1.
O soul of mine, repining,
What wouldst have done for thee?
Speak, great or small defining:
Granted thy wish shall be.
|
2.
Of all bright things, prized highest,
Beneath the rolling sun,
Tell that for which thou sighest;
For thee it shall be done.
|
3.
107
Wouldst thou assume the measure
Of Gyges, Lydia's king,
To hide or show at pleasure
By power of magic ring?
|
4.
Wouldst thou rich Midas follow?
"All gold I touch," he cried:
'Tis given! e'en gold to swallow:
So all of gold he died.
|
5.
Wouldst shine in brilliant trammels,
With pearls and jewels grand?
Have flocks, and herds, and camels,
And acres of fat land?
|
6.
Such things we will not barter:
To thee they were a snare:
They are not in our charter,
Nor would I have them there.
|
7.
108
For since to God advancing
I came at His own call,
Such cares the soul entrancing,
I have abandoned all.
|
8.
Wouldst have the nations bending
Beneath thy yoke to day,
To-morrow thyself lending
To grace another's sway?
|
9.
The sway of one, once marching,
It might be, at thy side;
Or menial base, now arching
His neck in lofty pride?
|
10.
Wouldst thou in Love's sweet anguish,
In indolence and ease,
Let truth and honour languish,
And change with changing breeze?
|
11.
109
Wouldst wed a fair Heth's daughter,
Fair progeny to see?
Ah me! of woes and slaughter
Progenitor to be!
|
12.
Wouldst have the commons sounding
The greatness of thy fame,
And theatres rebounding
With echoes of thy name?
|
13.
Wouldst thou in courts o'erflowing
With legal mockery,
Justice and truth o'erthrowing,
Pillage, and pillaged be?
|
14.
Wouldst take a martial bearing,
And sport with blood and gore?
Or, Pythian garlands wearing,
Defy the lion's roar?
|
15.
110
Wouldst have the town applauding,
And statues reared to thee?
The world thy merits lauding,
Wouldst thou its idol be?
|
16.
Vain wish! a shadowy dreaming,
A moan of wind hence bound,
Whiz of an arrow gleaming,
A hand-clap's dying sound.
|
17.
Such things will fade to-morrow,
However bright to-day:
And he must sleep in sorrow
Who makes them his heart's stay.
|
18.
Toys common! bad men's heaven!
And ah! when hence they go,
To none is it then given
To carry aught below.
|
19.
111
What then, O soul repining,
Since these things nothing be,
Substantial good defining,
Wouldst thou have done for thee?
|
20.
Wouldst be a god, presiding
At God's own side most high,
Angelic chorus guiding,
All radiant o'er the sky?
|
21.
Go thou, on pinions gliding
Of vehement desire,
On rapid whirlwind riding
Whither thou dost aspire.
|
22.
To plume thy wing I'm trying,
Nor spare the friendly goad:
Mount upward, bird-like flying
On thine ethereal road.
|
23.
112
But earth's own child on crutches,
Since, I am yoked to thee,
As queen in butchers' clutches,
Just tell how this must be;
|
24.
Whom wilt thou have abettor,
To be upheld in breath?
For I'm no more thy debtor,
Nor heed vain threats of death.
|
25.
Or wouldst thou perfumed table,
With dainties covered o'er,
So art cuisine be able
To stimulate thee more?
|
26.
And lyre, and whirl so maddening
Of rapid foot and hand,
And things to tell too saddening,
Known to the revelling band?
|
27.
113
Art thou for such things wrangling?
Have thy desire!--but wait:
Such things, not life, but strangling,
To friends insatiate!
|
28.
For thee, a house abideth,
A rock with self-formed dome;
Nature herself provideth:
We give thee such a home!
|
29.
Or if thy fancy leadeth
To build thyself a cell,
But little toil it needeth,
Where thou mayst safely dwell,
|
30.
The body claims small payment,
Ere it returns to dust:
Skins, camel's hair, for raiment
Sufficed of old the just.
|
31.
114
And grass, or straw, as chances,
Make thou thy humble bed:
And purple heath, or branches,
Thy coverlet be spread.
|
32.
Such for my guests is meetest:
No fear to great or small:
Plain table: odours sweetest,
Kind earth's free gifts to all.
|
33.
Thus housed, we will thee nourish,
As best we can afford:
Wouldst eat? take bread and flourish:
Take meal, if on the board.
|
34.
Here's salt: and thyme we scant not:
Such source no toil requires:
More luxuries we want not,
Whate'er the world desires.
|
35.
115
Or drink wouldst thou? there springeth
An everflowing bowl:
No bane the fountain bringeth,
Bright cheerer of the soul.
|
36.
But wouldst unbend in season,
And not, o'erstrained, repine?
We grant in this is reason,
Nor grudge the rough-made wine.
|
37.
But thou dost spurn all measure,
And wouldst the vessel bore,
And take huge draughts of pleasure
Till thou couldst hold no more.
|
38.
Then seek another helot,
All lengths with thee to go,
No idler I, nor zealot,
To nurse domestic foe.
|
39.
116
A frozen reptile taken,
And with fond warmth caressed:
See! it to life doth waken,
And wound me in the breast.
|
40.
Wouldst boundless gold-roofed mansions,
Gemmed paragons of art,
And master-piece expansions,
To life which almost start?
|
41.
Colours with colours blending
In opposite array;
Rare tablets, softness lending,
Or shining bright as day?
|
42.
Dost long for robes wide-flowing,
Pride of the untouched great;
And wealth on fingers glowing,
Incredible to state?
|
43.
117
Art thou at beauty aiming?
The wise would scorn to win:
More I than all, proclaiming
That beauty is within.
|
44.
Thus I to men benighted,
of earth the creatures fond,
For time alone quick-sighted,
With not a thought beyond.
|
45.
But ye who soar up higher,
A noble life to live;
Who would to heaven be nigher,
Behold what God doth give!
|
46.
In poorest clay there dwelleth
That which can never die:
With this my bosom swelleth:
For this I food supply!
|
47.
118
God-minded, thyself harden!
Meet calm the flashing sword!
Plant trees for God's own garden!
Be worker, with the Lord!
|
48.
Up! living words be building,
In God's blest truth secure.
Not robbed by foe's false gilding
Through pleasure's baneful lure!
|
49.
Again of life eternal,
Approach the blessèd tree
The way, O Thou Supernal,
I've found in knowing Thee.
|
50.
Past, present, never-ending,
The One great Light in Three;
To whom all things are tending:
To Thee, all glory be!
|
EPILOGUE.
51.
119
To self the wise thus speaketh,
Turning his eyes within;
And eager there he seeketh
To find out lurking sin.
|
52.
But who to speak refuseth,
Will pass his days in vain:
Nay, more! the ease he chooseth,
May end in greatest pain.
|
|
