Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Who is my Neighbour?
Who Is My Neighbour?
Thy neighbour? It is he whom thou
Hast power to aid and bless;
Whose aching heart and burning brow
Thy soothing hand may press.
Hast power to aid and bless;
Whose aching heart and burning brow
Thy soothing hand may press.
Thy neighbour? 'Tis the fainting poor,
Whose eye with want is dim,
Whom hunger sends from door to door;—
Go thou and succour him.
Whose eye with want is dim,
Whom hunger sends from door to door;—
Go thou and succour him.
Thy neighbour? 'Tis that weary man,
Whose years are at their brim,
Bent low with sickness, care, and pain;—
Go thou and succour him.
Whose years are at their brim,
Bent low with sickness, care, and pain;—
Go thou and succour him.
Thy neighbour? 'Tis the heart bereft
Of every earthly gem;
Widow and orphan, helpless left;—
Go thou and shelter them.
Of every earthly gem;
Widow and orphan, helpless left;—
Go thou and shelter them.
Thy neighbour? Yonder toiling slave,
Fettered in thought and limb;
Whose hopes are all beyond the grave!—
Go thou and ransom him.
Fettered in thought and limb;
Whose hopes are all beyond the grave!—
Go thou and ransom him.
Whene'er thou meet'st a human form
Less favoured than thine own,
Remember 'tis thy neighbour worm,
Thy brother or thy son.
Less favoured than thine own,
Remember 'tis thy neighbour worm,
Thy brother or thy son.
Oh, pass not, pass not heedless by;
Perhaps thou canst redeem
The breaking heart from misery;—
Go share thy lot with him.
Perhaps thou canst redeem
The breaking heart from misery;—
Go share thy lot with him.