Fair Words
Thy words are good, and freely given,
As though thou felt them true;
Friend, think thee well, to hell or heaven
A serious heart is due.
It pains thee sore, man’s will should swerve
In his true path divine;
And yet thou ventur’st nought to serve
Thy neighbour’s weal nor thine.
Beware! such words may once be said,
Where shame and fear unite;
But, spoken twice, they mark instead
A sin against the light.
Gibraltar. December 17, 1832.