All sorrow, labour, suffering, I, tallying it, absorb in myself; Many times have I been rejected, taunted, put in prison, and crucified—and many times shall be again; All the world have I given up for my dear brothers' and sisters' sake-for the soul's sake; Wending my way through the homes of men, rich or poor, with the kiss of affection; For I am affection-I am the cheer-bringing God, with hope, and all-enclosing Charity; (Conqueror yet-for before me all the armies and soldiers of the earth shall yet bow-and all the weapons of war become impotent :) With indulgent words, as to children—with fresh and sane words, mine only; Young and strong I pass, knowing well I am destin'd myself to an early death: But my Charity has no death-my Wisdom dies not, neither early nor late, And my sweet Love, bequeath'd here and elsewhere, never dies. Aloof, dissatisfied, plotting revolt, Comrade of criminals, brother of slaves, Crafty, despised, a drudge, ignorant, With sudra face and worn brow, black, but in the depths of my heart, proud as any; Lifted, now and always, against whoever, scorning, assumes to rule me; Morose, full of guile, full of reminiscences, brooding, with many wiles, (Though it was thought I was baffled and dispell'd, and my wiles done—but that will never be;) Defiant, I, SATAN, still live-still utter words-in new lands duly appearing, (and old ones also;) Permanent here, from my side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time, nor change, shall ever change me or my words. Santa SPIRITA, breather, life, Beyond the light, lighter than light, Beyond the flames of hell-joyous, leaping easily above hell; Beyond Paradise-perfumed solely with mine own perfume; Including all life on earth-touching, including God-including Saviour and Satan; Ethereal, pervading all, (for without me, what were all? what were God?) Essence of forms-life of the real identities, permanent, positive, (namely the unseen,) Life of the great round world, the sun and stars, and of man-I, the general Soul, Here the square finishing, the solid, I the most solid, Breathe my breath also through these songs. ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH HELP When the enemy is near thee, In our hands we will upbear thee, Call when all good friends have left thee, When the panic comes upon thee, Hope and choice have all foregone thee, O, and if thou dost not call, Be but faithful, that is all! Go right on, and close behind thee SURETY Though to the vilest things beneath the moon My sight and sense of truth, Thy precious boon, To walk, and, sighing, dream of that blest day GEORGE ELIOT "O MAY I JOIN THE CHOIR INVISIBLE" Longum illud tempus, quum non ero, magis me movet, quam hoc exiguum.-Cicero, Ad Att., xii: 18. O may I join the choir invisible Of those immortal dead who live again In minds made better by their presence: live In pulses stirred to generosity, In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn For miserable aims that end with self, In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars, And with their mild persistence urge man's search To vaster issues. So to live is heaven: To make undying music in the world, For which we struggled, failed, and agonized That sobbed religiously in yearning song, That watched to ease the burthen of the world, And what may yet be better—saw within To higher reverence more mixed with love- |