To Joseph Brenan

FRIEND and brother, and yet more than brother,
Thou endowed with all of Shelley's soul!
Thou whose heart so burneth for thy mother,
That, like his, it may defy all other
Flames, while time shall roll!

Thou of language bland, and manner meekest,

Gentle bearing, yet unswerving will —
Gladly, gladly, list I when thou speakest,
Honoured highly is the man thou seekest
To redeem from ill!

Truly showest thou me the one thing needful!

Thou art not, nor is the world yet blind.
Truly have I been long years unheedful
Of the thorns and tares, that choked the weedful
Garden of my mind!

Thorns and tares, which rose in rank profusion,

Hound my scanty fruitage and my flowers,
Till I almost deemed it self-delusion,
Any attempt or glance at their extrusion
From their midnight bowers.

Dream and waking life have now been blended
Longtime in the caverns of my soul —

3 Earth.

Oft in daylight have my steps descended
Down to that dusk realm where all is ended,
Save remeadless dole!

Oft, with tears, I have groaned to God for pity —

Oft gone wandering till my way grew dim —
Oft sung unto Him a prayerful ditty —
Oft, all lonely in this throngful city
Raised my soul to Him!

And from path to path His mercy tracked me —

From a many a peril snatched He me,
"When false friends pursued, betrayed, attacked me,
When gloom overdarked, and sickness racked me,
He was by to save and free!

Friend! thou warnest me in truly noble

Thoughts and phrases! I will heed thee well —
Well will I obey thy mystic double
Counsel, through all scenes of woe and trouble,
As a magic spell!

Yes! to live a bard, in thought and feeling!

Yes! to act my rhyme, by self-restraint,
This is truth's, is reason's deep revealing,
Unto me from thee, as God's to a kneeling
And entranced saint!

Fare thee well! we now know each the other,
Each has struck the other's inmost chords —
Fare thee well, my friend and more than brother,
And may scorn pursue me if I smother
In my soul thy words!