Joaquin Miller

"Is it worthwhile that we jostle a brother, Bearing his load on the rough road of life? Is it worthwhile that we jeer at each other, In blackness of heart — that we war to the knife? God pity us all in our pitiful strife."

"Who now shall accuse and arraign us? What man shall condemn and disown? Since Christ has said only the stainless Shall cast at his fellows a stone."

"O star-built bridge, broad milky way! O star-lit, stately, splendid span! If but one star should cease to stay And prop its shoulders to Gods plan — The man who lives for self, I say, He lives for neither God nor man."

"I count the columned waves at war With Titan elements; and they, In martial splendor, storm the bar And shake the world, these bits of spray."

"In men whom men condemn as ill I find so much of goodness still. In men whom men pronounce divine I find so much of sin and blot I hesitate to draw a line Between the two, where God has not."

"He rode as rides the hurricane; He seemd to swallow up the plain; He rode as never man did ride, He rode, for ghosts rode at his side, And on his right a grizzled grim — No, no, this tale is not of him."

"A grand old Neptune in the prow, Gray-haird, and white with touch of time, Yet strong as in his middle prime; A grizzled king, I see him now, With beard as blown by wind of seas, And wild and white as white sea-storm, Stand up, turn suddenly, look back Along the low boats wrinkled track, Then fold his mantle round a form Broad-built as any Hercules, And so sit silently."

"Beside The grim old sea-king sits his bride, A sun-land blossom, rudely torn From tropic forests to be worn Above as stern a breast as eer Stood king at sea or anywhere."

"O you had loved her sitting there, Half hidden in her loosend hair: Why, you had loved her for her eyes, Their large and melancholy look Of tenderness, and well mistook Their love for light of Paradise."

"Her mouth Was roses gatherd from the south, The warm south side of Paradise, And breathed upon and handed down, By angels on a stair of stars."

"This creature comes from out the dim Far centuries, beyond the rim Of times remotest reach or stir."

"I dared not dream she loved me. Nay, Her love was proud; and pride is loth To look with favor, own it fond Of one the world loves not to-day … No matter if she loved or no, God knows I loved enough for both, And knew her as you shall not know Till you have known sweet death, and you Have crossd the dark; gone over to The great majority beyond."