Poems (Jackson)/Love's Rich and Poor

by Helen Hunt Jackson

LOVE'S RICH AND POOR.

AKING me hand in hand,Love led me through his land.His land bloomed white and red;His palaces were fair;Glad people everywhereStood smiling. Then Love said,—

"With all my kingdom wins,Never my heart beginsTo rest; my cruel poorSo rob my rich. By speech,By look, they overreach,And plunder every store.

"My rich I love, and makeMore rich, for giving's sake.My poor I scorn; they chooseTheir chilly beggary;My gold is ready, free,But they forget, refuse.

"My rich I love. I weepTo see them starved, to keepMy worthless poor well fed;To see them shiver, cold,While wrapped with fold on fold,The beggars sleep in bed.

"My rich I love, and yet.My love no law can set;In vain I warn and cry;They give, and give, and give;The selfish beggars live,And smiling see them die."

Then walking hand in handWith Love throughout his land,—Land blooming white and red,—I saw that everywhere,Where life and love looked fair,It was as he had said.