[Skip Navigation]

Plagiarist Poetry Sites: Plagiarist.com | Poetry X | Poetry Discussion Forums | Open Poetry Project | Joycean.org
Enter our Poetry Contest
Win Cash and Publication!

Plagiarist.com Archive

Read more poems by Matthew Arnold: Matthew Arnold Poems at Poetry X.

More poems by Matthew ArnoldMatthew Arnold | Print this page.Print | View and Write CommentsComments | Books by Matthew ArnoldBooks by Matthew Arnold

The Last Word

Matthew Arnold

Creep into thy narrow bed,
Creep, and let no more be said!
Vain thy onset! all stands fast.
Thou thyself must break at last!

Let the long contention cease!
Geese are swans, and swans are geese.
Let them have it how they will!
Thou art tired; best be still!

They out-talked thee, hissed thee, tore thee?
Better men fared thus before thee;
Fired their ringing shot and passed,
Hotly charged —and sank at last.

Charge once more, then, and be dumb!
Let the victors, when they come,
When thy forts of folly fail,
Find thy body by the wall!

Added: 12 Aug 2002 | Last Read: 7 Jun 2025 4:27 PM | Viewed: 9098 times

A PoetryNotes™ Analysis of The Last Word by Matthew Arnold, is Available!

A PoetryNotes™ eBook is available for this poem for delivery within 24 hours, and usually available within minutes during normal business hours.

ON SALE - only $29.95 19.95!

For more information...


URL: http://plagiarist.com/poetry/5792/ | Viewed on 7 June 2025.
Copyright ©2025 Plagiarist - All rights reserved.