“
Though earth be but an outpost of delight,
Heaven"s wild frontier by tragedy beset,
Only a Shakespeare may her gifts requite.
Only a happy Raphael pay his debt.
Yet I, to whom, even as to these, are given
Cascading foam, emblazoned butterflies,
The moon"s pearl chariot through the massed clouds driven,
And the divinity of loving eyes,
Would make my peace now with mine hostess Earth,
Give and take pardon for all brief annoy,
And toss her, far beneath my lodging"s worth,
Poor that I am, a coin of golden joy.
— Katharine Lee Bates
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Though earth be but an outpost of delight,
Heaven"s wild frontier by tragedy beset,
Only a Shakespeare may her gifts requite.
Only a happy Raphael pay his debt.
Yet I, to whom, even as to these, are given
Cascading foam, emblazoned butterflies,
The moon"s pearl chariot through the massed clouds driven,
And the divinity of loving eyes,
Would make my peace now with mine hostess Earth,
Give and take pardon for all brief annoy,
And toss her, far beneath my lodging"s worth,
Poor that I am, a coin of golden joy." in the context of "" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source:
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 19, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Katharine Lee Bates
Katharine Lee Bates (12 August 1859 – 28 March 1929) was an American author and poet, chiefly remembered for her anthem "America the Beautiful", but also for her many books and articles on social reform, on which she was a noted speaker.
About Katharine Lee Bates
Katharine Lee Bates (12 August 1859 – 28 March 1929) was an American author and poet, chiefly remembered for her anthem "America the Beautiful", but also for her many books and articles on social reform, on which she was a noted speaker.
View all quotes →