A Coin

Hereon, about the noble brow, austere,
Showing Aurelius of the master mind,
Behold the imperial laurel intertwined.
Dulled by the earth; when many a speeding year
This disc lay hidden from the sunlight clear!
If the insensate metal could but find
Articulate utterance, like our human kind,
What tales of Roman glory we should hear!

Ponder upon the palms that it hath pressed!
Noble and bondman, princess, courtesan,
Haply for each it gratified desire;
Perchance some emperor, for a jaded jest
Commodus, clowning like a charlatan! —
Flung it for slaves to fight for in the mire.