Page:Anthology of Magazine Verse (1921).djvu/133
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Those men were Fools; and each one bore some secret foolish stain—
Some were the Fools who loved the world and were mocked for being kind,
Some had twisted a golden life with quarrel and peevish pain,
But all were doubtful, and all had left their wisdom far behind.
And ah how heavenly (poor Fools!) to lay their loads aside
And all, with simple courtesy, to take the word in turn
And itemize their lack of wit—but not in silly pride,
For when a Fool speaks modestly, then other Fools can learn.
Some were the Fools who loved the world and were mocked for being kind,
Some had twisted a golden life with quarrel and peevish pain,
But all were doubtful, and all had left their wisdom far behind.
And ah how heavenly (poor Fools!) to lay their loads aside
And all, with simple courtesy, to take the word in turn
And itemize their lack of wit—but not in silly pride,
For when a Fool speaks modestly, then other Fools can learn.
There was a Fool who dreamed a dream that Love was always young,
There was a Fool whose habit was to turn the other cheek;
There was a Fool whose eyes would shine when brave old songs were sung,
And one whose face was strangely carved, and rarely did he speak.
They did not fret on little things, and if the talk ran thin
The pewter made its tilting round, according to the rules:
They sat and stared upon the fire, all peaceably akin—
Some active Fools, some passive Fools, some honorary Fools.
There was a Fool whose habit was to turn the other cheek;
There was a Fool whose eyes would shine when brave old songs were sung,
And one whose face was strangely carved, and rarely did he speak.
They did not fret on little things, and if the talk ran thin
The pewter made its tilting round, according to the rules:
They sat and stared upon the fire, all peaceably akin—
Some active Fools, some passive Fools, some honorary Fools.
But sometimes, in a genial mood, the younger members vowed
That it was wrong their fellowship should be so limited—
"The room is large, the hearth is wide; while we don't want a crowd,
That it was wrong their fellowship should be so limited—
"The room is large, the hearth is wide; while we don't want a crowd,
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