 | Collected poems |  |
119
LAISSEZ FAIRE
“Prophete rechts, Prophete links,
Das Weltkind in der Mitten.”
—Goethe's Diné zu Coblenz
Das Weltkind in der Mitten.”
—Goethe's Diné zu Coblenz
To left, here's B., half-Communist,
Who talks a chastened treason,
And C., a something-else in “ist,”
Harangues, to right, on Reason.
Who talks a chastened treason,
And C., a something-else in “ist,”
Harangues, to right, on Reason.
B., from his “tribune,” fulminates
At Throne and Constitution,
Nay—with the walnuts—advocates
Reform by revolution;
At Throne and Constitution,
Nay—with the walnuts—advocates
Reform by revolution;
While C.'s peculiar coterie
Have now in full rehearsal
Some patent new Philosophy
To make doubt universal.
Have now in full rehearsal
Some patent new Philosophy
To make doubt universal.
And yet—why not? If zealots burn,
Their zeal has not affected
My taste for salmon and Sauterne,
Or I might have objected:—
Their zeal has not affected
My taste for salmon and Sauterne,
Or I might have objected:—
120
Friend B., the argument you choose
Has been by France refuted;
And C., mon cher, your novel views
Are just Tom Paine, diluted;
Has been by France refuted;
And C., mon cher, your novel views
Are just Tom Paine, diluted;
There's but one creed,—that's Laissez faire,
Behold its mild apostle!
My dear, declamatory pair,
Although you shout and jostle,
Behold its mild apostle!
My dear, declamatory pair,
Although you shout and jostle,
Not your ephemeral hands, nor mine,
Time's Gordian knots shall sunder,—
Will laid three casks of this old wine:
Who'll drink the last, I wonder?
Time's Gordian knots shall sunder,—
Will laid three casks of this old wine:
Who'll drink the last, I wonder?
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