THE Eternal Justice made me seer, All secret things to penetrate: Since when, through eyes of men I peer And read the page of Wrong and Fate. Pure matters I began to preach Of Righteousness and Love Atoning; The neighbours ran to hear, and each Was eager who'd begin ... the stoning. I scattered ashes on my head, The beggars' road from town I trod: In the wilderness I make my bed, And get my meat, like birds, from God. Keeping the Eternal's covenant, All things of earth obey and love me; Stars to my service ministrant Sparkle with frolic lamps above me. But if with furtive hurrying feet I slip through town amid the noise, I see the smile of self-conceit, And hear the old men tell the boys: "Look! Here was Pride -- be warned and dread it! -- Would none of us to dwell among: This fool would have his neighbours credit That God gave utterance to his tongue. "Look well, you children. There he goes -- Haggard and sour and bad and grim! Look, he's no money, he's no clothes! And how they all think scorn of him!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...STONEWALL JACKSON'S WAY by JOHN WILLIAMSON PALMER THE NEW YEAR by ALFRED TENNYSON THE LONELY STREET by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS LINES PLACED OVER A CHIMNEY-PIECE by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD STELLA AND FLAVIA by MARY BARBER SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 14. 'I LOVE THEE' by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |