Longfellow
1807—February 27—1907
O gentlest kinsman of Humanity!
Thy love hath touched all hearts, even as thy Song
Hath touched all chords of music that belong
To the quavering heaven-strung harp of harmony:
Thou has made man to feel and hear and see
Divinely;—made the weak to be strong;
By thy melodious magic, changed the wrong
To changeless right—and joyed and wept as we.
Worlds listen, lulled and solaced at the spell
That unfolds and holds us—soul and body, too,—
As though thy songs, as loving arms in stress
Of sympathy and trust ineffable,
Were thrown about us thus by one who knew
Of common human need of kindliness.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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