Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TWO WALLETS, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TWO WALLETS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Why humankind should ever be
Last Line: The hinder pocket with our own.
Subject(s): Human Behavior; Conduct Of Life; Human Nature


WHY humankind should ever be
So keen their neighbors' faults to see,
While (wonderful to tell!) their own
Are to themselves almost unknown,
This ancient fable clearly shows:
Once on a time, the story goes,
Great Jove, the wise Olympian King,
Proclaimed to each created thing,
That he would hold a special court
Where all might come and make report
Of aught that each might deem it wise
To change in feature, form, or size.
He promised quickly to redress
All imperfections, large or less;
Whatever error or defect
Each in his person might detect.
First came the Monkey. Naught had he
Of special fault -- that he could see!
A paragon of wit and grace,
Who had -- almost -- a human face!
One seeks a finer form in vain,
Pray, why should such as he complain?
"But look at Bruin!" cried the ape;
"Was ever such a clumsy shape?
And then, for life, condemned to wear
That ugly suit of shaggy hair!"
"Nay," said the bear, "I find my form
As I could wish. My fur is warm,
And looks, I think, extremely fine,
Good Master Ape, compared with thine.
But see the Elephant! his size
Is much too huge; and I advise
(So ludicrous the beast appears)
To stretch his tail, and crop his ears!"
"Nay," quoth the Elephant, who deems
His figure clear of all extremes,
"I can't complain, -- I'm quite content!"
But then he marveled what it meant
The Whale should be so huge and fat!
The Ant was sorry for the Gnat!
The Gnat reproached the tiny Flea!
How could one live so small as she?
Thus all the animals, in turn,
The faults of others could discern;
But not a creature, large or small,
His own defects could see at all.

MORAL.

So fares it with the human race,
Who, thanks to Heaven's especial grace,
A double wallet always wear,
All sorts of sins and crimes to bear.
Within the pouch that hangs before
The faults of other folks are thrown;
While, safely out of sight, we store
The hinder pocket with our own.





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