 | The Forest Minstrel, and Other Poems |  |
120
CHARITY.
When thou dost on thy fellow-men look with a wond'ring eye,And marvell'st they should fall so low, when they do aim so high;
That boasting heaven's own light their guide, they should so widely stray;
With truth's dear name upon their lips, their lips should yet betray;
And coldness, changefulness, and guile, should ever seem to dwell,
Mix'd with small difference of love, in palace, cot, or cell;
Think not too sternly of thy race, look thou on every tree,
Hoar, fresh, or young, where'er they stand, on forest, down, or lea;
121
One single stem exactly straight, however fair and strong.
Perchance there may a few be found, yet those how wond'rous few!
Which, seen upon one only side, shall seem most nicely true:
Yet, look them round, and they shall bend full many different ways,
As wind and sun have fallen on them, in their more tender days.
All with their warps and blemishes thou shalt most surely find,
Curl'd in their tops, with shrivell'd leaves, or rugged in their rind;
Yet all sprung from one mother earth, all clamb'ring towards the skies,
And drawing with a social power each other as they rise;
Bearing around the mighty earth, in every clime and soil,
Beauty, and solitude, and shade, and dropping fruits and oil.
And thus, as in the vastest wood is found no perfect bole,
122
And thus, as even the gnarled thorn breaks out with fragrant bloom,
And yews, that poison life's gay walks, wave graceful o'er a tomb;
And thus, as barren branches wave aloft in beauty's pride,
And melting fruits, and honied flowers, on tendrils frail are tied;
And thus, as even mould'ring trunks to winter fuel yield,
Or, where no fruit nor blossom glows, is medicine conceal'd;
Rarely all these do meet in one, or one is wanting all,
Or scene be found where best or worst together only fall,
But with a sweet variety clothe plain, and rock, and glen:
Oh! let thy heart still whisper thee, 'tis even thus with men.
| The Forest Minstrel, and Other Poems | |