 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
THE POOR.
Cradled in poverty—unloved, alone,
Seeing far off the wave of gladness roll;
Sorrow, to happier fortune never known,
Strikes deep its poison-roots within the soul!
Seeing far off the wave of gladness roll;
Sorrow, to happier fortune never known,
Strikes deep its poison-roots within the soul!
What need is there for rhetoric to seek
For the fine phrase of eloquence, to tell
Of the eye sunken, and the hueless cheek,
Where naked want and gnawing hunger dwell?
For the fine phrase of eloquence, to tell
Of the eye sunken, and the hueless cheek,
Where naked want and gnawing hunger dwell?
Down in the lanes and alleys of life's mart
Are beds of anguish that no kind hands tend;
And friendless wanderers, without map or chart,
Urged to despair, or, worse, a nameless end!
Are beds of anguish that no kind hands tend;
And friendless wanderers, without map or chart,
Urged to despair, or, worse, a nameless end!
Their very smiles are bitter, in whose track
The fountains are with penury made chill;
For by their smiles, their sighs are driven back
To stifle in the heart-strings, and be still!
The fountains are with penury made chill;
For by their smiles, their sighs are driven back
To stifle in the heart-strings, and be still!
The poor are criminals! The opulent man
Is unsuspected, and must needs be true;
Such is the popular verdict, such the plan
That gives the loathsome hangman work to do!
Is unsuspected, and must needs be true;
Such is the popular verdict, such the plan
That gives the loathsome hangman work to do!
If he who treads the convict's gloomy cell,
To soothe Heaven's vengeance with officious prayer,
Had dealt as kindly with him ere he fell,
Haply his presence had been needless there!
To soothe Heaven's vengeance with officious prayer,
Had dealt as kindly with him ere he fell,
Haply his presence had been needless there!
68
Oh there is need of union, firm and strong,
Of effort vigorous and directed well;
To rescue weakness from oppressive wrong
Would shake the deep foundations of dark hell!
Of effort vigorous and directed well;
To rescue weakness from oppressive wrong
Would shake the deep foundations of dark hell!
Dear are the humble in God's equal sight,
And every hair upon their heads He sees,
Even as the laurel freshening in the light,
That trails along the path of centuries!
And every hair upon their heads He sees,
Even as the laurel freshening in the light,
That trails along the path of centuries!
Then treat them kindly, for the selfsame hand,
(And with as large an exercise of power,)
That makes the planets in their order stand,
Gives its meek beauty to the desert flower.
(And with as large an exercise of power,)
That makes the planets in their order stand,
Gives its meek beauty to the desert flower.
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |