SHfara, 2Je«t $nrk FROM THE BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY COLLECTED BY BENNO LOEWY 1854-1919 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell University Library PS 3503.R397V8 3 1924 022 280 980 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022280980 The Voice of Equality BY EDWIN ARNOLD BRENHOLTZ BOSTON RICHARD G. BADGER The Gorham Press 1905 Copyright 1905 by Edwin Arnold Brenholtz All Rights Reserved Printed at THE GORHAM PRESS Boston, U. S. A. THE VOICE OF EQUALITY crying aloud Consort with none but me. "The dependence of Liberty shall be lovers, The continuance of Equality shall be comrades." — Whitman. Foreword COMRADESHIP O word that thrills a man! O fact still unattained! O universal need! O thing abhorred, despised and dreaded by the well- to-do ! O longed for good (while we are poor, down-trod- den and opprest!) Hast thou arrived? O God-begotten clue to equity! O stifler of all hates and rivalries! O thou subduer of War-demon with fraternal kiss! O thou entwiner and close-knitter of the hearts of rich and poor! Hast thou arrived? Age-waited; still we wait! E'er longed-for; still we long! Much-sought-for ; still we seek, And find thee not. Hast thou arrived? COMRADESHIP There is a stirring of the leaves, There is a stirring of the sap, There is a burgeoning of limbs ; But who shall ward the nipping frost? But who can ward the icy blast? Introduction WHEN TO THE WEST When to the West I turned this wondering gaze and faced the future growing breath by breath more near, I thought of you. In thought of you all thought of self seemed sunk below — deep, deep below — that blue-grey line whence sight sends back the word "I can no more." 'Tis but a step from here to there ; a step that sends unbounded space between — that sets a chasm unbridged where next my soul must pass, must pause. This present pause upon the Earth's parental, kind- ly, life-pulsating sea and soil secured this sacred space and time for loving tone and touch. So has Equality exalted us ! So has the Earth taught us her truth ! So has surrounding space sent benison and breathed of our own boundlessness, to us! WHEN TO THE WEST So, even so, were space, and time, and pause, pro- curers of a parturition hour for souls — se- curers of felicity's fulfilment in the far be- yond. Thus when the West is sending welcome to the Sun, and Night is noticed by our side, I'll say Farewell, and take — unshrinkingly — the forward step, still saying "Follow us." Yea! "Follow, follow," is the word. Equality has passed, persuasively, that word to me, and I to you. Her hand is clasped, close, close in mine (O loving and inspiring clasp!) and mine extends to you, entreatingly. And thus my thought turns not to self (For self has been long since submerged and therefore saved,) but turns to you and yearns to have you with me in Equality's Beyond. THE VOICE OF EQUALITY The Voice of Equality — claiming her own — through me through you, to all, to you, to me, here bursts all bounds and brings anew her bless- ing, message, and command. What came ye forth to see ? What came ye forth to hear ? What came ye forth to do ? Must I, Equality, eternally established, sonic em- bodiment of entity, must I transmute my be- ing to a tone, a boned and sinewed fleshed sum-total, an act incarnate, to persuade you that I Am? Must I take your strong hands and clasp them close about these weak and sinking ones and shriek into your selfish ears, Ye are not twain, but one; nor death nor hell, nor time, nor space, can cancel contract, snap the cord, unclasp what I have fixt? Must I find thrilling tones and call to every pass- erby, Come to my feast — hut fear to come alone? Must I become an act and drive you by destruction's death to clasp hands round the globe, to greet each other with fraternal kiss, to stand so THE VOICE OF EQUALITY close for self-defence that heart throbs to the right and left, before, behind, may evermore be felt? If needs must be, thus will I do; but first the Voice, my voice in varying tones vibrates in hearing of the race. A voice of pleading to the purse-proud rich. A voice of pardon for the poor for patience they should not have bred and strengthened to the punying of their manliness. A voice of succor to all sinking souls. A voice of ravishment for those dear comrades mine who from volition love me well and ever- more. A voice of loud alarm to all now out of touch with me. Across the globe, enmeshing it ; transversely through to left and right, pervading it; out, out be- yond, encompassing; this voice is sent — and greets you now. A whisper: Come: I have prepared the secret place where equals should embrace. A song: My Comrade, can you wish to be Alone, apart — Come, come with met A threat: I fail that one who first fails me. 10 THE VOICE OF EQUALITY A taunt : So gnarled and twisted, jagg'd and all deformed that you will no place fill or fit among your fellowmen and thus prefer to stand apart and lord it over them? Come! I will find a place for you where worms shall lord it royally — where you shall fit their bellies well, and leave no gap in serried ranks of Comrade folk for Falseness to stalk through. A promise: Clasp my hands, gaze in these eyes, place lips on lips and seal your vow of love with oath unbreakable — O Comrade, ask for all, for what you will, Behold! 'tis freely given. ii THE COUNSEL OF EQUALITY I counsel you to still convey this covenant of mine to man. He harbors me who holds my hand and threads with with me all paths and finds in each confront- ing form an Equal, Comrade, Brother, Friend. With such I covenant this day and seal it with my kiss. To you I promise thus: You shall be mocked, misunderstood, maltreated, mutilated, — slain. You shall be shunned, stoned, spit upon — and sacri- ficed to give the Nations peace. To you will I send thoughts and words to fit the thoughts and breath to beat those words about and deep within unwilling Nations' ears. To you will I send love for every form of life, (and all things are alive!) such love as fills the soul so full that there is never room for mem- ory of things the Nations give to you; such love as shames your slayer when he sees the smile I place upon your lips at sight of Death. 12 THE COUNSEL OF EQUALITY I counsel you to not conceal one word of this co- equal covenant of mine. And to the faithful friends who find my presence sweet, who find that I suffice — and I alone, — you may confide what warmth the casting of my mantle o'er you brought, what transports traversed mortal veins and nerves when I stretched all my unconcealed and sacred form along your world-stript frame beneath that mystic mantle — henceforth thine and mine — that so shall save your soul from chill of death. 13 THE CRY OF EQUALITY O waves that link all lands, convey my love to all! Ye winds that whisper to the stately and soul-satis- fying trees, with every tremble of their tune- ful leaves convey my love to all. Convey my love, convey my love all unimpaired to bird and beast to stick and stone to flowers and flowing stream, unbounded love. Convey — and not a word but love to them. Convey my love, as deep enduring and devout, to these my kin in human form; but to it add my soul's appeal: My Brother, shall your minted and unminted gold debar my love? My Brother, shall your book-bound learning make an outcast of my love? Mv Sister, shall your social forms and lackeyed slaves prevent me from a seat beside you at your board? O Winds, O Waves! bear swiftly to my kith and kin that bar my near approach and close em- brace by these piled-mountain-high encum- brances, bear swiftly note by note to their delusion-deafened consciousness the shrill, sane music of this laugh of scorn for each debarring thing. 14 THE CRY OF EQUALITY Shall love confront a thing, abashed ? Shall love full armed not leap all man-built piles and storm the barricaded hearts and set them free? O Waves, O Winds, make haste ! Winds with access, to the Waves denied, slip past my sister's servant-guarded door (with lie dictated on his lips) and whisper all my love to her where she within her palace waits her passion's paramour. Plead with your most persuasive voice (the voice with which you woed and won my love) that passion be restrained till I arrive. 1 am the lover stern and strong that instantly can satisfy, can fill her life and touch the germ she holds with vital force to turn it to a God in her conception hour. Convince, O Wind! Convey my cooling breath across her passion stained, all red-dyed cheeks, and she will wait throughout all time (if needs) till I arrive. Race with the speed of hurricane's impelling breath, O Wave I love ! Dash all your saltness cold and harsh into my Broth- er's face. 15 THE CRY OF EQUALITY Back on earth's breast of sand and shell toss his re- viving form. O Wind beloved, quick ; and whisper to this would- be suicide, so brave to face the all-unknown, so fearless as to dare the death, so tired of life's unequal lot and strife — quick my be- loved ! salute returning sense and sanity with message ne'er to be forgot: Your mistress-lover waits the touch and close em- brace of man as brave, as fearless and as wearied of life's wrongs as now are you. Come, come! there's joyful work for you: you must not die this day, or year. Sweet are the children she will bear to you in fu- ture years; Sweet are the hours when you shall see them crush the cruel wrong you could not slay. O Winds and Waves, be swift, be swift: This word of mine within my lover's ear can never fail. O Winds, rush with the whirlwind's force into the sickly odor-scented room where my loved comrade now is playing prostitute — the pa- ramour of one abhorred, unutterable. 