Though old the thought and oft exprest— ‘tis his at last who says it best.

FOR AN AUTOGRAPH 

Though old the thought and oft exprest, 

'T is his at last who says it best.

I'll try my fortune with the rest Life is a leaf of paper white Whereon each one of us may write His word or two and then comes night Lo time and space enough we cry To write an epic so we try Our nibs upon the edge and die Muse not which way the pen to hold Luck hates the slow and loves the bold Soon come the darkness and the cold Greatly begin though thou have time But for a line be that sublime Not failure but low aim is crime.Ah with what lofty hope we came But we forget it dream of fame And scrawl as I do here a name 

Under the Willows and other Poems.

References

James Russell Lowell

Lowell Poem location