A. E. Housman (1859–1936). A Shropshire Lad. 1896.
IF it chance your eye offend you,
Pluck it out, lad, and be sound:
’Twill hurt, but here are salves to friend you,
And many a balsam grows on ground.
And if your hand or foot offend you,
Cut it off, lad, and be whole;
But play the man, stand up and end you,
When your sickness is your soul.
Nov 9, 2014
Nov 9, 2014 at 10:39 AM UTC
A. E. Housman (1859–1936). A Shropshire Lad. 1896.
IF it chance your eye offend you,
Pluck it out, lad, and be sound:
’Twill hurt, but here are salves to friend you,
And many a balsam grows on ground.
And if your hand or foot offend you,
Cut it off, lad, and be whole;
But play the man, stand up and end you,
When your sickness is your soul.
XLV. If it chance your eye offend you has been one of my favorite pieces for years now
