GIFTS, as romantic as the cruse of oil, Found in the days of mad Antiochus, Were brewed by Hadrian from henbane; spruce For Israel's quaffing; potions, framed to foil A nation's growth, they met with swift recoil! Tempt never genius, with devil's juice! Vain arts, O Hadrian, and vain the ruse,— When balked by birds, who garnered all the spoil. For Hadrian, as for Vespasian, History sheds a tear of wonder blind; Mere vessels those, Balaam's sent to bless, They scourged with fire and sword, till the dread ban Flowered, like Aaron's rod of loveliness, And forged that wondrous thing, the Hebrew mind. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEY PRAISE THE SUN by JOHN CROWE RANSOM COUSIN NANCY by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT THE COLLEGE COLONEL by HERMAN MELVILLE CALLER HERRIN' by CAROLINA OLIPHANT NAIRNE TO GOD AND IRELAND TRUE by ELLEN O'LEARY |