Ballads for the Times (Now first collected,) Geraldine, A Modern Pyramid, Bartenus, A Thousand Lines, and other poems. By Martin F. Tupper. A new Edition, enlarged and revised |
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 | Ballads for the Times |  |
80
The Golden Mean.
A Ballad of Wisdom.
“Give me neither poverty nor riches.”
Pageants rare of splendid waste
Hurried on with glittering haste;
Honours high, and fashions gay,—
Teasing pomp by night and day;
Luxuries that never cease
Rich in every zest but—peace;
Flattering homage, sickly sweet,
Pleasures—pleasures? false and fleet,—
Who shall swear that rank and wealth
Have one bliss except by stealth
When the great, the rich, the proud
Stoop to imitate the crowd?
Hurried on with glittering haste;
Honours high, and fashions gay,—
Teasing pomp by night and day;
Luxuries that never cease
Rich in every zest but—peace;
Flattering homage, sickly sweet,
Pleasures—pleasures? false and fleet,—
Who shall swear that rank and wealth
Have one bliss except by stealth
When the great, the rich, the proud
Stoop to imitate the crowd?
Aching toil, or starving rest;
Disappointment's bleeding breast;
Hopes of better, never here;
Luck a laggard in the rear;
Cellar, children, curses, cries,
Furious crime, or fawning lies,—
Food? the foulest, scantly dealt;
Pain? aye, pain, for ever felt;
Who, with Francis, who can praise,
Poverty, thy works and ways,
Till they rise above despair,
Till content hath smother'd care?
Disappointment's bleeding breast;
Hopes of better, never here;
Luck a laggard in the rear;
Cellar, children, curses, cries,
Furious crime, or fawning lies,—
Food? the foulest, scantly dealt;
Pain? aye, pain, for ever felt;
Who, with Francis, who can praise,
Poverty, thy works and ways,
Till they rise above despair,
Till content hath smother'd care?
81
Give me, Blessed Father! give
Just enough in love to live;
Give me what is truly good—
Grace, and food, and gratitude;
Kindly give me patience, health,
Anything but wasteful Wealth;
Wisely in Thy mercy grant
Anything but wasting Want;
That I may not through excess
Sin from want or wantonness,—
That I may be clear and clean,
Lucid in the Golden Mean.
Just enough in love to live;
Give me what is truly good—
Grace, and food, and gratitude;
Kindly give me patience, health,
Anything but wasteful Wealth;
Wisely in Thy mercy grant
Anything but wasting Want;
That I may not through excess
Sin from want or wantonness,—
That I may be clear and clean,
Lucid in the Golden Mean.
| Ballads for the Times | |