Lionel Johnson

“Poems of Johnson at The Other Pages”

“Lionel Johnson at Hutchison Encyclopedia”

“Lionel Johnson at Catholic Encyclopedia”

“Johnson's poetry, like Johnson himself before his last decay, conveys an emotion of joy, of intellectual clearness, of hard energy; he gave us of his triumph.”

“Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not so, Dark Angel! triumph over me: Lonely, unto the Lone I go; Divine, to the Divinity.”

“Thou art the whisper in the gloom, The hinting tone, the haunting laugh: Thou art the adorner of my tomb, The minstrel of mine epitaph.”

“Dark Angel, with thine aching lust To rid the world of penitence: Malicious Angel, who still dost My soul such subtile violence!”

“Our wearier spirit faints, Vexed in the world‘s employ: His soul was of the saints; And art to him was joy.”

“Vanquished in life, his deathBy beauty made amends:The passing of his breathWon his defeated ends.”

“Which are more full of fate: The stars; or those sad eyes? Which are more still and great: Those brows; or the dark skies?”

“Alone he rides, alone, The fair and fatal king: Dark night is all his own, That strange and solemn thing.”

“Now from the broken tower, what solemn bell still tolls, Mourning what piteous death? Answer, O saddened souls! Who mourn the death of beauty and the death of grace.”

“Imageries of dreams reveal a gracious age: Black armour, falling lace, and altar lights at morn. The courtesy of saints, their gentleness and scorn, Lights on an earth more fair, than shone from Plato's page: The courtesy of knights, fair calm and sacred rage: The courtesy of love, sorrow for love's sake borne. Vanished, those high conceits! Desolate and forlorn, We hunger against hope for the lost heritage.”

“What comes now? The earth awaits What fierce wonder from the skies? Thunder, trampling through the night? Morning, with illustrious eyes? Morning, from the springs of light: Thunder, round Heaven's opening gates..”