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46
[Where is the wise and just man? where]
Where is the wise and just man? whereThat earthly maiden, heavenly fair?
Life slips and passes: where are these?
Friend?—Loved One?—I am ill at ease.
Shall I give up my hope? declare
Unmeaning promises they were
That fed my youth, fine dreams of night,
And lofty thoughts of clear daylight?
I saw. I search and cannot find.
“Come, ere too late!”—The lonely wind
Brings echo, like the voice of Fate,
With mutter'd dull reply “Too late!”
[Fair houses in my walks I see]
Fair houses in my walks I see:“How wise, pure, gentle, must they be,
The unknown dwellers there!”
47
Too oft I only say “alas!”
Tho' it be full as fair.
[They are my friends]
They are my friendsWho are most mine,
And I most theirs,
When common cares
Give room to thoughts poetic and divine,
And in a psalm of love all nature blends.
[We only touch by surfaces]
We only touch by surfaces;But Spirit is the core of these.
48
[One with one, not overheard]
One with one, not overheard,This is converse: God being third.
Fidelity.
Can I be friends with that so alter'd you,And to your former friendly self keep true?
[I am not shock'd by failings in my friend]
I am not shock'd by failings in my friend,For human life's a zigzag to the end.
But if he to a lower plane descend,
Contented there,—alas, my former friend!
[For thinking, one; for converse, two, no more]
For thinking, one; for converse, two, no more;Three for an argument; for walking, four;
For social pleasure, six; for fun, a score.
[It is not you, my Foe, I fear]
It is not you, my Foe, I fear,But you alas! my Friend so dear.
49
[From the little that's shown]
From the little that's shownTo complete the unknown,
Is a folly we hourly repeat;
And for once, I would say,
That men lead us astray,
Ourselves we a thousand times cheat.
[In argument it oft betides]
In argument it oft betidesThe speakers might as well change sides,
For aught they know or think or feel,
Omitting controversial zeal.
[Is it true]
Is it trueThat any two,
Whatever they seem, whatever they do,
Are strangers still?
I like it ill,
Yet half believe against my will.
[Solitude is very sad]
Solitude is very sad,Too much company twice as bad.
50
[Little care I for the faults of the small]
Little care I for the faults of the small,His own mere undoing:
Great Man, thy greatness belongs to us all,
Thy faults are our ruin.
[Limited each is: but—O dear!]
Limited each is: but—O dear!To find one's Great Men insincere;
No disappointment so severe.
[O great one! O mighty one!—]
O great one! O mighty one!—Yet you fall short.
All the better!—Man's greater.
You are but one sort.
[Unless you are growing wise and good]
Unless you are growing wise and good,I can't respect you for growing old;
'Tis a path you fain would avoid if you could,
And it means growing ugly, suspicious, and cold.
51
[His way of life was zig-zag still]
His way of life was zig-zag still;Yet ever creeping up the hill.
[Well for the man whom sickness makes more tender]
Well for the man whom sickness makes more tender,Who doth his prideful cravings then surrender,
Owning the boon of every little pleasure,
And love (too oft misprized) a heavenly treasure,
Finding at last a subtle strength in weakness,
A medicine for the soul in body-sickness.
[The spiteful dart]
The spiteful dartFlies below or above me;
The wound in my heart
Is from you, who love me.
52
[The weak have no opinions; and the strong]
The weak have no opinions; and the strong,Full of self-will, go very boldly wrong.
[By making our trials and sorrows known]
By making our trials and sorrows known,We help fellow-mortals to bear their own.
[Some win our gratitude merely by living]
Some win our gratitude merely by living;Others can't get it by all their giving.
[A hope that we are taught to prize]
A hope that we are taught to prizeIs, meeting Kindred in the skies;
But many would as soon, I doubt,
Meet their old ulcer, cough, or gout.
[“Old Friend?”—For many years, I wis]
“Old Friend?”—For many years, I wis,I've known how great a bore he is.
53
[While friends we were, the hot debates]
While friends we were, the hot debatesThat rose 'twixt you and me!
Now we are mere associates,
And never disagree.
[If he draw you aside from your proper end]
If he draw you aside from your proper end,No enemy like a bosom friend.
[Dear Friend, so much admired, so oft desired]
Dear Friend, so much admired, so oft desired,'Tis true that now I wish to be away.
You are not tiresome, no! but I am tired.
Allow to servant brain and nerves full play
In their electric function, yea and nay;
Faith and affection do not shift their ground,
Howe'er the vital currents ebb and flow;
To feel most free because most firmly bound
Is Friendship's privilege: so now I go
To rest awhile the mystic nerves and brain,
To walk apart,—and long for you again.
54
[I'll make it part of my life's plan]
I'll make it part of my life's planTo quarrel with no honest man;
And for no earthly bribe pretend
To take the other sort for friend.
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