“Why?” Because all I haply can and do,
All that I am now, all I hope to be,–
Whence comes it save from fortune setting free
Body and soul the purpose to pursue,
God traced for both? If fetters, not a few,
Of prejudice, convention, fall from me,
These shall I bid men–each in his degree
Also God-guided–bear, and gayly, too?
But little do or can the best of us:
That little is achieved through Liberty.
Who, then, dares hold, emancipated thus,
His fellow shall continue bound? Not I,
Who live, love, labour freely, nor discuss
A brother’s right to freedom. That is “Why.”
(Robert Browning)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, God Poems, Brothers Poems, Liberty & Freedom Poems, Labor Poems, Purposes Poems, Custom & Convention Poems, Prejudice PoemsBased on Keywords: hope, freely, also, bid, pursue, fellow, setting, save, body, dares, whence