 | Poems |  |
43
“IF BUT THY HEART WERE STONE.”
If but thy heart were stone—
Strong stone or steel—
It never had made this moan,
It never had learnt to feel.
Strong stone or steel—
It never had made this moan,
It never had learnt to feel.
The storm should never have swept
Over the place of its rest,
It never had listened and leapt
At the cry of a life opprest.
Over the place of its rest,
It never had listened and leapt
At the cry of a life opprest.
It had never been shaken and torn
At the sight of a loved one's pain,
It had never stood still, forlorn,
At the thought “Is there meeting again?”
At the sight of a loved one's pain,
It had never stood still, forlorn,
At the thought “Is there meeting again?”
44
It had stood by itself secure,
Bound round and beneath and above,
Fenced from the plaint of the poor
And free from the fires of love.
Bound round and beneath and above,
Fenced from the plaint of the poor
And free from the fires of love.
Thou hadst smiled in godlike mirth,
Thou hadst lived serene, alone,
Thou hadst lived a lord of earth,
If but thy heart were stone.
Thou hadst lived serene, alone,
Thou hadst lived a lord of earth,
If but thy heart were stone.
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