Madmoments: or First Verseattempts By a Bornnatural. Addressed to the Lightheaded of Society at Large, by Henry Ellison |
 | I. |
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LIFE. |
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| II. |
 | Madmoments: or First Verseattempts |  |
LIFE.
1.
Life in itself is nothing, save as weMake use of and enjoy it: 'tis a dream
To many, they are not, but only seem;
For that which we possess not consciously,
We have not! think'st thou the Richman can be
Truly possessor of the mighty stream
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With absent, useless Treasures: what can he
Enjoy beyond that which He needs? His eyes
Look coldly on the Pomp, wherein the Heart
Finds nothing to awake its sympathies.
The magiccircle where the wiseman's Art
All happiness, aud Beauty can comprize,
Is only of his Being here that Part
Which in his spirit's Compass truly lies!
2.
Life is but as the Good which we have doneTo others, as our feelings have been; which
Are mines of endless wealth, to make us rich
Tho'we have nought on Earth but these alone!
They weave the Zone of Beauty which is thrown
Round the whole world. Life, is as our thought,
As we have held that Glass straight or distort.
As other threads of Being with our own
Have been inwoven: is, as far, as we
Have made our dream of it Reality.
As far, as with the moments speeding by,
Like the waves of Eternity's vast sea,
We have moved onward ever steadily,
In Storm or Calm, from all Misgivings free!
| Madmoments: or First Verseattempts | |