FATHER DAMIEN OF HAWAII.
Joaquin Miller
he best of all heroes that ever may be, - The best and the bravest in peace or in war
- Since that lorn sad night in Gethsemane—
- Horns of the moon or the five-horned star?
- Why, merely a Belgian monk, and the least,
- The lowliest—merely a peasant-born priest.
- And how did he fight? And where did he fall?
- With what did he conquer in the name of God?
- The cross! And he conquered more souls than all
- Famed captains that ever fought fire-shod.
- Now, lord of the sapphire-set sea and skies,
- Far under his Southern gold Cross he lies.
- Far under the fire-sown path of the sun
- He sleeps with his lepers; but a world is his!
- His great seas chorus and his warm tides run
- To dulcet and liquid soft cadences.
- And, glories to come or great deeds gone,
- I'd rather be he than Napoleon.
- He rests with his lepers, for whom he died;
- The lorn outcasts in their cooped up isle,
- While Slander purses her lips in pride
- And proud men gather their robes and smile.
- They mock at his deeds in their daily talk.
- Deriding his work in their Christian (?) walk.
- But the great wide, honest, the wise, big world;
- Or sapphire splendors or midnight sun.
- It is asking the while that proud lips are curled,
- Why do not ye as that monk hath done?
- Why do not ye, if so braver than he,
- Some one brave deed that the world might see?