Desire not thy mean fortunes for to set Next to the stately manors of the great. He will suspect thy labours, and oppress, Fearing thy greatness makes his wealth the less. Great ones do love no equals, but must be Above the terms of all comparity. Such a rich neighbour is compared best To the great pike, that eats up all the rest: Or else like Pharaoh's cow, that in an hour Will seven of his fattest friends devour. Or like the sea, whose vastness swallows clean All other streams, though no increase be seen. Live by the poor; they do the poor no harm: So bees thrive best when they together swarm. Rich men are bears and poor men ought to fear 'em Like ravenous wolves; 'tis dangerous living near 'em. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COMMON DUST by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THIS FLESH by KENNETH SLADE ALLING PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 41. YA HASIB by EDWIN ARNOLD THE DEAD CHILD by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) ELECTRIC LIGHT-VERSE by L. ALLEN BECK SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE: 15 by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING THE WANDERER: 1. IN ITALY: VENICE by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |