A WEALTHY Syrian -- Abdallah by name -- Fell ill and died; and when his spirit came Before the gate of heaven, the angel there (who stands with awful and majestic air To guard the Elysian porta) softly said, "Whence comest thou?" The Syrian bowed his head, And answered, "From Aleppo." "Very well, -- What wert thou?" asked the heavenly sentinel. "A merchant." "True; but tell me all the rest," Replied the angel, "all, -- the worst and best; From me -- reflect -- no act can be concealed!" Whereat the merchant all his life revealed, And nothing hid of aught that he had done: How he had sailed beneath the Indian sun, In quest of diamonds, and for yellow gold To Northern Asia; how he bought and sold By the Red Sea, and on the wondrous Nile, And stormy Persian Gulf; and all the while Had bravely striven to keep his conscience clear, Though always buying cheap and selling dear, As merchants use, -- "And so I throve amain," He said, "for many a year, -- nor all in vain For public benefaction, since I gave Freely for charity, -- content to save Enough for me and mine, -- a handsome store, -- And that is all." "Nay, there is something more," The angel said. "Of thy domestic life Thou hast not spoken, -- hadst thou not a wife?" "Yes," said the Syrian, with a sigh that spoke Of many a groan beneath the marriage yoke. Whereat the angel said, "By God's rich grace, Come in, poor suffering soul! and take thy place Among the martyrs, and give Heaven thanks!" Now, as he entered the celestial ranks, Another soul approached the golden door, Who, having heard all he who came before Had spoken, and observed him entering in The open portal, thought himself to win Easy admittance; for when he had told His history, like the other, he made bold To add, "All this, Good Angel, is most true; And, as for wives, I've had no less than two!" "Twice married!" said the angel, with a face Of wrath and scorn, -- "unfortunates have place In heaven's blest mansions; but, by Reason's rules, (So get thee hence!) there is no room for fools!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...EGERTON MANUSCRIPT: 102 by THOMAS WYATT TO THE LAPLAND LONGSPUR by JOHN BURROUGHS PRELUDES: 1-4 (COMPLETE) by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT DISCONTENTS IN DEVON by ROBERT HERRICK WINTER'S EVENING HYMN TO MY FIRE by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL GEORGE LEVISON OR, THE SCHOOLFELLOWS by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 33. LOVE KEEPS ALL THINGS IN ORDER by PHILIP AYRES |