Poems (Jordan)/The Slanderer
THE SLANDERER
The serpent nesteth in his deeds; It hisseth in his subtle voice;His glance is that of gruesome greeds, So like a snake's, when it employsStilled eyes to snare a child who feeds!
A stench exhales from ev'ry word, From out his hate-enfevered thought;And, as a serpent when 'tis stirred Leaves sulph'rous trail its crawl hath wrought,So he, on life-paths trod unheard!
Outwardly fair, yet naught can cloak His inner nature poisonous;Nor aught man's tolerance provoke For one, whose whole self, venomous,Is like a snake—coiled for a stroke!