Robert Browning Poems : Fears and Scruples

Here's my case. Of old I used to love him.
This same unseen friend, before I knew:
Dream there was none like him, none above him,—
Wake to hope and trust my dream was true.

Loved I not his letters full of beauty?
Not his actions famous far and wide?
Absent, he would know I vowed him duty,
Present, he would find me at his side.

Pleasant fancy! for I had but letters,
Only knew of actions by hearsay:
He himself was busied with my betters;
What of that? My turn must come some day.

"Some day" proving—no day! Here's the puzzle.
Passed and passed my turn is. Why complain?
He's so busied! If I could but muzzle
People's foolish mouths that give me pain!

"Letters?" (hear them!) "You a judge of writing?
Ask the experts!—How they shake the head
O'er these characters, your friend's inditing—
Call them forgery from A to Z!

"Actions? Where's your certain proof" (they bother)
"He, of all you find so great and good,
He, he only, claims this, that, the other
Action—claimed by men, a multitude?"

I can simply wish I might refute you,
Wish my friend would,—by a word, a wink,—
Bid me stop that foolish mouth,—you brute you!
He keeps absent,—why, I cannot think.

Never mind! Tho' foolishness may flout me.
One thing's sure enough; 'tis neither frost,
No, nor fire, shall freeze or burn from out me
Thanks for truth—tho' falsehood, gained—tho' lost.

All my days, I'll go the softlier, sadlier,
For that dream's sake! How forget the thrill
Thro' and thro' me as I thought, "The gladlier
Lives my friend because I love him still!"

Ah, but there's a menace some one utters!
"What and if your friend at home play tricks?
Peep at hide-and-seek behind the shutters?
Mean your eyes should pierce thro' solid bricks?

'What and if he, frowning, wake you, dreamy?
Lay on you the blame that bricks—conceal?
Say 'At least I saw who did not see me,
Does see now, and presently shall feel'?"

"Why, that makes your friend a monster!" say you;
"Had his house no window? At first nod,
Would you not have hailed him?" Hush, I pray you!
What if this friend happen to be—God? 

Submited by

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - 01:57

Poesia Consagrada :

No votes yet

Robert Browning

Robert Browning's picture
Offline
Title: Membro
Last seen: 14 years 11 weeks ago
Joined: 04/27/2011
Posts:
Points: 192

Add comment

Login to post comments

other contents of Robert Browning

Topic Title Replies Views Last Postsort icon Language
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : De Gustibus- 0 889 05/04/2011 - 01:53 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Confessions 0 777 05/04/2011 - 01:43 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : The Cardinal and the Dog 0 856 05/04/2011 - 01:42 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : The Boy and the Angel 0 870 05/04/2011 - 01:41 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed's Church 0 1.000 05/04/2011 - 01:39 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Bifurcation 0 789 05/04/2011 - 01:38 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Bad Dreams: IV 0 790 05/04/2011 - 01:37 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Bad Dreams: III 0 1.031 05/04/2011 - 01:37 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Bad Dreams: II 0 822 05/04/2011 - 01:36 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Bad Dreams: I 0 878 05/04/2011 - 01:35 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Arcades Ambo 0 1.008 05/04/2011 - 01:34 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Appearances 0 787 05/04/2011 - 01:32 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Apparitions 0 1.369 05/04/2011 - 01:30 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Robert Browning Poems : Apparent Failure 0 865 05/04/2011 - 01:29 English