The Soul of Man

by Dora Read Goodale English

Say, in a hut of mean estate
A light just glimmers and then is gone,
Nature is seen to hesitate,—
Put forth and then retract her pawn;

Say, in the alembic of an eye
Haughty is mixed with poor and low;
Say, Truth herself is not so high
But Error laughs to see her so;

Say, all that strength failed in its trust;
Say, all that wit crept but a span;
Say, ’t is a drop spilled in the dust,—
And then say brother—then say man!

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