He has done the work of a true man–
Crown him, honor him, love him;
Weep over him, tears of woman,
Stoop, manliest brows, above him!
For the warmest of hearts is frozen;
The freest of hands is still;
And the gap in our picked and chosen
The long years may not fill.
No duty could overtask him,
No need his will outrun:
Or ever our lips could ask him,
His hands the work had done.
He forgot his own life for others,
Himself to his neighbor lending.
Found the Lord in his suffering brothers,
And not in the clouds descending.
And he saw, ere his eye was darkened,
The sheaves of the harvest-bringing;
And knew, while his ear yet hearkened,
The voice of the reapers singing.
Never rode to the wrong’s redressing
A worthier paladin.
He has heard the Master’s blessing,
“Good and faithful, enter in!”
(John Greenleaf Whittier)
More Poetry from John Greenleaf Whittier:
John Greenleaf Whittier Poems based on Topics: Man, Love, Woman, Work & Career, Duty, Brothers, Blessings, Singing, Honor- The Pennsylvania (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
- Aechdeacon Barbour (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
- Among the Hills (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
- Mogg Megone - Part II. (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
- Mogg Megone - Part I. (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
- Miriam (John Greenleaf Whittier Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Woman Poems, Work & Career Poems, Brothers Poems, Honor Poems, Singing Poems, Blessings Poems, Duty PoemsBased on Keywords: manliest, paladin, redressing, overtask, harvest-bringing
- Belphegor Addressed To Miss De Chammelay (Jean de La Fontaine Poems)
- The Pastoral, Or Lyric Muse Of Scotland. Canto Second (Hector MacNeill Poems)
- An Oriental Apologue (James Russell Lowell Poems)
- 'Look at The Clock!' : Patty Morgan The Milkmaid's Story (Richard Harris Barham Poems)
- Rachel (John Lawson Stoddard Poems)