MANY a very virtuous burgher Smells but badly, whilst the servants Of a king with ambergris Or else lavender are scented. Virgin spirits may be met with Which of green soap bear the odour, Whilst the criminal with rose-oil May have wash'd himself demurely. Do not therefore turn your nose up, Gentle reader, if the cave of Atta Troll may not remind you Of Arabia's sweetest spices. Tarry in that reeking circle, 'Mid those miserable stenches, Where to his young son the hero As from out a cloud thus speaks: "Child, my child, thou youngest offspring "Of my loins, now place thy one ear "Close beside thy father's muzzle, "And suck in my solemn words! "Guard against man's ways of thinking, "They destroy both soul and body; "'Mongst all men there's no such thing as "Any ordinary man. "E'en the Germans, once so noble, "E'en the very sons of Tuisco, "Our own primitive relations, "They too have degenerated. "They've become now faithless, godless, "Even preaching atheism -- "Child, my child, be on thy guard, "'Gainst both Feuerbach and Bauer "Never be an Atheist, "Monster void of all respect for "The Creator -- a Creator "'Twas who made this universe! "High above us, sun and moon "And the stars too (both the tail-less "And all those with tails provided) "Are reflections of His power. "Down below us, land and sea "Are the echo of His glory, "And each living creature praises "Evermore His excellencies. "E'en the smallest silver-louse that "In the aged pilgrim's beard "In life's pilgrimage is sharer, "Sings the great Eternal's praises! "In yon starry bright pavilion, "On the golden seat of power, "World-directing and majestic, "Sits a mighty polar bear. "Free from spot and snow-white glitt'ring "Is his skin; his head is cover'd "With a crown of diamonds, "Which illumines all the heavens. "In his face is harmony, "And the silent deeds of thinking; "If he signs but with his sceptre, "All the spheres resound with singing. "At his feet bear-saints are sitting "Piously, who meekly suffer'd "While on earth, and in their paws they "Hold the palms of martyrdom. "Ofttimes one amongst them rises, "Then another, -- by the Spirit "Seeming mov'd, and straightway dance they "Their most solemn sacred dance -- "Sacred dance, where mercy's radiance "Renders talent quite superfluous, "And the soul for very rapture "From the skin attempts to leap! "O shall I, unworthy Troll, "E'er partake this great salvation? "And from earth's debasing sorrows "To the realms of bliss soar upwards "O shall I, all-drunk with heaven, "In the stars' pavilion yonder, "With the palm and with the glory, "Dance before the Master's throne?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BLUEBIRD by EMILY DICKINSON PATIENCE by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE THE COMING OF SPRING by NORA PERRY CAMPS OF GREEN by WALT WHITMAN LINES COMPOSED A FEW MILES ABOVE TINTERN ABBEY by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |