Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By FrederickKeppel

1446 A Plain Man’s Dream

WERE I transported to some distant star

With fifty little children, girls and boys,

Or to some fabled land unknown, afar,

Where never sound could come of this world’s noise;

Our world begun anew, as when of yore

Sad Adam fled from Eden; I alone

The sole custodian of all human lore,—

No books to aid, all rules and records gone,—

What could I teach each tender, untaught child?

How much of this world’s wisdom could I give

To raise him from the savage, fierce and wild,

And train each soul a worthy life to live?

Plain human speech, some simple laws of life,

A little tillage, household arts a few;

The law of rectitude o’ercoming strife;

Things clean and sane, the simple and the true.

But of Man’s long, slow climb from Error’s reach,—

The hard-won, precious wisdom of the ages,—

What (and, alas, how little!) could I teach

Which changes men from savages to sages?

Some things I ’ve known I never would impart.

Somewhat I ’d tell of building, writing, preaching;

Some hints I ’d give on healing, science, art;

Love they would learn full soon without my teaching!