A Portrait poem – Alfred Austin

When friends grown faithless, or the fickle throng,

Withdrawing from my life the love they lent,

Breed in my heart disdainful discontent,

And sadden sunshine with a sense of wrong,

Then I, forgetting to be wise and strong,

And on my own endearment too intent,

Unto myself make musical lament,

And lullaby my pain with plaintive song.

But, when I gaze upon this face august,

Her gift, who, seated on earth’s loftiest throne,

For others’ weal holds half the world in trust,

Pondering on cares of Empire all alone,

I, then rebuked, remember to be just,

Think of her griefs, and quite forget my own.