Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, OPTIMIST, by JAMES STEPHENS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

OPTIMIST, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: All ye that labour! Every broken man
Last Line: Through courage, truth, and kindness, back to hope.
Subject(s): Hope; Optimism


(1)

All ye that labour! Every broken man
Bending beneath his load! Each tired heart
That cannot quit its burden! All the clan
Black-browed and fierce, who feel the smart

Of fortune's lances, wayward, uncontrolled!
All ye who writhe in silence 'neath the sin
That no man knows about! And ye that sold
The freedom of your souls if ye might win

A little ease from strife, and hate the thing
That bought it! Ye that droop, trembling with pain,
And hunger-haunted, lacking everything
That dignifies existence, and are fain

To lay ye down and die! Hear the behest
-- All ye that labour, come to Me, and rest --

(2)

Let ye be still, ye tortured ones! Nor strive
Where striving's futile! Ye can ne'er attain
To lay your burdens down! All things alive
Must bear the woes of life, and if the pain

Be more than ye can bear, then ye can die!
That is the law! And bootless 'tis to seek
In the deeps of space; beyond the high
Pearl-tincted clouds; out where the moon doth peak

Her silver horns; for all that vastness bows
To Tyrant Toil, and weeps to find
Somewhere an aid. Be ye patient! Rouse
Your shoulders to the load to ye assigned,

And dree your weird! Be sure ye shall not moan
Stretched in the narrow bed, beneath the stone!

(3)

Lo, we are mocked with fancies! And we stretch
Our unavailing arms to anywhere
Where help is none. The north wind will not fetch
An answer to our cries! Nor on the air,

Fanned by the south wind's fan, is friend or aid!
What then is left, but this -- that we be brave,
And steadfast in our places! Not afraid
However fell our lot! And we will lave

Us deep in human waters, till the mind
Grows wise and kindly, and we haply steal
A paradise from Nature. Naught can bind
Man closer unto man than that he feel

The trouble of his comrade! So we grope
Through courage, truth, and kindness, back to Hope.





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