THE DIVIDED BURDEN.
I saw a boy who towards his cottage home
A heavy burden bore. The way was steep
And rocky, and his little loaded arm
Strain'd downward to its full extent, while wide
The other horizontally was thrown,
As if to counterpoise the painful weight
That drew him towards the earth.
A while he paused
And set his burden down, just where the path
Grew more precipitous, and wiped his brow
With his worn sleeve, and, panting, breathed long draughts
Of the sweet air, while the hot summer sun
Flamed o'er his forehead.
But another boy,
'Neath a cool poplar in a neighbouring field,
Sat playing with his dog, and from the grass
Uprising, with light bound the coppice clear'd,
And lent a vigorous hand to share the toil.
So on they went together, grasping firm
The basket's handle with a right good will;
And while their young, clear voices met my ear,
I recollected how the Bible said,
"Bear one another's burdens," and perceived
That to obey God's word was happiness.
