| |
| THOU art a Jew, and all is said | |
| That need be said, fore’er to bar the way, | |
| To where doth linger the exclusive ray | |
| Of social sunshine; here the dead | |
| And foolish issues of the past | 5 |
| Are born again, and bigotry appears | |
| And dares to sit in judgment on his peers, | |
| A race immortal, ancient, vast. | |
| |
| Thou art a Jew, and by that name | |
| Alone, thou’rt judged; thy virtues play no part; | 10 |
| Thy graces, strength of mind, or depth of heart, | |
| All lost in the consuming flame | |
| Of ignorance. Through eyes of love | |
| They look not at thee, fearing they may find | |
| Some merit, toward which they were ever blind; | 15 |
| Some soul, some grandeur from above. | |
| |
| Though here and there, a hollow tree | |
| Doth stand among the mighty tow’ring pines, | |
| Still is the forest beautiful. And mines | |
| Of dazzling riches we could see | 20 |
| If we but delved beneath the clay. | |
| Below the surface we must seek to find | |
| True worth, true greatness, and the master mind; | |
| Beyond the darkness, lingers day. | |
| |
| The social barrier that stands | 25 |
| Grim sentinel between the faiths to-day, | |
| Is prejudice; it knoweth but the way | |
| Its father, ignorance, demands | |
| To judge the many by the few. | |
| Amid the weeds the dainty wild flower grows, | 30 |
| Great good ’mid evil often may repose; | |
| But as for thee, thou art a Jew. | |
| |
| Thou art a Jew; then let thy ways | |
| Not dim the lustre of thy fathers’ creed. | |
| Let honor be thy star; thy every deed | 35 |
| Reflect its brightness on thy days. | |
| Be faithful, patient, noble, true; | |
| Kindness and justice in thy heart abide; | |
| Live thus and thou wilt feel a worthy pride | |
| When it is said, thou art a Jew. | 40 |
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