| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1706. The Artist |
| | | By Arthur Grissom |
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| HE wrought with patience long and weary years | |
| Upon his masterpiece, entitled “Fate,” | |
| And dreamed sweet dreams, the while his crust he ate, | |
| And gave his work his soul, his strength, and tears. | |
| His task complete at last, he had no fears | 5 |
| The world would not pronounce his genius great, | |
| But poor, unknown—pray, what could he create? | |
| The mad world laughed, and gave not praise, but jeers. | |
| Impelled to ask wherein his work was wrong, | |
| He sought, despairing, one whose art was dead, | 10 |
| But on whose brow were wreathed the bays of Fame: | |
| The master gazed upon the picture long; | |
| “It lacks one thing to make it great,” he said, | |
| And signed the canvas with his own great name! | |
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