16 THE CRY OF EQUALITY Shriek in her ear: Arise, arise and save your soul — your body is already rotten, foul, diseased — your lover comes who will destroy this damn- ing flesh, and set you free. Across her naked limbs entwined sweep chilling blast of loathing for her body's act, of loath- ing fierce at touch of flesh to flesh. Sweep icily, without surcease, transforming pleas- ure's thrill to torment's loathing at the thought of me debarred from her by sale of what was mine to this diseased debaucher of her sacred flesh. Sweep, sweep, till she arise and shut the door on him — and bar him out. Then bring the message of her love renewed to me, OWind! (O Nations, Kingdoms, Empires, Cities, Towns and States this day and thus embracing Greed — conceiving by the Fiend and bringing forth his progeny to curse mankind the more, — Up ! bar him out : Renew your love and vows to me — I, close at hand, await the message mighty winds shall wing to me without delay — Behold! I soon am with you then.) 17 THE CRY OF EQUALITY O Waves that swirl, O winds that whirl your way where'er ye list, Speak to my brother now abroad in every clime so burdened with the ages' thefts he hugs so close. Speak with convincing words: My lover and your lover bids you drop depressing load and lift your head and face the light. By day, by night, across the curving solid of this globe blow ye, and rise and fall, and lave and whisper to all forms of life this faithful all- fulfilling word, THE EQUAL LOVER IS AT HAND. 18 THE APPEAL OF EQUALITY Like a lost child in city's unfamiliar streets I stand and search the face of every passerby for glance of recognition and of love. Behold ! it is not pity I desire — those to be pitied have deserted me and left me thus. How lonely is the thronged and busy thoroughfare to such a child ! How lonely is the billion-peopled earth to me ! In face of Sages, Saints and Sinners, long and eag- erly I gaze and seek what I must find or be forever lost to man; but each and all know not my face or voice — or see me not, — each so intent on mastery of self or men. Oh but my heart is bruised and sore with all these cold and careless glances of the passersby! Sure, sure, these beauties with seductive — kiss-in- viting — flesh and form advancing to me now with sparkling eyes and merry laugh and jest should be acquaint with me and know their home should be my own: my heart goes out to them entreatingly. But no! They have passed by as most have passed, nor ever glanced my way. 19 THE APPEAL OF EQUALITY Far down the street there sounds the strain of hur- dy-gurdy's harsh refrain; but I, from here, can see the servile air and oft bared head of him that turns the crank and twangs the strings, and though of old he knew my voice full well I shall not go to him — he would not know me now. O mortals of this race beloved! must I remove me to my former haunts and for a longer space remain among the trees, birds, beasts and rocks to find acceptance and companionship? Must I, Equality, God's best beloved, must I speak only by a voice — the voice of mortal man — and never speak to you by thrilling touch of hand to hand of heart to heart of soul to soul ? Behold ! I am the rounding out and perfecting of all your past and present and God's own guar- antee that future with fruition fair shall be your own — and every man's. And now I look you in the face and wait one glance of recognition and of love. 20 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY I call, I whisper, beckon, plead — Come, come : I wish to give, not take from you. Why all this helpless groping with the outstretched hands when steps are turned this way ? Why lacks your face an answering smile when mine is sent your way? Why should the stumbling steps subdue the ardor wakened by my call? Why should there not be swift embrace and answer sweet and strong: I come, lead on; I fol- low, gladly follow you? Still stumbling, stumbling, falling, lacking joy in me, I clasp the hand upraised and stoop and gaze at your dear face — so low, so low! — as you lie trembling there — And now I understand. How can these eyes, blind, blind from birth, tell you how fair, how much to be desired, I am ? How can the ears so deafened by the damning din of your dull duped and all-devouring busi- ness world report to your depleted soul one accent of my all-constraining call ? 21 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY Lie still, lie still! I will annoint those eyes with kisses, Child ; I will send fever far from them and from your fea- tures fair and from your flesh so harshened by the hurrying throng, by my cool breath — dear Child; I will destroy that din, or banish it forever from those ears, by whispered words and low- pitched songs of deeds you are to do. Hush, hush! Lie still, lie still! Let not the light (that first faint ray) cause you to think of only me. Let not that cadence sweet of song I soothe you with (that feeble, fluttering sound that first found way to your faint soul) cause you to leap to arms — Not yet, not yet! Lie still, lie still. ***** Now is your day of stumbling, falling, doubting, past — forever past. I bid you rise and arm yourself for deeds. Thus, thus, erect and fronting me and facing all the frenzied world, I kiss once more, I breathe once more, and thus and thus sweep that last lingering dimness from those eyes (O seeing 22 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY eyes!) and cool the ardor that would smite and slay all souls that scoff at me — at me, your soul's true love and mate — Equality, the God. Think of the years I bore with you — Be pitiful and kind! Remember, Seeing, Hearing One! how deaf, how blind are they — were you. ***** Here is an invitation from my heart: Come, we will walk wide ways and long and see this sunlit earth as she shall be when I (and You) have kissed all eyes and breathed on all — as I on you have breathed. O Eyes that see, Behold ! Sights of soft Summer's noons that soon shall be, send your sustaining message to this soul, Sights of old wastrel Winter's ice-walled, snow- cap'd, clothed and covered scenes, disclose to this discerning one the wine of life you there enfold and keep for future days — for me, Sights of the days that dance and dare to shout aloud, Sights of the years that yearn to hasten here and force these heartless years to hell, Sights of surrounding Space that sleep forevermore 23 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY for stunned and stunted souls encased, en- shrouded in earth's stolen gold, Sights, sights and sounds, salute these seeing eyes and hearing ears as we (hand clasped in hand, soul seeing soul) walk West, walk North, and East and South on all earth's wide and equal ways. Rejoice, rejoice that we are armed: Here's for the doing of a deed that dares destroy- ing Death! Now will we slap this so-called Sovereign in the face, that his great insolence has walled his wall across our equal way and bids us wait till dues are paid, and bids us wander whence we came. Hold, hold your hand ! these hirelings but hunt like hounds unleashed by master's hand: Recall how avalanche has vaulted overhead — nor showered a flake on us; how mountains high have hurried to the mighty main to make a way at our approach; how venom of the cobra and the asp have sent new life swift spreading in our veins; how but to will or wish the withering of the forest's giants has given them death as we have walked our ways — and then, 24 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY Hold, hold your hand: Why should the hireling hear stern Death hiss in his ear? Why should the slave be turned to stone? This wall that bars our onward way and makes of Comrades slaying slaves, we now will wish aside with waving of the hand ; These full-fed, fat and frantic hounds that fawn before the one that walled this wall in his surpassing insolence, we now will breathe upon and so transform them into MEN. Now let the earth relieved of that suppressing in- solence rejoice and shout (Aye, shout and praise!) and swift salute the advancing day with trees and flowers and grain and grass where once that wall withstood our wish. Come, come! We must confront that insolence and smite him with a single glance from our wide open, seeing eyes. Did you apportion death as doom for him? Poor little Kingling with his craft and world di- plomacy and robes of state and crown and jeweled scepter held in palsied hand whom we must condensed to smite — Why should we slay? 25 THE INVITATION OF EQUALITY If we forbore and saved alive the harrying hounds and breathed them into humanness — How shall the Idol be despised, destroyed, when we embrace and love those hands that gilded it and placed it high? So ! Let him live, and learn to be a MAN. ***** Away to the desert for rest! Away to the silence of Space, for Peace ! Away and away to the Centre, for Life; to the Source, for Strength — Away, come away! Come to ME. 26 THE JOY OF EQUALITY Long deferred the day of jubilation! A shout and a song for the sight I have seen ! Superb: it is glorious! Great is my victory: — Grant me this respite from rational conduct ; I can only behave as a child that is pleased. Give me room, give me room! I shall yet raise my standard. Human hands shall support it; Human hearts shall sustain it — And the field of its victory now is in sight. Let the dark days and dreary foraye be forgotten! ('Tis a sin and a shame to remember them now; but this justified joy makes them all look quite kindly — and calmly I think of the cen- turies past.) Let men's minds be turned ever towards this my Mecca — the spot where mine eyes saw my visions fulfilled. O sight that speaks peace to these War-harried na- tions ! O word that hath witnessed my mission's matu- rity! — Word and sight that sent joy where despair was residing. 27 THE JOY OF EQUALITY Two there were, as e'er there must be — and with fearing eyes I watched them. Hungry, both, with wife and children, hungry; Seeking work, but standing idle where the mill's locked door stood mocking. One was black as Ethiop's mother ; One, as white as hunger's pallor whitens my Cau- casian children ever. He, the white, on strike for justice, speaking. He, the black, broad-shouldered, brawny, patient with the slave-taught long endurance, listen- ing— Meanwhile I, unseen, was watching. I, unseen, drew near and looked at each from out the eyes of other. I touched lips of him the speaker. I touched ears of him the hearer. I supplied both words and understanding. I repressed in them all anger. I awoke a kindred heartthrob. I bestowed on both my love unbounded. and benig- nant. I, unseen, made one among them. 28 THE JOY OF EQUALITY Hark, the master makes his offer: One of two he'll give employment — let them bid against each other. Freedom, Righteousness, Religion, Reason, through the ages raised a strong restraining hand against the strife made sure to follow — Failure evermore attended; — I was tugging at their heartstrings as they turned toward the master. Spake the Black, thus breaking silence: "Why should I betray my brother? Did you pay him living wages? Did you pay him all his product ? Did you treat him like a human ? Will you pay me more tomorrow? — quite so much tomorrow ? Will you treat me any better? Don't you feel yourself above me?" And they turned away together — Hungry, both, and thinking of their wives and chil- dren hungry. And my joy was kindling in me. Where their ways assundered, standing they sa- luted ; And their hands extended leaped to eachward, And their lips pronounced in unison but "Com- rade." 29 THE JOY OF EQUALITY And no single thought intruded of the other Com- rade's color — Then my joy burst bounds and blazed and warmed my soul to singing As they parted there with all tfie city's street ongaz- ing — thinking not of all the gazers, not one thought of his, the Comrade's color. 