Madmoments: or First Verseattempts By a Bornnatural. Addressed to the Lightheaded of Society at Large, by Henry Ellison |
 | I. |
|
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| II. |
|
TRUE STRENGTH. |
|
 | Madmoments: or First Verseattempts |  |
TRUE STRENGTH.
1.
Who is the happy warrior that may drawThe sword of God, and wield it in his name?
He who is free from all reproach and blame:
Whose ends, like Heaven's own, are pure from Flaw!
He from its scabbard may pluck forth, in awe
And holy fear, that sword, which, as a flame,
Shall wither up his foes: then, whence it came
Replace it with all speed, for not in war
Doth Wisdom show her true supremacy;
From out the Waste of Chaos to create
60
To base on Virtue an enduring state:
This is her nobler task, her office high;
War makes the sudden Mighty, Peace th' enduring Great!
It is not strength of nerve or sinew may
Draw forth God's sword, tho' Hercules should try:
Yet to the chosen touch, impelled but by
Pure motives, yea! to a weak maid's Essay,
As unto Joan of Arc's, 'twill straight give way,
And with it they may work their mission high;
But should their hearts be touched with vanity,
Ambition, or with selfish passion's sway,
Its strength departs from it, it works no more
Than brittle steel in mortal hand; for ne'er
In impure grasp hath it celestial power
To lasting things; brute strength of Sinew here
Over its like may triumph, but before
Invisible Strength it bows in awe and fear!
Draw forth God's sword, tho' Hercules should try:
Yet to the chosen touch, impelled but by
Pure motives, yea! to a weak maid's Essay,
As unto Joan of Arc's, 'twill straight give way,
And with it they may work their mission high;
But should their hearts be touched with vanity,
Ambition, or with selfish passion's sway,
Its strength departs from it, it works no more
Than brittle steel in mortal hand; for ne'er
In impure grasp hath it celestial power
To lasting things; brute strength of Sinew here
Over its like may triumph, but before
Invisible Strength it bows in awe and fear!
| Madmoments: or First Verseattempts | |