Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A POLITICAL CHARACTER, by ISRAEL ZANGWILL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A POLITICAL CHARACTER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: In him the elements are strangely blent
Last Line: And strength to follow out their thought through all.
Subject(s): Politics & Government


IN him the elements are strangely blent —
Two consciences he hath, two hearts, two souls,
On double wrongs and errors he is bent,
And ne'er appears except in dual roles.

He hears both sides, but't is with different ears;
Sees both sides of the shield — with different eyes;
Between two rights with nice precision steers,
This double-headed king of compromise.

Not his to hold the scales of life and death —
Not his, this nebulous invertebrate,
Who heeds and scorns at once the vulgar breath,
Nor knows the fixity which stamps the great,

The kingly souls with instinct for the right,
Vibrant to conscience and her trumpet call,
With clarity of vision, inward light,
And strength to follow out their thought through all.





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