EVIL, if rightly understood, Is but the skeleton of good, Divested of its flesh and blood. While it remains without divorce Within its hidden, secret source, It is the good's own strength and force. As bone has the supporting share In human form divinely fair, Although an evil when laid bare; As light and air are fed by fire, A shining good while all conspire, But (separate) dark, raging ire; As hope and love arise from faith, Which then admits no ill, nor hath, But, if alone, it would be wrath; Or any instance thought upon In which the evil can be none, Till unity of good is gone; So, by abuse of thought and skill, The greatest good, to wit free-will, Becomes the origin of ill. Thus when rebellious angels fell, The very heav'n, where good ones dwell, Became th' apostate spirits' hell. Seeking, against eternal right, A force without a love and light, They found and felt its evil might. Thus Adam biting at their bait, Of good and evil when he ate, Died to his first thrice happy state; Fell to the evils of this ball, Which, in harmonious union all, Were Paradise before his fall. And when the life of Christ in men Revives its faded image, then Will all be Paradise again. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VICTOR RAFOLSKI ON ART by EDGAR LEE MASTERS DEATH SNIPS PROUD MEN by CARL SANDBURG CAVALIER TUNES: GIVE A ROUSE THEN FOR THE CLINIC by ROBERT BROWNING A DAY DREAM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE OVERTONES by WILLIAM ALEXANDER PERCY THE WINDS OF FATE by ELLA WHEELER WILCOX PANEGYRIC by ABU BAKR MUHUMMAD |