Two Poems

Two young men stand at the threshold of life. These are their words. In these two poems, Henry Rutgers Conger captures something universal: the fierce loyalty of friendship forged in the crucible of college, the gratitude for lessons that shape a lifetime, and the daring hope that the years ahead will vindicate the ambitions of youth. Written while still a Williams student, these verses pulse with the particular energy of young men who believe the world is theirs for the taking. Conger died just twenty-one years after graduation. His class published this small volume the year following his death, transforming personal tribute into lasting memorial. What survives is not just poetry but promise: a voice interrupted, a talent acknowledged too late. Williams College still awards an annual literary prize in his name, ensuring that a student who left too soon continues to inspire those who follow. For anyone who has ever graduated, who has ever believed in the permanence of friendships made young, this slender book holds a particular ache.