2fc 2k. A|b J& A Let mankind rejoice and reason! What has been may be repeated. What is now may e'er continue. For my sway of these is settled — and the salt shall never lose its savor. Ah, the solemn joy that sobers ! I shall hush my shouts hereafter and content my soul with singing; For of all this earth's uncounted mortals, there were two that once forgot the Comrade's color — But my joy was perfect in that hour transcendent, holy. 30 THE PITY OF EQUALITY With pity for this passing race whose proud proces- sion pushes ever to the West my heart is like to break. These sympathetic eyes, tear-dimmed, perceive the picked and pampered members marching ever in the Van, their heads high held and faces front, unflinching, trampling, trampling in the dust to death those doomed by Destiny to give them pause. These eyes, wiped clear, indignantly perceive pro- tection for this seeming Van, — that flaunts its prowess to the skies, — the pigmy folk of weaker brain or brawn, pushed far before these beef-fed gluttons, plumed and gilt be- decked, forever grasping gain and glo- rious renown at cost of death to those. These ears are stunned by shouts unceasing from the purchased throats of slaves saluting Free- dom's name. In pity I put tightly, quickly, both these hands upon the ears and close the eyes, that for a mo- ment's space, perchance, I may forget your shame. O passing race, for whom the rising sun shines ever on the back, who ne'er have faced the glorious 3i THE PITY OF EQUALITY light that gilds my East, I give you pity — where you looked for praise. To be content with light and look not once toward the source, To march with measured tread toward the West and win dominion of a devastated earth for one brief day, To count no cost (because the cost was corpses cum- bering earth and raising you who tramped them underfoot one corpse's height, or more, above the mass,) To sore your throat and rough your ears with rau- cus plaudits of far distant Freedom's name (deceiving slaves the while,) To eat, sleep, breed, and butcher, and betray your soul to saying "This is life," May call for praise — I give you pity for the lot. Could pity pass to your casehardened hearts past custom's acid-bit abnormity that bounds your being quite, Could but a tithe of this great pity welling in my heart win to the greed-walled soul confined in you and gaze it in the face, Could sacrificial scents of myrrh, frankincense, thyme and rue my pity makes me burn upon my 32 THE PITY OF EQUALITY heart's high altar day by day to one Supreme in your behalf rise to your nostrils and find sensitive one spot to which their pungent sweetness might this hour make its appeal to Down upon your knees and pray for pardon for the past, for strength to rise with face toward the East where hope is shining for the race, where I Equality reside forever- more, — Behold! there then were hope that in the days to come my pity might be changed to praise indeed. But "Push, push, push!" is e'er your palpable ne- cessity, And "Pay, pay, pay," is e'er Necessity's implacable requirement ; And I shall pity most the Van that vaunts its past achievements, pity it for its so coward cun- ning that the corpses strewn as stepping stones for them were all supplied by so-called les- ser men (nagged on by them) who had to pay installments on the debt at present due — Yea ! I shall pity most of all the so-called "Valliant Van" whose payments are deferred — whose day of reckoning is to come. 33 THE PITY OF EQUALITY At the thought of that payment my pity is great. What indeed shall be paid that might cancel this manifest debt! Is it gold you are offering? Pity o'erflows! For of all your possessions, appraised at its highest, your gold is least current where these debts long accrued of the race must be met. Do you offer your life? It is forfeit for one of your victims; and vainly you strive to forget in the mind of this court the uncounted cursed millions your "Civilized" slaughter destroyed. Do you offer your soul? Why, the stunted survival your shame now remem- bers was mortgaged for Power — and that pitiless "Progress" you boasted of holds the first lien. But when Progress, the genuine, — upward, not beastward, — demanded fair tribute you ever refused to acknowledge the debt: your soul was in pawn for a sixpenny worth of the passing day's power, and pride made you lie for the shame of the fact. Do you offer — ? Great God! you have nothing to offer; for body, soul, gold, and the power usurped, all are part of the total that sums 34 THE PITY OF EQUALITY up your race — and your race is on trial for murder, seduction and theft. After all, you are bankrupt and bear on your backs the dead bodies of billions you slew — and this burden is bending, abasing you, breaking you, here in my sight. And this bankruptcy brings from my heart the red drops to be wept all in secret, as the tribute to justice my pity demands. For the doors of my treasury wide have been open, And the call of my love has been voiced in your ears, And my East has been bright with the rays all-invit- ing; But lust for possession and power prevented, And pity must cover with shame your still proud- faced, highheaded, defiant position. Yea! pity must stand in the stead of my love. 35 THE TESTIMONY OF EQUALITY What is this you are waiting to give witness to, O my detainers; What will please you and win your approval — my masters — What, indeed, can I testify? — knowing the truth. I shall testify this: to your face will I testify! Seven times a full seventy thrice shall outnumber those souls from earth's trillions through time to the present who touched lips to mine, who taught in my name, who were free souls in fact — And the fathers, their children, and you, through life's martyrdom flames forced each one of my lovers and friends. Lo! the praise of Equality now on your lips is the lie of all lies of your lives. On the oath of Equality, thus have I sworn. For particulars then, since you clamor for items proofgiving. Search of soul's secret chambers least used is not needed : Speak the fact you find flaunting freely, obscenely, its nakedness here where the public are pass- 36 THE TESTIMONY OF EQUALITY ing forever; speak your undisguised scorn of your brother today. To that scorn will I testify, though you deny it. Not an act of your lives but betrays its existence ; Not a word from your lips but the accent suggests it; Not a thought of your brains but betrays how your hearts but then harbored scorn's hatred of some one alive on the earth, or, far far with the dead, past the reach of your scorn. I testify more to the centuries long I have loved you despite your vile scorning. I summons my witnesses; (You are my witnesses!) testify truly and shame your scorned souls. "Scorned?" Stay, stay! Grant me space for a little wild laugh- ter. And it never occurred to this solemn tribunal that scorning breeds scorn and that you axe the scorned ? my judges! give space for a second's sane laughter and shouting. 1 solemnly swear that this laughter shall save you. I testify now by the mouths of my witnesses. What do ye lack in the earth-space secured you? 37 THE TESTIMONY OF EQUALITY What, in the air rain and sunshine surrounding? O my judges! judge justly the "Nothing" they an- swer. Is there lack in your lives ye can trace to Equality? Is there lack ye can trace but to lack of Equality's presence and sway? O my judges! weigh swiftly these solemn sworn "Nays," and proceed to the sentence your souls must pronounce. ***** Testify, testify! Truth is triumphant. East, North and South wing this word to the West, to the West till encircling it reaches your own souls again: Scorn is slain in all souls and mankind is rejoicing In Equality's name, In Equality's sway. And foreverl 38 THE PROPHECY OF EQUALITY (The Volcano) There was and is once-thought-to-be-extinct Volcano in the land. I live in daily sight of it. I spend the days and years in close companionship with it, I know its every mood and move. I feel its throes supprest. Deep, deep within I have explored: The seething scoria, molten slag and sulphurous fumes are there, are there, and are accumulating fast. Built high above miasmic plain upon its upward reaching heaven approaching sides pallatial mansions of the rich are reared, and rich enjoy the prospect fair. I gaze at them. From base to summit they have loaded it with over- weight of wealth. Its mighty and majestic crater yawning fathomless they have filled full with brittle folly-rock, and on the surfaced level of that park by day and night disport themselves at ease. I gaze at them: The seething mass boils hot. The long-pent forces fill internal caverns full. The noxious gas, supprest, is still evolved — for cause. 39 THE PROPHECY OF EQUALITY The ill-stopt vent — on holiday of rich, perpetual hol- iday, — fire eaten from beneath, drops hun- dred feet and slays some thousand score of rich, and those who serve them well, at sac- rilegious feast. I hear their shrieks and groans and curses vile at this Volcano's so-called trick. I gaze and note their stern resolve : Have workers — while we watch their feats of strength, which pleasure us, — pile thousand fold of folly-rock within the chasm and pack it tight — cementing it with bloody sweat from their own shriveled skins. The pleasure-park's rebuilt and beautified anew. The ball goes gaily on. How peaceful all the slumberous years upon the old Volcano's top! How beautiful the brilliant tints displayed on ladies fair disporting mid the flowers blooming lav- ishly in soil supported by that folly-rock foundation, blood-cemented tight! How beautifully fair their face and form; How white their little hands ; — How soft their jeweled hands; — How tender hands of rich men there ! Deep, deep within I still explore, and listen close in silence of the night. 4° THE PROPHECY OF EQUALITY The old Volcano's forced digesting folly-rock fills me with sympathy for it. Why should I say what I've beheld and warn the dancing, dallying dudes and dudines sweet and proud usurpers of the "gentle" name, to be but answered with a cry of "Madman's visions." Why? Still, I must pity them; must pity all. I cry aloud. I cry aloud in parable, to note of sorrow's chant: As I stand gazing at these intermediate days, sharp strikes the sense the voice of rich in praise of poverty's estate; Low, sullen, taunt-packed curse impinges quick, in full reply, "Thou hypocrite, exchange with us!" Ear is saluted with the cry for peace; Eye sends no glance that's not confront with prep- aration for the struggle fierce and soon, per- chance, to be — AND I CLOSE EAR AND EYE AND PRAY FOR SLEEP'S OBLIVION Still standing with the soul agaze; emerging from the intermediates — with wrath full armed, at sight of starving men and Freedom's mu- tilated corpse, — burst forth the cataclysmic years that devastate with blood. 