The troubles of our proud and angry dust are from eternity, and shall not fail. Bear them we can, and if we can we must. Shoulder the sky, my lad, and drink your ale.

Through its song-setting the poetry became closely associated with that era and with Shropshire itself. : /ˈhaʊsmən/; 26 March 1859 – 30 April 1936) usually known as A. Housman was counted one of the foremost classicists of his age and has been ranked as one of the greatest scholars of all time.