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Meanwhile； I seem to think you look at me With eyes that are at last more
credulous Of my identity。 You remark in me No sort of leaping giant；
though some words Of mine to you from Corinth may have leapt A little
through your eyes into your soul。 I trust they were alive； and are alive
Today； for there be none that shall indite So much of nothing as the man
of words Who writes in the Lord's name for his name's sake And has not in
his blood the fire of time To warm eternity。 Let such a man If once the
light is in him and endures Content himself to be the general man； Set
free to sift the decencies and thereby To learn； except he be one set aside
For sorrow； more of pleasure than of pain； Though if his light be not the
light indeed； But a brief shine that never really was； And fails； leaving him
worse than where he was； Then shall he be of all men destitute。 And here
were not an issue for much ink； Or much offending faction among scribes。
The Kingdom is within us； we are told； And when I say to you that we
possess it In such a measure as faith makes it ours； I say it with a sinner's
privilege Of having seen and heard； and seen again； After a darkness； and
if I affirm To the last hour that faith affords alone The Kingdom entrance
and an entertainment； I do not see myself as one who says To man that he
shall sit with folded hands Against the Coming。 If I be anything； I move a
driven agent among my kind； Establishing by the faith of Abraham； And
by the grace of their necessities； The clamoring word that is the word of
life Nearer than heretofore to the solution Of their tomb…serving doubts。 If
I have loosed A shaft of language that has flown sometimes A little higher
than the hearts and heads Of nature's minions； it will yet be heard； Like a
new song that waits for distant ears。 I cannot be the man that I am not；
And while I own that earth is my affliction； I am a man of earth； who says
not all To all alike。 That were impossible； Even as it were so that He
should plant A larger garden first。 But you today Are for the larger sowing；
and your seed； A little mixed； will have； as He foresaw； The foreign
harvest of a wider growth； And one without an end。 Many there are； And
are to be； that shall partake of it； Though none may share it with an
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
understanding That is not his alone。 We are all alone； And yet we are all
parcelled of one order Jew； Gentile； or barbarian in the dark Of
wildernesses that are not so much As names yet in a book。 And there are
many； Finding at last that words are not the Word； And finding only that；
will flourish aloft； Like heads of captured Pharisees on pikes； Our
contradictions and discrepancies； And there are many more will hang
themselves Upon the letter； seeing not in the Word The friend of all who
fail； and in their faith A sword of excellence to cut them down。
As long as there are glasses that are dark And there are many we
see darkly through them； All which have I conceded and set down In
words that have no shadow。 What is dark Is dark； and we may not say
otherwise； Yet what may be as dark as a lost fire For one of us； may still
be for another A coming gleam across the gulf of ages； And a way home
from shipwreck to the shore； And so； through pangs and ills and
desperations； There may be light for all。 There shall be light。 As much as
that； you know。 You cannot say This woman or that man will be the next
On whom it falls； you are not here for that。 Your ministration is to be for
others The firing of a rush that may for them Be soon the fire itself。 The
few at first Are fighting for the multitude at last； Therefore remember what
Gamaliel said Before you； when the sick were lying down In streets all
night for Peter's passing shadow。 Fight； and say what you feel； say more
than words。 Give men to know that even their days of earth To come are
more than ages that are gone。 Say what you feel； while you have time to
say it。 Eternity will answer for itself； Without your intercession； yet the
way For many is a long one； and as dark； Meanwhile； as dreams of hell。
See not your toil Too much； and if I be away from you； Think of me as a
brother to yourselves； Of many blemishes。 Beware of stoics； And give
your left hand to grammarians； And when you seem； as many a time you
may； To have no other friend than hope； remember That you are not the
first； or yet the last。
The best of life； until we see beyond The shadows of ourselves （and
they are less Than even the blindest of indignant eyes Would have them） is
in what we do not know。 Make； then； for all your fears a place to sleep
With all your faded sins； nor think yourselves Egregious and alone for
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
your defects Of youth and yesterday。 I was young once； And there's a
question if you played the fool With a more fervid and inherent zeal Than
I have in my story to remember； Or gave your necks to folly's conquering
foot； Or flung yourselves with an unstudied aim； Less frequently than I。
Never mind that。 Man's little house of days will hold enough； Sometimes；
to make him wish it were not his； But it will not hold all。 Things that are
dead Are best without it； and they own their death By virtue of their dying。
Let them go； But think you not the world is ashes yet； And you have all
the fire。 The world is here Today； and it may not be gone tomorrow； For
there are millions； and there may be more； To make in turn a various
estimation Of its old ills and ashes； and the traps Of its apparent wrath。
Many with ears That hear not yet； shall have ears given to them； And then
they shall hear strangely。 Many with eyes That are incredulous of the
Mystery Shall yet be driven to feel； and then to read Where language has
an end and is a veil； Not woven of our words。 Many that hate Their kind
are soon to know that without love Their faith is but the perjured name of
nothing。 I that have done some hating in my time See now no time for hate；
I that have left； Fading behind me like familiar lights That are to shine no
more for my returning； Home； friends； and honors； I that have lost all
else For wisdom； and the wealth of it； say now To you that out of wisdom
has