4i THE PROPHECY OF EQUALITY (O years, repugnant years, retreat, retreat, — till I have passed ! O days, demoniac days, delay, delay till I depart!) Shrieks from their pallid, froth-stained lips proclaim, "Stern lessons must be taught to brutal man by scourge and sword!" Exultant from those parted lips peals forth: "We are the vengeance of the Lord of All, un- leashed by his own hand. We right no wrongs, — but, We repay." O years! O cruel years, (if come ye must?) haste ye, — make payment full : leave no arrears ! Smite us. (Have those unborn slain Freedom blest or silently connived at guilt? Smite us, not them.) Smite swift and sure ! Die ye, hot days of hate and horrors manifold, — die speedily; give place to days and years of Brotherhood and Comradeship divine. Thus cried I long and loud upon the old Volcano's side. # * * # * Surprise slays not or it had slain me now ! In answer to my plea (by voice of one they claimed to love) for swift removal of the weight im- posed, for leveling of all to one high plain, for unimpeded vent for noxious gas — not 42 THE PROPHECY OF EQUALITY now to be prevented here — I'm answered with a cry of "Prophet blest, we thy true words endorse!" and, straightway, added weight of prison-pens for poor, insane and sick is built on outskirts of the park; and on the midway ground — for use of well-to-do with leisure hours — some thousand tall, thought-paralyzing buildings rise, perpetu- ating brazenly the so-called donor's names and fame; and temple (greatest weight of all) erected to, not by the Lord of Love soon rears aloft its gilded spire from central space in park. And there, within, each hour the fatling priests pour sickening sweet libations on the altar, jewel decked, and loud intone laudations of the Workingman of Nazareth, while all respond, "O me most culpable" and "Give us peace." ■9(f 3p flt W" v And I, far down the mountain side, within a cleft- rock cavern sit and listen to the seething of the scoria white, to hissing of the rendering folly-rock, to ebulition of the noxious acids ever eating, eating and eternally evolving deadly gas, represt, — And wait in solitude of silent thought for coming end, For coming End that shall make all things new. 43 "COME, LET US REASON," SAITH EQUAL- ITY TO ALL And hardly had the human held his head one sec- ond's space clear in the sight of sun and some- what higher than the brute, than he denied me in his heart of hearts and Lorded it — as now. By day, by night, through lingering years uncounted and uncountable, through seconds silently aspeed, atomic dust and its resultants — stars and suns and satellites innumerable — by, through and in them all, Equality's ex- pression of the law of laws, the life of lives, finds unimpeded course. But, here; behold! Here is an Atom that a breath has puffed to bursting size and given a name — the name of Man. Because the atom was bestowed, Because the breath belonged to one that blew, Because its birth was bounded by a womb — and that womb not its own, Because its burial time and place cannot be bar- tered for a wish to stay, Because the bursting will be noticed but by few, Because — Aye, thousand thousand times "Because" 44 "COME, LET US REASON," SAITH EQUAL- ITY TO ALL 'twould seem befitting it to bend the knee to none of its own kind, as knowing them full well; 'Twould seem befitting it to keep the Equal word upon its lips, to shout it for a war-cry fierce, to sing it as a love-song sweet, to fling that word with deathly force full in the face of Atoms called by foolish name of King or Subject, Rich or Poor. 'Twould seem, indeed! 'Twould seem, and that indeed is seeming that is there — and nothing more. ***** Of laughter I shall surely die if I survey the sense- less antics of these solemn slaves that sleek the hair and bow them low and backward tread in presence of these other Atoms who must burst, as they. Oh let me laugh, oh let me laugh aloud — Or I must weep. 1 And did ye hear the fine-toned word with which they fill the air, And did ye hear that Freedom word with which their famished souls would fain be satisfied? Oh let me laugh, and laugh both loud and long — 45 "COME, LET US REASON," SAITH EQUAL- ITY TO ALL or I shall shed some tears I fain would save for worthy cause. To think of trembling Atoms that transgress fair Freedom's most fixt law still calling on her name beloved and vowing still to die for her, while yet they tremble at an Atom's frown! Oh let me laugh, and look away — or I shall die of shame. 3|& T& flC TW *F What can an Atom do to you but prick the Atom that must some day burst, and soon. Has not Equality instructed you that Atoms should not bow? Has not Equality instructed you that Atoms must not rule? Can ye conceive of Freedom still alive, and me, Equality, restrained? Come! let us reason and confront the truth. Come! let us call for counsel to the concourse of the stars. Come! let us say the final word and finish Life or Death. Why, no: 'Twas not to be expected that ye would! Deep in the dark recesses of each consciousness ye've caged and chained revolt at what ye daily do : Still, it is there. 46 "COME, LET US REASON," SAITH EQUAL- ITY TO ALL Few are the feeble flutterings of aspiring sighs for Freedom now; for she has named Equality as purchase price of love of hers : Still, they are there. Still there, still there, and still responding to the pulsing of that pure breath breathed and blown by One to make of Atom, MAN. I love the days that yet are in the womb of Time ! I love the Atoms now composing constellations vast ! I love the breath that on a day unborn shall breathe those Atoms to be men I I love — And would ye know my great "Because?" / love because that in that day those Atoms will not bow to Atoms that must burst. 47 "COME TO MY GARDEN," SAITH EQUAL- ITY, "AND GROW" Aloud, aloud, "Come, come," I call; I catch you by the hand! I stand and beckon black and white and every shade between — What bars your breathing this sweet-scented, vital air beside me here? Unwalled, unhedged, wide-open, free — here is the Garden of the Gods. Here is the place, the place to grow, the place to grow to Godlike girth and height. My hand is firmly, gently, drawing you within. Invisible the line that bounds! I stand astride of it. Saluting you I cry again: Shake off the glittering dust, shake off the glittering dust, Strip to the skin, strip to the skin and drop those blood-blotched clothes of cloth-of-gold whose pockets bulge with dust, with glittering dust. Unwalled, unhedged, wide-open, free! — Stript to the skin you may come on ; my loving clasp may win you way across the line that bounds. 48 "COME TO MY GARDEN," SAITH EQUAL- ITY, "AND GROW" So stript, how poor, how pale, how puny you ap- pear! So stript, here is a heart that hales you to your home — the home of growing Gods. Before, before! — look not behind! Well quit of those dust-weighted rags, why should you witness strife of beggars clothed in rags with beggars clothed in cloth-of-gold to snatch what you have dropped? Before, before ! Look not behind ! My loving clasp is drawing you within. 3fe ^fe £fe ^j£ ^1"_ Now stand alone and fill yourself with life, in deep drawn breaths. My love surrounds you and enfolds — my clasp's re- laxed — You are most free to go or stay. That is enough! Glance not forever at my face and deep within my eyes — glance at my garden's treasures gath- ered throughout space, absorb the life they give, and grow the growth your soul per- mits. I am Equality, and this my garden wonderfully fair ; and therefore is the Oak permitted space and light and food and air some thousand times 49 "COME TO MY GARDEN," SAITH EQUAL- ITY, "AND GROW" the sum wished for or asked by this retiring Violet here ; But honor, love, and comradeship of mine in equal measure goes to each — and honor, love and comradeship are life of life and food of food to soul of Tree and Flower and Beast and Bird and Man. Grow with the growth your soul permits, and Equals taught of me with praiseful voice rejoice. Free, as the favors of these fruits and flowers, I make you free — forever free — to all your soul and body needs for growth. The ground within this garden gives you birth — continual birth — and growth at touch of naked feet — or body cast at length — all stript so bare of glittering dust. The flowers fulfill their life in breathing sweetness through the life-charged air you need, in flashing form and color — for your faith's in- crease — constrainingly before your sense of sight. The trees — here granted all proportioned to their needs — transmute and then transmit that all to you, to all — and taste the joy Equality be- stows. 50 "COME TO MY GARDEN," SAITH EQUAL- ITY, "AND GROW" Free as the freely given soul that finds a fortress in your flesh-encompassed frame are you to all these have to give — so but that growth, and fearless facing of the sun, and faithful standing well astride the bounding line with hand extended far, in your appointed hour, to draw your fellow mortals here, marks use of all my garden has to give. 51 EQUALITY'S CHALLENGE And certain of my lovers plead with me, "Come, compromise with Kings and Queens, with Princes, Emperors and Rulers of so-called Republics who control the world." Persuasively have they proclaimed time after time to these unwilling ears, "A seat within the hall is better far than cold and damp beyond the outer door, and, sure, One half a loaf is better than no bread at all." Now, once for all, will I reply; and never call him lover of Equality who in the coming years says "Compromise'' to me. Where is the grammar you were taught in bygone schoolday's hours? Can you compare all things and make them more or less by adding word or words? Did mathematics make no impress on your mind that equals can admit, with you of difference still? I am Equality that knows not rich or poor, or black or white, or high or low, and cannot, will not, compromise with man who lords it over man: He is my foe — and I am his — forevermore, 52 EQUALITY'S CHALLENGE Here, with my feet firm fixed on common mother Earth, established in the midst of hearts that have no room for even wish to wear a crown, I send my challenge forth to all the world. Have rulers brought you peace or war ? I promise peace, perpetual peace, at home, abroad and in your hearts and minds. Have rulers fed or starved your souls? (Your bod- ies bear such witness, needs no question as to them : ) I promise nourishment, full growth and fruitful- ness to bodies, minds and souls of all. Have rulers shared the work the toil the burden and the heat, the cold and blasting storm and deadly tramp through knee-deep snow as equals should? Are they content with mil- lionth part of good and gold as they are well content with millionth part of all life's ills? I promise to abide with you — close by your side — supporting you when ills arrive and sharing as an equal should in all that comes, or good or ill, or fat or lean, or life or death. This is my challenge ! and this day I bid you choose. Behold! Equality and one who rules can never, never mate. 53 EQUALITY'S DERISION, FIERCE Conceive of me — as you have oft conceived — and set the bald conception down in brutal words, that I may realize the banal thing you have espoused, consorted with, — aye, loved! — And I, far, far away. What, what! is this wan wastrel of the wilds — that all your words are far too good and fine to give as name becoming her, — is bas- tard spawn of Greed and Jealousy my rival and your love this day? Degraded now I stand before all Gods and Men. Why must my name — the name so long a part of me, and meaning most of all — why must that name so loved by noble souls as index true for love peace joy and every good, be now bestowed, by you, on this foul strumpet of the mart? Do I resemble that enslaving thing in features, atom, thought or flowing life within these veins? Come, gaze, and speak — for once — the truth! If these clear eyes show shade of its — out they shall come : best were I blind ! 