Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917.
By W. S. HowardA Purim Retrospect
You told us when we were young,
Of Esther, the great Jewish queen,
And Haman—the one they hung;
And how the tables were turned,
And Mordecai came to be great,
How he won the respect of the king,
Though sprung from low estate.
On which all the dainties were spread,
And the rays seemed as soft as moonbeams,
From the seven star lamp overhead;
And we seemed once more to be children,
Aglowing with youthful glee,
The youngest—a baby of twenty,
Perched up on his mother’s knee.
We knew it all, through and through,
Though it’s wonderful, how in that small book,
One always finds something that’s new;
So we wept again where Esther
Risked her own life to see the King,
And cried “Bravo” when Haman was ordered
Upon his own gallows to swing.
(Who used to sit out by the gate,)
Led all over Shushan by Haman,—
And robed in the king’s own state,—
We clapped our hands for wonder,
How strangely things came about,
And thought we could hear the thunder,
That echoed the people’s shout.
And those that rejoiced at the news—
That ranged on the side of the wicked,
And perished instead of the Jews—
We thought how God in His wisdom
His breath to each creature doth give,
And yet how he blots out millions,
That millions of others may live.
And father looked wisely at all,
And told us the lesson extended,
That Esther’s brave life did recall:—
“The path of the righteous is ever
God’s vigilant care and cause,
And honesty, virtue and justice,
Are heaven’s immutable laws.
And sit on the kingly throne,
And God, in his infinite mercy,
Will gather them for his own;
While those who sit in high places,
And mingle not justice with power,
Shall merit the wrath of th’ Almighty
And perish from that dread hour.
Nor figure, nor color of skin,
The image of God is implanted,
Engraved on the heart within;
The gift to rule self is to each one,
To rule over many, to few;
But a single brave heart may work wonders,
If only that one heart be true.”