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Blackberries

by William Allingham
Allingham, William (1824-1889)
 
[epigraph]
 
[dedication]

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[Ill folk I shun, or fight against: what can]
 
[The woe of the False Teacher—This]
 
[Shame upon those who poison youth]
 
To Certain Persons calling themselves “Christians.”
 
[If you believed, loud Sir, some decent part]
 
[Would'st argue upon equal terms with me?]
 
[“An infidel!” you shout: I have, 'tis true]
 
[Is it right, on a solemn day]
 
[O wretched man! who, while his soul is green]
 
[Clergy to guide poor us are given]
 
[In sacred reverie and sublime delight]
 
[The Wisest Living Mortal—Oh]
 
[As rafter rafter serves to prop]
 
[Every word your Oracle saith]
 
[Assuredly, God's word is true]
 
[Ostrichio's soul's digestion is so good]
 
[Peter's a madman, John agrees]
 
[How mysteries attract!]
 
[What do your dogmas? Mix dispute and doubt]
 
[Great Saint, how we've misused thy fame]
 
To a Controversialist.
 
[The modern plea for keeping up a Creed—]
 
[We don't believe it: but let it be.]
 
['Twere well, in sooth]
 
[Fain would I seek the City of Truth]
 
[I believe without bother]
 
[We hate thee, solemn Public Liar]
 
[Young Mother, with thy babe at rest]
 
[Yea, Raffael! Michael Angelo! your hands]
 
A Dream.
 
Another Dream.
 
[Dogmatic Christians, one and all]
 
[All “Christian virtues” I rejoice to greet.]
 
[“Art Faith's Apostle? Can'st thou save us?”—No.]
 
[A pseudo-religion suits most people best]
 
[This World is made to no man's mind]
 
[Remember this, Lover of truth and right]
 
[“If you shake these dogmas you shake morality with them.” Yea.]
 
[Religion—what a labyrinthine mesh!]
 
[The New Religion will include]
 
[Long time amongst the thorns I dwelt]
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[What can you tell us of Life? you live in the Cavern of Death.]

What can you tell us of Life? you live in the Cavern of Death.
Your voice is a hollow echo; a polar wind your breath.
Life, the potent, the loving, colour-flush'd, musical, gay,
Tell us the secret of this from your charnel-house?—away!
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