 102 years ago. It's a timely piece with much that we as a modern society can relate to.
~von~
Adding your comment:
1 - 12 of 12
