THE HOUSE OF WISDOM

By Francis Sherman

I had not thought ( ah, God! had I but known! )

That this sad hour should ever me befall,

When thou I judged the holiest of all

Should come to be the thing I must disown.

Was it not true? that April morn? thy blown

Gold hair around my hair for coronal?

Or is this truer?— thou at the outer wall,

Unroyal, and with unrepentant moan?

Yet prize I now this wisdom I have won,

Who must always remember? Nay! My tears

Must close mine eyes — as thou wouldst hide thy face

If some great meteor, kindred to the sun,

Should haunt the undying stars ten million years

To fall, some noon, dead in thy market place.