Driving sheep and crooning softly
Psalms that cannot pass away.

"David waits," the prophet answers,
"In a black notorious den,
In a cave upon the border
With four hundred outlaw men.

"He is fair, and loved of women,
Mighty-hearted, born to sing:
Thieving, weeping, erring, praying,
Radiant royal rebel-king.

"He will come with harp and psaltry,
Quell his troop of convict swine,
Quell his mad-dog roaring rascals,
Witching them with words divine --

"They will ram the walls of Zion!
They will win us Salem hill,
All for David, Shepherd David --
Singing like a mountain rill!"




On Reading Omar Khayyam

[During an anti-saloon campaign, in central Illinois.]