Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | VI. Human Experience | | Easy to Drift | | Oliver Huckel (1864–1940) |
| | | EASY to drift to the open sea, | |
| The tides are eager and swift and strong, | |
| And whistling and free are the rushing winds,— | |
| But O, to get back is hard and long. | |
| |
| Easy as told in Arabian tale, | 5 |
| To free from his jar the evil sprite | |
| Till he rises like smoke to stupendous size,— | |
| But O, nevermore can we prison him tight. | |
| |
| Easy as told in an English tale, | |
| To fashion a Frankenstein, body and soul, | 10 |
| And breathe in his bosom a breath of life,— | |
| But O, we create what we cannot control. | |
| |
| Easy to drift to the sea of doubt, | |
| Easy to hurt what we cannot heal, | |
| Easy to rouse what we cannot soothe, | 15 |
| Easy to speak what we do not feel, | |
| Easy to show what we ought to conceal, | |
| Easy to think that fancy is fate,— | |
| And O, the wisdom that comes too late! | | | | |
|
|