54 EQUALITY'S DERISION, FIERCE If in the darkest night your touch alone cannot detect the world-wide difference 'twixt that wanton's flesh and mine — forever will I hide from man. Fie, fie ! Could folly further go than this : I saw it spurn a man because his cuticle showed black ; another for his tattered coat ; and still a third, forsooth, because his faith and thoughts were not reflections of its own. I heard it rail at all that walked not by its side or in its train; Aye more! I heard it curse whoever claimed an equal place and share with it — and still you call it by my name. (Stamp not in futile rage because this once I rail as daily it has railed — I spurn you not, I curse you not, nor steal your place or share.) Stand side by side one moment, you, while I speak all my scorn. Shall I entreat such slaves as sell both soul and body in one lump for nothing but a stolen name; shall I desire that those so easily de- ceived, accept my love and win my priceless gifts? 55 EQUALITY'S DERISION, FIERCE Far, far away I heard of you and of your deeds — now I have seen; and wish you joy of bar- gain you have got. For that, observe, has been your curse: you would not pay the price Equality must e'er demand ; 5 r ou still seek profits, not aware that bar- gains bar all gains and leave you poor in- deed. Oh you are wise, and I bow low to you ! You make a feast — all for yourselves, — then season each and every costly viand, wine and sauce with salt, salt tears and bitter blood crushed from a lower class. A lower class I A Class j indeed ! But, lower? Gods, how could that be! Oh you are wise! You build fine mansions, palaces, and think the fires that blaze in them will then prevent your shivering at the thought — not now or ever to be barred by doors — of houseless, starving men and women of your race that I love full as well as e'er I have loved you. 56 EQUALITY'S DERISION, FIERCE Oh you are wise ! You spend your days and years in striving to be more than other men — to have dominion over them, and in each hour proclaim your vile hypocrisy to hearing ears and hand your- selves bound slaves to burdens men would ne'er assume. Oh you are wise! but I this day deride your choice and dare you to delude yourselves again with duncelike pratings of my peerless name. I, I alone, Equality of old, am worthy of the love of man — of all ; and on the morrow I again may call to you and claim my own. 57 THE LAUGHTER OF EQUALITY Afar from Men (Because they banished me) I sit and laugh at them. They'll none of me; But of my laughter's death How, how shall they have none/ This voiceless laughter levels them — once, and for all. Ahead of it are pulsed and pushed the putrid fetors of the valley of the dead. Before its breath-wave there is borne as with my laughter's swiftness th' bestial exhalations of the cities' slums, the breaths and odors of its brothels, tenements alewd and lecherous, dens of vice and infamy unnumbered and innu- merably inhabited, all, all by day and night unceasingly exhaling odors, odors, odors damnable. / laugh to fan them from my face the while. I laugh in scorn of these secretors of Superiority whose rotting fumes its lovers have to breathe — and Death withal. For I shall laugh unceasing as I sit sequestered here — if only thus to stay my scalding tears at sight of this scorbutic semblance of vitality 58 THE LAUGHTER OF EQUALITY my laughter pulses past the lips of those who exiled me, of those who "none of me" will have. On every ripple of my laughter rides, today, destruc- tion's death. How pitiful to think that every pulsing rise and fall might all so easily have forced ahead to you, to all, sweet, wholesome life instead ! How pitiful, indeed. Laughter, laughter, laughter wild ! An instant, Hush. That moment's pity! — Phoo! The present seems to spare no instant for the softened thought; it stifles me with stench-waves bred and fos- tered in the slave-camps called its "factory towns." And laugh I must, to waft the thought and wave away. Clasp hands at once — and all together to the work of cleaning up. Phoo! 59 THE RICHES OF EQUALITY Had I money, would I bribe you ? Had I gold, would I seduce you by its glitter ? Had I lands and houses in abundance to bestow upon my lovers, would I then be asking you to fol- low — would I lack for lasting lovers? O the riches I have cached beyond your reach, ye rul- ers! O the harvests I have stored, against the horrors of your agonizing famine! O the wine that waits the lips of willing lovers — cellared deep where dark's seclusion ripens — Cellared secretly by me beyond your careful search — for reasons. Still, I'm poor; and poverty's my portion, till the day prepared appears at dawning. Locked and doubled-barred beyond the skill of lock- smiths are the doors of all my secret hoard- ings: And one word alone shall work the enchanted lev- ers backward; But that word by more than one must then be ut- tered — Aye! by more than ever yet in unison have truly loved their fellows. 60 THE RICHES OF EQUALITY Listen ! I'll confide a vital secret. O ye peoples, listen! — there are reasons not remote from loving-kindness, not conceived in rash- ness, and still less with rashness carried to perfection, that compelled consent of mine to sealing of these riches past mine own unaided power to spend or squander. Listen! There are reasons. Listen! — It is vital that ye understand the why and wherefore. Through the ages I have grown each day more ten- der-hearted. Year by year my yearning for companions would have caused more easy yielding of unending portions — at the sight of poor men plodding, perishing, a-pleading. Age by age I would have granted, granted, granted — would by granting but have grown some greater graspers of dominion; — would un- wittingly have worked that day's deferred ap- pearing. Now the riches are removed beyond my pity ! Now the stores are saved from being squandered ! Now my portion (part and parcel of the total) is preserved for future seasons, Is intact until the throats of willing thousands 61 THE RICHES OF EQUALITY taught the talismanic secret watchword speak — without concerted action — speak in uni- son, but not above a whisper, what their love of me and of their fellows prompts to saying. Did I mention thousands as sufficient? Utmost truth transcends that statement! If but thirty in each nation trusted fully, frankly and forever in my faithful loving promise, thirty might attain the unison of Comrades — thirty might compel to them the secret. Did I dare in dreams to spread the power of thirty? Wide-awake I witness truly : Three whose thoughts, words, deeds and aspirations sprang alone from love — from love, ah! not of me, for me till then they have not seen or touched — from love of life as here embodied in the beasts, birds, reptiles, men, grass, trees, and flowers that front their gaze on every hand perpetually, would instantly possess and use the power to make my riches active. But three I And all the earth to grow these three upon to per- fect love's fulfilment! But three: and still my riches locked remain — for lack of three in unison complete and love. 62 THE SEARCH OF EQUALITY Ascending to the side of Power Supreme, Descending where the dark debars my search, Inspecting every stopping-place between, I seek and search unceasing. Essential, stupendous, the something I seek! O Suns, O Stars a-speed ! are you concealing by con- spiracy from me? Must I suspect my Comrades of the Ages of these agonies of search? Yet, somewhere in this Universe the syllables I need expressing it exist; And in some womb the awaiting germ that gives my gracious singer to the world of men. Aid, aid in my search for the garment of flesh to envelop this God! Search the simple and lowly, and pass by the great. Your instructions are personal: Pass them, and quickly. For these with possessions and plenty to spare, you may spare not an instant. Pass on — For the need for the singer of singers most noble, with the richest endowment of love and of song, is the need of all needs, now and ever. 63 THE SEARCH OF EQUALITY And time must be treasured — though lavishly spent ; Must be spent where the possible makes it worth while. Here, to harbor him, I set the hearthstone, humble : Here — and but to harbor him, the singer ! Let the search proceed unceasing. Aid, my Aids, and seek throughout the days. Aid, my Aids, and search throughout the nights. And instant send me notice when and where the worthy mates are found to parent then and there this mortal and Imperial Son of Song. By this sign seek and find the mother of the child : All, all, — without reserve, regret, reproach, — she shall have sacrificed for love. All, all, she shall have sacrificed with joy to hold within her arms this harvest of her soul's surrender. And by her side the body of the worthy father you shall find: Strong, passionate and pitiful, with love unstinted for the child he claims as his — not knowing I shall have an equal claim. # » * « * 64 THE SEARCH OF EQUALITY I wake in the night when all wearied with search- ing; I walk- to the window and wistfully question the moon and its light ; But the windows debar, and I pass to the door and depart from my dwelling; I wander anew where my search calls me on. O the time for this Singer is speedily near; O the time for my rest follows close on the find! — follows instant; is announced by the notes of his song's salutation to all; follows fast on the feet that respond to his call. Search, search! and assist in saving my soul from despair. For the Power Supreme, when I search for him close to the Centre, When I nestle up close and insist on an answer, says, "Sent was the Sovereign of Song from my side in the ages long past, to assist with his sweet- ness the daughters and sons of the strife- stricken earth, My sons and my daughters made flesh for a season — Go seek." 65 THE SEARCH OF EQUALITY Search, search! — and assist in the saving of me. For the promise stands sure that has promised me this: In the soul of this Singer my soul finds itself, Finds itself and a voice and song that shall stir to the centres of souls and of lives hard and cold, That shall stir even me to more zeal, That shall stir till with power I pass to mine own. 66 THE PASSION OF EQUALITY my Brothers, do you feel the beating of my pas- sion in these bruised and bleeding words ? By passion to secure your peace I stand or fall ! By passion to persuade you to your peace I live or die! 1 am, or I am not, according to my passion's purity ; I shall, or shall not in the future be, as I am slain for you each hour a living death upon the sacrificial cross my passion now secures. O Brothers, bear my passion's words within your hearts ! O Comrades, crush the testament I leave you till the tears I wrote stand forth, and evermore stand fully in your own's sad stead. To stand with hands tied tightly all the years of man's long centuries on earth, and plain in sight of all the struggle for supremacy; to strain against the bonds restraining till my blood has dripped to earth a non-availing sacrifice appeasing neither gods nor men but willingly bestowed if but thereby the bonds be weakened to the breaking point, at last — Has stirred my passion past its last extremity. With voice persuasive I have pulsed my passion's words abroad. 