Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/131

Rh THE VIZIER.

O king, in this I praise thee not!

Now must I call thy grief not wise.

Is he thy friend, or of thy blood,

To find such favor in thine eyes?

Nay, were he thine own mother's son,

Still thou art king, and the law stands.

It were not meet the balance swerved,

The sword were broken in thy hands.

But being nothing, as he is,

Why for no cause make sad thy face?

Lo, I am old! three kings ere thee

Have I seen reigning in this place.

But who, through all this length of time,

Could bear the burden of his years,

If he for strangers pained his heart

Not less than those who merit tears?

Fathers we must have, wife and child,

And grievous is the grief for these;

This pain alone, which must be borne,

Makes the head white, and bows the knees.

But other loads than this his own,

One man is not well made to bear.

Besides, to each are his own friends,

To mourn with him, and show him care.

Look, this is but one single place,

Though it be great; all the earth round,

If a man bear to have it so,

Things which might vex him shall be found.