Page:Poems Barrett.djvu/71

 Infant voices passing.
        Rock us softly,
    Lest it be all in vain.
 Philosophic voices passing.
    O we live, O we live—
    And this life that we perceive,
    Is a strong thing and a grave,
    Which for others' use we have,
    Duty-laden to remain.
    We are helpers, fellow-creatures,
     Of the right against the wrong,—
    We are earnest-hearted teachers
      Of the truth which maketh strong—
    Yet do we teach in vain?
 Infant voices passing.
        Rock us softly,
    Lest it be all in vain.
 Revel voices passing.
    O we live, O we live—
    And this life that we reprieve,
    Is a low thing and a light,
    Which is jested out of sight,
    And made worthy of disdain!
    Strike with bold electric laughter
     The high tops of things divine—
    Turn thy head, my brother, after,
     Lest thy tears fall in my wine;—
    For is all laughed in vain?
 Infant voices passing.
        Rock us softly,
    Lest it be all in vain.
 Eve. I hear a sound of life—of life like ours—
Of laughter and of wailing,—of grave speech,
Of little plaintive voices innocent,—
Of life in separate courses flowing out
Like our four rivers to some outward main.
I hear life—life!
 Adam.And, so, thy cheeks have snatched