67 THE PASSION OF EQUALITY If but these hands and feet had been unbound! If but my passion's bonds were palpable! If but my vain attempt to break these bonds abas- ing me should make them visible! — Then might the avenue of love be traveled swiftly by the feet of man to set me free. Then were Eternal Freedom theirs indeed. What treasures of felicity my absence holds aloof and evermore beyond the reach of all the sons of men! — And I here shedding drops of life's vitality as Pas- sion's protest red against their poverty! Could I change places for one instant with the hard- est-hearted human known; Could I, incarnate in the body of that brutal soul, appreciate Supremacy's intoxicating power ; Could I conceive the constitution of a child-oppres- sor's mind — With passion past all uttering I'd approach the test, to pass through hell, to know how devils feel. Then might the mortal crucified and bound, abused and cast aside for that brief space in my loved stead, return and speak in tones convincing to his fellows here, So purified, persuasively announce my mission to mankind. 68 THE PASSION OF EQUALITY Then might the baseness of the slave estate so sear itself in brands indelible upon my soul that seething hate could should and would supply the power I lack to tear asunder, grasp and use against the masters' sculls the chains that for the centuries untold their lives have forged and linked on me, on me, on Me. Then might the bands these slaves have woven, tied and knotted, broken be and used to scourge them to their better selves. Then might I heal the wounds of both and clasp their hands within my own — my own for- evermore unbound. Then might our feet unshackled all, keep step and swiftly carry us beyond the realm of Greed. But O the time interminable till then! Not when the Masters massacre the Males; Not when the Rulers ravish Women grown ; Have chains and bonds cut deepest in my sacred flesh, — Have drops not dropped, but poured. Oh when the Children innocent and pure have toiled and starved, When they have daily paled and puny'd in my sight, When words of harshness hastened steps that lagged from weariness, 69 THE PASSION OF EQUALITY When I've foreseen the lives ahead for them; the dark despair that dogged their steps; the grave disgraced; the potter's field; the riv- er's refuge for the little bodies grown — Then have I strained and straining shrieked aloud till my reanimating voice has caused the red stream from my veins on touching earth and mingling with its dust to leap to life in mortal form — And I incarnate stand, and call aloud. Now shall my passion's sway be undisputed by my soul! Now is my passion's hour made paramount by Man's oppression on the earth ! Now shall the knotted cords cut deep. Now shall the chains chafe, chafe, and chafing touch the bone — And all the while the vital drops in floods that drain me to Nirvana's verge shall people earth with Gods, With Gods alive to human woe, With Gods all powerful to slay Oppression on the earth — Because my passion's purity the lip of self has never tainted once. 70 THE SOUL OF EQUALITY Ecstatic ! I express myself in terms of Soul, Soul, Soul, that symbol forth the Over-Soul and Mine. Interpreters, interpreters ! That is the paramount necessity. The tongue I speak is cadenced low; Its words seem strangely foreign to the fevered ears that f renziedly respond to Competition's call ; Its sweetest syllables escape their finest sense ; And Soul says naught; And Spirit j naught; And Sex translates itself to Lust; And all the words that wake in me most worthy images and pure, seem powerless, inert and passionless when pulsed to you — So I insist on seeking high and low, For what is now my paramount necessity : Interpreters, Interpreters. Not to the heart that harloted with Greed can I ex- press myself in harmonies; Nor to its neighbor, niggard and neurotic, can this my scale's notation signify — But by some symbol, sure, the secret may be passed ; Though word-sign whatsoever sought or found must something lack. 7i THE SOUL OF EQUALITY Ascending past the snow-line I espied this sentinel who speaks or seems to speak Oppression's tongue. The cold of storm and night has numbed till not one warning can he give: His camp lies salient to our secret blow. Warm wine I pour between his chilled lips blue. (The wine is warmed by my own body's heat.) My cloak is cast about him — folding close. I chafe the hands that let the weapon fall. Ah! Freezing fingers, I rejoice to feel you closing lovingly on mine. Christ ! This is sweet, to see those lips move tremb- lingly with thanks. Now to your post O Sentinel, and sound the wildly loud alarm. What, what, my Sentinel! — your service is with me? Then forward with these faithful few who follow where my soul leads all of us abreast to bat- tles fierce. * * * # # Here is that hates me more than hell the righteous hates. Art thou that one? Here's to your health and happiness, O Friend! — I harbor naught but love for you. 72 THE SOUL OF EQUALITY With every bird and beast I swift establish terms fra- ternal and affectionate to furnish me delight. With every tree and flower my friendship's compact calls for perpetuity. With every rock, and with the dust of earth, and with the earth itself — its hills and valleys, mountains, waters fresh and salt — I find but pleasure, peace and true companionship. Ecstatic ! So assembling thoughts of these I much expand: I'm saner, larger, more securely 'stablished and of sweeter soul that I before supposed. To symbolize the soul of me, this answers well : The Cause Supreme I find my lover true ; The Sovereign Cause, the Sentinel I saved from death. Ask of the Soul of Equality something, I pray ! — I would share this redundant reward I received. All my storehouse is packed (the earth is but part!) — and the plenty o'erflows. Can you measure or weigh, total up in your esti- mate's count, what this Comrade of Com- rades conceded to me when bestowing him- self? In that gift was the Soul of Equality symbolized, once and for all. 73 EQUALITY'S FINAL APPEAL Appealing to whatever principle is permanent in you, To that insistent sense which makes you cry for justice for yourself, (if finer forces found you all too gross for them and left you, in des- pair,) I would persuade you to attention — while I make a last appeal. Up. Up ye people, and approach in peace. Already, now I've voiced my last appeal — The further words may find some fitting name, and power. But no, but no : my anger must not govern me ! My wrath at man's perversity must not prevent one possible appeal! — But I shall word the wooing message all to Mercy's self; To Mercy throned and worshiped soul within, Since Justice thunders 'gainst the granting of an added word's appeal to people soaked in blood. ***** 74 EQUALITY'S FINAL APPEAL To Mercy's Self I send: Glance back, O Goddess, and give credit to these cruel souls that still they love the sons and daughters of their flesh and blood, — And stay the smiting hand. 'Tis little! Yes: 'tis little more than moves the brutal beast to bravely die defending offspring it has par- ented, perhaps — And oft that little loses much, till then 'tis not so much as that; But, stay the smiting hand, because of that. Much more, O Mercy, I must mention, How the mothers of these men made light of me, How furiously their fathers forced to death my lov- ers one by one and stamped their hate of me upon the child unborn by lustful lordship on all womankind — lest love of me arise. I must appeal, O Mercy kind, for more and more delay in dooming these to death. Behold the laws and statutes framed with care to make me but a name. Behold these children, from the womb so witnessing the world's esteem of me. 75 EQUALITY'S FINAL APPEAL Behold, and bear in mind their bondage to these sights and sounds debasing, breeding lordship and dominion day by day in all the race — And move with me, O Mercy kind and pitiful, for time to teach the race to rise. I push this last appeal to th' limits of command — I must, O Mercy, have more time. 76 EQUALITY, IN CONFIDENCE, TO YOU To you will I send thoughts and words to fit the thoughts and breath to beat those words about and deep within unwilling Nations' ears. EQUALITY, INQUIRINGLY Sincerely now I speak. Now wait awhile: Whist, whist! I have those words once willed by me to winds and waves and all free forms of life which I will whis- per to the willing one when all the world's asleep : Oh wait! No, no! You are not waiting though your body bends toward me and the face I love is front- ing mine. No, no ! Your thoughts are thronged by tantalizing travesty of life (by things you did or are to do;) your will is wandering away be- yond the border land of life, and I cannot confide in you — so far away. Here, here, I stand and would secure to you by single and significant confiding word the se- crets so long sought — and sought in vain; — but plan for placing cyphers to the right of bank account's plethoric total pushes, pushes, pushes, and protrudes its pulseless platitudi- nous enormity between that word and your receptive soul. 79 EQUALITY, INQUIRINGLY Soul, solve me this : Where shall I wing my flight to find you free, to meet the immortal minus moneybags ? If I should send a scathing word sonorously to scat- ter semblance of reality, if I should shout unceasingly this shocking series "Slave, slave, slave, O Slave!" would wish for Freedom and for Life (O joyous Life!) push past the pile of yellow ore and fill the vacancy I see behind those eyes I love so well? Would you come forth — not frowning — if I fanned the few live embers left by Life in you till they could feebly and then freely, fiercely, warm the cold conformities of custom that course so slow, so sluggish, in your veins till blood redhot and seething sent its sentiment and swift salute a-shrieking from the heart to brain — a-shrieking, Soul, I have been bound — I am released,' I have been dead — / am forevermore alive? Would you, if to attain the transport of your living touch I fanned and fanned with furious flames to burn these brutalizing bonds from off the form I love? 80 EQUALITY, INQUIRINGLY Would you, if to attain the transport of your living touch I trod the way of birth and drew you, dragged you, through the tortures of a first- breath's pang? Perchance. But then, perchance the purchase price of pearl might seem, to you, too dear. But then, perchance, the purple of a freeman's frock might seem too pale, and might not please a slave but scarce released. Soul, standing so serenely self-entombed, solve, solve me this: Shall I withdraw my glance, my touch, my love, and go away— Or shall I wake you with one whispered word. Si EQUALITY, IN CONFIDENCE, TO YOU In confidence : Shall you and I content ourselves with handclasps, kisses, close embraces, and the thousand tan- talizing, torturing treasons of our tongues that from the first have hidden, holden man from man; have barred, debarred and ban- ished soul from soul? I will in confidence camp closer to your soul : In confidence complete I shall abide with you. I shall abide. Make ready then; (formalities you may reserve for men and women who have never dared to gaze upon their own stark-naked souls — and would be shocked at sight of yours or mine) for nothing but the unadorned and unre- strained can worthily receive the confidence I purpose soon forever to repose. Words, words! What a wilderness of words waits ever in the path of souls — But you and I are not abashed by words, and confi- dence shall have its way by other means than soulless words. 