Page:Prometheus Bound, and other poems.djvu/98

92

"I have sinned," she said,

"And not merited

The gift He gives, by the grace He sees!

The mine-cave praiseth the jewel, the hill-side

praiseth the star:—

I am viler than these."

Then I cried aloud in my passion,. . unthankful and

impotent creature,

To throw up thy scorn unto God, through the rents

in thy nature!

If He, the all-giving and loving, is served so, what

then

Hast thou done to the weak and the changing,. .

thy fellows of men?

"I have loved," she said,

(Words bowing her head

As the wind bows the wet acacia-trees!)

"I saw God sitting above me,—but I . . I sate

among men,

And I have loved these."

Again with a lifted voice,. . like a trumpet that

takes

The low note of a viol that trembles, and triumph-

ing breaks

On the air with it, solemn and clear. . "I have

sinned not in this!

Where I loved, I have loved much and well,—I

have loved not amiss.