 | The Poetry of Real Life |  |
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THE UPRIGHT MAN.
The upright Man, he goes his way,
He holds his God-marked brow erect,
His whereabouts are like the day,
Suspecting none, none him suspect.
He holds his God-marked brow erect,
His whereabouts are like the day,
Suspecting none, none him suspect.
He wears his heart upon his sleeve,
Though spiteful daws may peck at will,
And, though his fellow-men aggrieve,
His heart of good they cannot kill.
Though spiteful daws may peck at will,
And, though his fellow-men aggrieve,
His heart of good they cannot kill.
He loves and pities them, in spite
Of all the ill they cause him too,
Their loss, he knows, is infinite,
Better to suffer wrong than do!
Of all the ill they cause him too,
Their loss, he knows, is infinite,
Better to suffer wrong than do!
He scorns to hide his thoughts, for 'tis
His glory to be free at heart,
And, if his tongue were tied, he'd miss
His freedom, or its better part.
His glory to be free at heart,
And, if his tongue were tied, he'd miss
His freedom, or its better part.
He scorns to do too i' the dark,
What he should do in all men's sight,
This is of Freedom the true ark,
The real Palladium of Right.
What he should do in all men's sight,
This is of Freedom the true ark,
The real Palladium of Right.
He sees not in a ballot box
The hope and freedom of a state,
But in Truth, Peace, and Justice, rocks,
Pillars, on which to lean its weight.
The hope and freedom of a state,
But in Truth, Peace, and Justice, rocks,
Pillars, on which to lean its weight.
He does as he would be done by,
And covets not another's good,
But with it gladdens heart and eye,
And would increase it if he could.
And covets not another's good,
But with it gladdens heart and eye,
And would increase it if he could.
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He does increase it truly too,
And swells the general sum of bliss,
As through the moon, though hid from view
By other worlds, the sun lights this!
And swells the general sum of bliss,
As through the moon, though hid from view
By other worlds, the sun lights this!
He yields obedience e'en where
The law is not as it should be,
For violence doth Peace impair,
Who brings, at last, all to agree.
The law is not as it should be,
For violence doth Peace impair,
Who brings, at last, all to agree.
Yet must he speak against the wrong,
Aye, though he suffer, he must speak,
For Truth is stronger than the strong,
And mightiest often in the weak.
Aye, though he suffer, he must speak,
For Truth is stronger than the strong,
And mightiest often in the weak.
And thoughts, high thoughts, like angels are,
And work unseen their work of grace,
Carrying their ministries afar,
When nearer home they leave no trace!
And work unseen their work of grace,
Carrying their ministries afar,
When nearer home they leave no trace!
And oft, when fall'n on evil days,
Freedom awhile seems lost to Man,
One witness may again upraise,
And many end what one began.
Freedom awhile seems lost to Man,
One witness may again upraise,
And many end what one began.
He labours not for some poor end,
In darkling mole-ways of his own,
But with Mankind doth onward wend,
And his Good doth to its postpone.
In darkling mole-ways of his own,
But with Mankind doth onward wend,
And his Good doth to its postpone.
Or, rather, they have one same Good,
And that which makes Mankind more wise
And happy, doth the one include,
And all his blessings multiplies.
And that which makes Mankind more wise
And happy, doth the one include,
And all his blessings multiplies.
He would take shame to think, that he
The labours of Man's hand and thought
So largely shared, without a plea,
Contributing thereunto nought.
The labours of Man's hand and thought
So largely shared, without a plea,
Contributing thereunto nought.
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Past ages both and present make
The goodly sum of each Man's bliss,
And he, who adds most, more doth take,
And little truly can call his!
The goodly sum of each Man's bliss,
And he, who adds most, more doth take,
And little truly can call his!
A Nation builds him palaces,
With Art and Nature's wonders filled,
And bridges, as he goes, his ways
Prepare, just where he would have willed!
With Art and Nature's wonders filled,
And bridges, as he goes, his ways
Prepare, just where he would have willed!
And vessels wait, to bear him o'er
The sea, as made for him alone,
He steps on board, and thinks no more
About it, till his voyage is done!
The sea, as made for him alone,
He steps on board, and thinks no more
About it, till his voyage is done!
Sages, for him, great Nature's laws
Explore, and bring her to the light,
He may know all that is or was,
A Being all-but infinite!
Explore, and bring her to the light,
He may know all that is or was,
A Being all-but infinite!
For him the greatest poets sing,
As if they sang for him alone,
And music from the heavens bring,
For every fireside some tone!
As if they sang for him alone,
And music from the heavens bring,
For every fireside some tone!
Ungrateful were he then indeed,
If deeply he took not to heart
The weal of Man, and bade God-speed
To all, and took in all a part.
If deeply he took not to heart
The weal of Man, and bade God-speed
To all, and took in all a part.
So goes the upright Man his way,
One with mankind, not of a sect,
His goings open as the day,
His actions, like the light, direct!
One with mankind, not of a sect,
His goings open as the day,
His actions, like the light, direct!
| The Poetry of Real Life | |