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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
RIGHTEOUSNESS, by HENRY VAUGHAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography
First Line: Fair, solitary path! Whose blessed shades
Last Line: Cheating himself; that man walks in this path.
Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist
First Line: Fair, solitary path! Whose blessed shades
Last Line: Cheating himself; that man walks in this path.
Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist
Fair, solitary path! whose blessed shades
The old, white prophets planted first and dressed:
Leaving for us (whose goodness quickly fades)
A shelter all the way, and bowers to rest.
Who is the man that walks in thee? who loves
Heav'n's secret solitude, those fair abodes
Where turtles build, and careless sparrows move
Without tomorrow's evils and future loads?
Who hath the upright heart, the single eye,
The clean, pure hand, which never meddled pitch?
Who sees Invisibles, and doth comply
With hidden treasures that make truly rich?
He that doth seek and love
The things above,
Whose spirit ever poor, is meek and low;
Who simple still and wise,
Still homewards flies,
Quick to advance, and to retreat most slow.
Whose acts, words and pretence
Have all one sense,
One aim and end; who walks not by his sight:
Whose eyes are both put out,
And goes about
Guided by faith, not by exterior light.
Who spills no blood, nor spreads
Thorns in the beds
Of the distressed, hasting their overthrow;
Making the time they had
Bitter and sad
Like chronic pains, which surely kill, though slow.
Who knows earth nothing hath
Worth love or wrath,
But in his hope and Rock is ever glad.
Who seeks and follows peace,
When with the ease
And health of conscience it is to be had.
Who bears his cross with joy
And doth employ
His heart and tongue in prayers for his foes;
Who lends, not to be paid,
And gives full aid
Without that bribe which usurers impose.
Who never looks on man
Fearful and wan,
But firmly trusts in God; the great man's measure
Though high and haughty must
Be ta'en in dust,
But the good man is God's peculiar treasure.
Who doth thus, and doth not
These good deeds blot
With bad, or with neglect; and heaps not wrath
By secret filth, nor feeds
Some snake, or weeds,
Cheating himself; that man walks in this path.