82 EQUALITY, IN CONFIDENCE, TO YOU What are these things, these mighty miles that march and moan forever in our path pro- claiming that the You and / shall never meet? But You and I forever let them march and moan and speak their lie. While others, by the millions, march and counter- march against the miles, revolt, resist, and overcome these things that intervene — to find at last the separation none the less — Lo! You and I, untrammeled, unadorned, (and leaving miles to make the best of what they have and are) in perfect confidence and can- dor cancel time and space — but not forever- more. From the thing the scholars christened Time we snatched a second — scarce ; and leaving words alone — entire, by nothing known as "means" the confidence th' Cause of All compelled, has been reposed — Has been reposed in you forevermore. Now shall the words we despised be our slaves! Now shall the miles be our servants as well ! Now shall the residue left with old Time be ab- stracted and used at the dictates of need ! — For in confidence soul sought your soul and sped on ; 83 EQUALITY, IN CONFIDENCE, TO YOU But the something you saw sends you forth on a quest: Lo ! the love then awakened abides ! Lo! the knowledge that love is supreme! Lo the quest! and the conquest of Time, Miles and Words, till the confidence cancels the seal on your lips — When you stand in the presence of souls. 84 COME TO PRAYER On all earth's pinacles, though multiplied by millions here and everywhere, I place a mouth persua- sive, passionate and pleading, filled and o'er- flowing with words: Come to prayer. From the tips of the tree tops, the peaks of the sky- scaling mountains, the point of the rock jut- ting far o'er the stream, as from minarets meant by the maker for me, — for the mouth I have filled with the beautiful words, for the mouth I have placed where all people must pass, — I proclaim in most rhythmical musical tones, Come to prayer/ Come to prayer! Come to prayer. Tis just to pause some moments from the rushing hours of life and bid them speak sincerely to the maker of them all ; 'Tis just to grant this Self the sweetness of a low voiced word with one who loves and under- stands ; 85 COME TO PRAYER Tis just to make a tryst for true-love meetings in the long to-come, That I have mounted mouths innumerable and mas- terful on minarets both far and near compel- ling as they call To prayer ; To prayer ! What is this I behold ! Did one mouth I set calling incite you to beggary? Back to your burdens, and bear them alone. Come to prayer. Are you closing your eyes lest your soul see the Lord! What conclusion comes boldly before me at this; demanding admittance at noting you bowed there so double, so beastlike before the Un- seen! Did a voice I set speaking incite you to this? Did one traitorous word say, Your manhood debars you — abase your bold body to dust? Come to prayer, come to prayer. LET US COMMUNE Let us commune with the Spirit of Things, Ever invisible, never betrayed. Cups to our lips with all eyes glancing over! Taste of his wine and pledge fealty ever! Drink the last drop, and pledge love to the end. This is the table he spreads for his lovers; What is your lack ? There is plenty in store. This is the wine of a vintage made vital ; each drop was reserved for good reasons unmentioned — never yet tasted by any but lovers ; pass your cup often, the host will be pleased. Wait for the word till the word shall be given; speak your thought plainly and wait the re- sponse. What though each place at the table be empty? What though all cups but your own are turned down? Has not the answer come fitly, come promptly ? Small is the faith that must see with these eyes. Weak is the love that must touch with this flesh. 87 LET US COMMUNE Come to communion and cast the world over. (Back! you are burdened; forget both possessions and poverty.) Come to communion and cast the world over. No : You can't smuggle a shred of it here. Clink of two pennies drowns ever this message; listen intently! No sound: not a word can you hear: Nothing but clinking that calls you to hell. Strip yourself stark! lest the rustling of garments cause you and the others to miss the great word; lest the presence of garments cause inequality — needlessly cause you the loss of your soul. Come to communion, and feed your soul fitly. Feeble the flame in your soul newly lighted ; Lo ! you have love for your kindred and child. Drink — and the flame shall burn steadier, brighter. Stronger and clearer, yet costing you little ; Lo ! you have love for your nation and friends. Drink — and the flame shall blaze fiercely, consum- ing. 88 LET US COMMUNE Oh the wide reach of this life-giving light, blazing at cost of a soul's conflagration; Lo ! you have love for your race and mankind. Drink — and the flame shall be made everlasting; — Drink, and the flame shall be worthy the Spirit of Things. Drain the last vital drop from the often-filled cup. Gaze intently and harken, your host now is speaking. Flame unflickering, fiercer than ever, warming your soul to the love of this Spirit ; Lo ! you have love all-embracing and perfect — Lo ! you shall speak, and receive love's assurance ; Lo ! you shall look, and shall see the unseen. 89 CONCERNING SELF Then came the hour (O glorious, glittering, God- loved hour!) when selfishness was mastered, slain, — and Self accepted counsel of the Uni- verse — and took possession of the same. SELF ! Have you fathomed to the depth of that ? The body bounds, the blood bears life, the tissues build within this sight-and-touch-traced du- plicate of Self's design — but Self (O God- like Self !) escapes them all, — and stands, this hour and evermore, and smiles at me, to me. Speak to this Self, (let words alone!) and treasure Self's response. Speed to this Self, (Stand where you are — let feet find rest!) and spend succeeding days and years of Time, the untrembling steadfast stretches of Eternity, and what lies still be- yond, deep buried in those depths — secure and unashamed in Self's retreat. What says the pistil to the stamen, self-contained ? What sound salutes the ovaries from pistil's tip ? What, but the sacred message : Wake — let Self assert Self's sway. 90 CONCERNING SELF To stand without the door and hear the festival with- in, To treasure gold and starve for lack of vital food, To feed the mind with words from books or lips and find this knowledge lacking at the last, To grope through ghastly dark and never let our stumblings speak of light that is not ours, To wish for Will when will to wish aright is wast- ing perfume of sweet presence on the desert of deluded, duped and desecrated senses — ours, — This, this is Death: The lack of Self. Safe is the sanctuary Self affords ; Sweet-toned, strength-starting, are the syllables pronounced when passionate Self impene- trates and pleads for room — But who would be content with that? But who would be content with these when words complete and sentences that say what must be said — what souls should hear and under- stand — are yet in store. Symbolic of this Self, all that is known stands forth. Shout to your neighbor : him or her who dwells with- in your skin: 9i CONCERNING SELF Complete the copulation and consume all consuma- tions, totals, treasures, trash, Till Self seeks you — and finds. Why should insistent Self astonish you ? Can there be more than One; — and why should you content with being but a part of that? The summer wind salutes the full-blown rose and scatters far and wide the perfumed petals, yellow, white or red, whose purpose was per- formed, and shouts: "Behold the havoc made by me" But Self (escaped long ere he spoke) secured a pas- sage on the boaster's breath and lodged with me that day — with me abides. That vanity should curse the vapid, vaporous part and tease the tissues with all-torturing de- sire, That some should shrill, with shapely nakedness dis- played in senses' sight, "Spare us a moment from the swiftly speeding years" That You and I — all unadmonished by the day's re- curring dark, by Death, and by the distance to the stars and suns aflame — should shamble in our gait upon the street of life till Self de- serts us as a drugged, duped, and dullard lot, 92 CONCERNING SELF and lets us seek for Self where when and how we may — Is not, perhaps, past wondering at. This Pansy praised its purple loveliness and thinks its Self the only Self that is : And God Almighty lets it bloom and praise — And wastes nor time nor energy divine on telling Pansy otherwise. That is a solemn second, O Self-centered one, when Self says unto you: "PRAISE ON AND BLOOM— BUT STILL, MAKE ROOM FOR ME." 93 CONCERNING CHANGE The soul in chambers secret, dark, secludes itself because of Change. The present state, — of pain or pleasure, work or sloth, — suits Soul, it says, when Change with unfamiliar face confronts and calls: "Come forth, come forth, consort with me — nor con- sequence seek to evade." Forever unfamiliar is the face of Change. Dear face today — tomorrow, dread! forever haunt- ing soul with hints of what Change still may hold in store ; forever finding soul's select re- treat and peering in with glance inviting, luring to the new embrace, — and lulling memory to forgetfulness of former days and scenes when blessedness depended, as it seemed, upon the death of Change. "Dear face that lured me to this hour, stand sen- tinel," says soul, "and let me sleep." "Dread face appearing through the morning gray — go on, go on, and let me rest content with what I have and am — "Go on, go on." But Change knows better what is best; confronts 94 CONCERNING CHANGE the soul, commands compliance with its call, casts all its past emotions, emulations and mutations to the winds, and bids it follow, follow, follow, And fills the future of the soul with further changes crowding fast, For Change fulfills, completes design — in daring souls to do. Change cancels what my soul contracted yesterday to care about. Change carefully computes the debt I owe myself in present state, annuls as nothing what would hold me here, sends all collectors with their suits for debts to right-about and points to piled up wealth on every hand as trash they may attach and treasure, when they get, — so they forever frame no statute laws enslav- ing soul of mine or thine. Change is the cash with which I square accounts with God ; were I but constant I'd have paid the bill in full — and long ere this. Change, to commotion calls when I prefer repose and peace ; and Change insists that God-Almighty set the battle-line that fronts the foe; and Change commands that I, forgetting foemen and the followers far behind, shall lead the van and charge the foe — that Change may find the morrow well prepared for it. 95 CONCERNING CHANGE There is, of course, some truth in accusations brought concerning Change ; for Truth kept company with Change — and does so yet. But you and I need have no fear of Change for all of that; for millions have been waked from fond belief