 | Naked Genius |  |
POVERTY.
Yes, poverty, though pining, yet must thrive,
She seems a creature dead, and yet alive;
She must, at large, herself with shame betray,
And frowning from herself would steal away.
She seems a creature dead, and yet alive;
She must, at large, herself with shame betray,
And frowning from herself would steal away.
91
But mind the rich in wealth is surely poor,
He gathers much, and yet he pines for more;
By discontent he makes his progress rough,
And never can suppose he has enough.
He gathers much, and yet he pines for more;
By discontent he makes his progress rough,
And never can suppose he has enough.
A life of poverty is for the best,
For thus at night a man may take his rest;
The author of his health he may adore,
And fails to pine, because he has no more.
For thus at night a man may take his rest;
The author of his health he may adore,
And fails to pine, because he has no more.
Immortal virtue is the queen at last,
In poverty she lives, when wealth is past;
When mammon bloom has faded on the mind,
The stream of poverty becomes combined.
In poverty she lives, when wealth is past;
When mammon bloom has faded on the mind,
The stream of poverty becomes combined.
The cloudless mirror of the faultless soul
Reflects a pleasure which commands the whole;
One is considered poor when he is rich,
There is a destiny assigned to each.
Reflects a pleasure which commands the whole;
One is considered poor when he is rich,
There is a destiny assigned to each.
A line of destiny for every good,
Received by all who ever there have stood;
Though I by poverty continue poor,
Let me the pain of poverty endure.
Received by all who ever there have stood;
Though I by poverty continue poor,
Let me the pain of poverty endure.
Dishonesty mounts high, but soon to fall,
Never to rise again at all, at all;
An overruling providence lifts up
The head of poverty when mammon stoops.
Never to rise again at all, at all;
An overruling providence lifts up
The head of poverty when mammon stoops.
Exalted Babel with her blooming tower,
Fell sadly down in spite of all her power,
Hence, let all the proud and thrifty cease to boast
Of that which in a moment may be lost.
Fell sadly down in spite of all her power,
Hence, let all the proud and thrifty cease to boast
Of that which in a moment may be lost.
92
Gay fortune, let dull poverty alone,
Thy flower is withered and thy bird is flown,
Thou whom thy neighbors progress long delay,
Hast fallen low with all thy trust betray'd.
Thy flower is withered and thy bird is flown,
Thou whom thy neighbors progress long delay,
Hast fallen low with all thy trust betray'd.
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