Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
Poems of Sentiment: IV. Thought: Poetry: BooksThe Sharing of the Earth
Friedrich von Schiller (17591805)“T
To men—“I proclaim you its heirs;
To divide it amongst you ’t is given:
You have only to settle the shares.”
Old and young have alike their desire:
The harvest the husbandman seizes;
Through the wood and the chase sweeps the squire.
The abbot is choosing his wine;
Cries the monarch, the thoroughfare blocking,
“Every toll for the passage is mine!”
Comes the poet,—he came from afar;
Nothing left can the laggard discover,
Not an inch but its owners there are.
For the son who best loves thee alone!”
Thus to Jove went his voice in complaining,
As he fell at the Thunderer’s throne.
Quoth the god, “Can’st thou murmur at me?
Where wert thou when the earth was dividing?”
“I was,” said the poet, “by thee!
Mine ear by thy music of bliss:
Pardon him whom thy world so enraptured
As to lose him his portion in this!”
Field, forest, and market, and all!
What say you to quarters in heaven?
We ’ll admit you whenever you call!”