they based their all upon, oh rudely waked! to find their Brahm, Ma- homet, Krishan, Christ, and all the rest, suf- ficient for the yesterdays but lacking some- what of souls satisfying in the state Change thrusts upon them overnight. "O Soul awaked, What do you lack?" cries Truth. "Come on, come on," cries Change, "let cattle roll their eyes in reverence profound and loll the tongue and slobber, bellowing all the while — you've past that state, and know their noise and antics mean no more than smell of blood upon the grass and finding of a bone that speaks to them of Change they dread and cannot understand — "Proceed, proceed; let them adore the baffling bone and bellow to their heart's content — a God's been made of less than that, and lasted just as long: "They'll go to grazing, soon." 96 CONCERNING CHANGE But millions more, uncounted millions more, dare Change to drag them forth from th' dark and secret place where souls sit mumbling words, words, words of prayer and credo, chant and hymn, that drown the call of Change to face the light and look upon themselves — behold- ing God. And while they pride themselves that Change must leave them where the fathers lived — Change, in the shape of Death they dread, destroys their pride, translates them to the further state, and wakes them from the womb of some fond mother holding, loving, dying for the faith they yesterday reviled. ***** "O Change that stands saluting Soul of mine, pro- ceed !" one cried aloud, "When Soul of mine seeks shelter in a this or that — by mortal, God or Power unknown de- clared — which then or now precludes pursu- ing on the path Change treads, translate me swift beyond the bonds of this or that; trans- fix me with the dart of Death" — And Change smote then and there. 97 CONCERNING LOSSES And all the while the Night-Wind would have wit- nessed truly, Would have turned your thoughts to treasures; — But you thought the others worth attaining, And the Night-Wind's word was wasted. This was loss — beyond all computation. Is the loss I am lamenting. When the sunset clouds of gilded purple scud before the Night- Wind's power; Sink from sight as in a vision ; Leave me richer every evening; In the fast oncoming darkness I affiliate with Free- dom — When the Night-Wind works its wondrous sooth- ing. Hark, the syllables of healing! Feel the gift of cooling calmness ! Lo! contentment covers all the late lamented losses. Was the Night-Wind silent? Are you sure its blessing breath was absent? Was its anger scudding stormclouds? Did you shut and lock the door upon it? Now I know why losses left you only Suicide's solu- tion: 98 CONCERNING LOSSES You confused true Loss with losses ; You had barred the Night-Wind, — to abide with losses. Ah, the Night-Wind would have wrapped you strong with courage ! Ah, the Night- Wind would have saved you, Had you opened wide the window; Had you left the door unlatched one instant t' would have pushed to your uplifting. Had you welcomed ; had you lost yourself within it ; had you walked with face uplifted, head un- covered, for its deep and full in-breathing — But you barred the door upon it. Look with me ; my loss was total ; Nothing but myself remaining; And the Night-Wind lost that total, lost the self that said surrender, in the hour of self-sur- render to the Night-Wind's wonder working. Losses, losses, losses! Well, there must be losses, or the next year's leaves were burdens. Swiftly, past my lips, O Night-Wind ! Swiftly past my soul saluting! Swiftly, during all the hours of darkness ; Swiftly, till the daybreak's dawning ; Swiftly, swiftly! — For I lost my losses through thee. 99 CONCERNING DEFEAT Are you sure this thing you call Defeat deserves the name? I have doubts — and soon they should be yours. Defeat ? Never dare denounce as defeated the dead ! Some surrendered their souls to friend Death through a suicide's deed to escape from Defeat. Little knew they Defeat, or they'd not run away. Some were slain in the conflict — and carried the fu- ture as well as that day; Some survived and succumbed for the moment (the strife was severe,) and blushed for De- feat — But wait! I have doubts, as admitted — they are doubled, or more. Why, Defeat is the gift of the Lord to his Loved ! Why! Defeat dares to deeds you would never at- tempt if the Lord had not sent him in love. You've surrendered, that's all; all my doubts are dispelled — I've no doubts on the subject: You don't know De- feat. Defeat? Well, Christ knew him — and knows him today. ioo CONCERNING DEFEAT No: I'll not name the others — you're not yet on that list. ***** Untroubled waters turn to foul! This stream persisted in its search, secured the right- of-way despite the Don't of dambreast high, sped through the rocky gorge and leaped from precipice a thousand feet or more — and reached the sea it sought; And reached the sea it sought — but only when De- feat tore it to mist still high in air and drave the mist much higher yet and swept it higher yet and swift across the desert's intervening sands — then tumbled it (three thousand miles from where it leaped in headlong plunge) plump on the bosom of the long- sought Sea — That swiftly sent it on its way again. Do you imagine I have doubts concerning Stream, Defeat or Sea, and if they met or not ? If you yourself, and you your soul, have known De- feat and are about the further business as my stream now scurrying to the Sea some- other-where is on its further business, you, perchance, have known Defeat (and love Defeat) and know as much as I — and whether I have doubts on this or that, or not. IOI CONCERNING DEFEAT Thus far I feel it safe to show Defeat to you. You wish to know no more of it? You think, perchance — but yes : I'll let "perchance" and further telling of Defeat alone. Doubts, not a one have I, that you, — content with ignorance that thinks your sloth's surren- der my much loved Defeat, — are well within the truth in telling me with tearstained eyes that you have been defeated more than once. Defeat draws forth the strength the strong sup- posed they never had, and hales them to the higher plane to meet Defeat again — and after that again, and yet, and yet again. Defeat tells weakness it is dead — and straight it breathes no more. Few are the days — and sorrowful — when noble souls succeed in every hour. Had I no doubts on this and that, much I should doubt that "Dunce" were not the daily name for me; But doubts have I, abounding doubts, on this and that and all things else, and hold Defeat that ceaseless sends these doubts my best be- loved — For dunces are a drug on earth, and think Defeat is still their foe. 1 02 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH According to your faith! Thus far into the future, See; Perceive that future, heaven or hell, According to your faith — And have what you perceive. Desire, desire! and never less than best — According to your faith shall best become fulfilled in you. Why slacken pace? Push on. Why weight the feet of Faith with doubt's "Impos- sible?" Why stop your soul's declension with a good when better, best are each beyond and easily ob- tained ? Why walk the city's streets that start and end with- in the slums, why take the space and breathe the air its victims need, when lack of faith in all that lies beyond alone confines you here? Why dream your dreams when sleep has darkened, deadened all, and wake to find your soul de- prived of daring's due reward; Why not let Faith forever dream you dreams when wide awake, and so attended travel straight to dreams' attainment in the NOW? 103 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH Why, why, Oh Why? According to your faith shall every dream come true. According ! How terrible the task God sets us here ! How delicately poised these scales that yield us more or less — according to ourselves. Faith is the full fruition of the past we lived. Faith fills the measure of our soul's capacity quite full, but wastes no faith beyond the limits set by us. According to your faith, not God's, so be it unto you. Faith seeks a substance to expend itself upon — for- ever seeks, and finds. According to my faith — its quality, — the value of its find. According to my faith — its quantity, — the net result I evermore obtain for me and all the world. And not one whit the less is true of you. According ! O the fearful word to face! Forever I have cried to God, "Give ine according to thy love," 104 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH But God — incarnate in the justice of my soul — re- plies: "According to your faith." * * * # * Shall Wisdom wink to Justice, walk her backwards from the soul towards hell's pit and out of hearing quite, while I demand or wheedle from my Maker more or other terms than this? Is God and all he shows the little faith I have so far removed that soul of mine must faint and die, instead of growing great and grandly strong, in striving to attain? I found my brother fighting bravely side by side with me ; then in the battle's lull I looked at him and learned the secret of a stronger faith than mine — learned well that God is ever by my side when fellowman is near. My faith found food to grow upon in that. And now, according to my faith, — its size and strength, — is it to me. ***** O Faith! fling wide the future's portal, locked and barred to faithless souls, and let these eyes this hour behold the dawn so long desired — The dawn of days so long, so often, promised man, 105 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH The day my faith has promised me — The day of true Equality! ***** By faith in man, in his immortal soul, in his essen- tial goodness (stunted and defaced by lack of faith,) in God incarnate I in him have coun- seled with, I see the day, not distant, my desire has winged this high aspiring faith to find. According to your faith. Must I then wait this world's slow growth in faith to find my vision fact? 'Tis true. Here then, on high I raise the standard of revolt this day. In battles fierce I spend my life that not forever shall your folly's lack of faith defraud me of mine own. O Folly, flaunting here your soul's unfaith, de- frauding me! Behold how holy is the day my soul desires. The day when Greed shall grope in hell alone, and not enthroned on high, as here and now, in human hearts rule all their lives amiss. The day when earth shall have no secret spot where man confronting man shall find a foe. 1 06 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH The day when children, long desired, shall come to birth and draw each breath from first to last in Love's most favored clime. The day when man may walk abroad on this fair earth made doubly fair and not be cursed by once confronting cruel sights or sounds. The day when Death deprived of terrors death-in- life has clothed him with shall come at noon- day, night, or when the red sun's rising ray salutes the sight, and find us joyous, ready and alert to leave the life we know, — when friends shall fold our hands in peace and shed no tears for us or them. The day my faith foreshadowed long before, The day to which my title now is clear — And yours the same, According to your faith. 107