And, when he read, they forward leaned, 5
Drinking, with eager hearts and ears,
His brook-like songs whom glory never weaned
From humble smiles and tears.

Slowly there grew a tender awe,
Sunlike, o'er faces brown and hard. 10
As if in him who read they felt and saw
Some presence of the bard.

It was a sight for sin and wrong
And slavish tyranny to see,
A sight to make our faith more pure and strong 15
In high humanity.

I thought, these men will carry hence
Promptings their former life above.
And something of a finer reverence
For beauty, truth, and love, 20

God scatters love on every side,
Freely among his children all,
And always hearts are lying open wide,
Wherein some grains may fall.

There is no wind but soweth seeds 25
Of a more true and open life,
Which burst unlocked for, into high-souled deeds,
With wayside beauty rife.