("Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things
sad likewise Lazarus evil things."3
STILL he lingers, where wealth and fashion
Meet together to dine or play, Lingers, a matter of vague compassion, Out in the darkness across the way; Out beyond the warmth and the glitter, And the light where luxury's laughter rings, Lazarus waits, where the wind is bitter, Receiving his evil things.
Still you find him, when, breathless, burning Summer flames upon square and street,
W hen the fortunate ones of the earth are turning
Their thoughts to meadows and meadowsweet; For far away from the wide green valley, And the bramble patch where the whitethroat sings, Lazarus sweats in his crowded alley, Receiving his evil things. And all the time from a thousand rostrums Wise men preach upon him and his woes, Each with his bundle of noisy nostrums Torn to tatters 'twixt ayes and noes ; Sage and Socialist, gush and glamour, Yet little relief their wisdom brings, For there's nothing for him out of all the clamour, Nothing but evil things.
Royal Commissions, creeds, convictions, Learnedly argue and write and speak, But the happy issue of his afflictions Lazarus waits for it week by week. Still he seeks it to-day, to-morrow, In purposeless pavement wanderings, Or dreams it, a huddled heap of sorrow, Receiving his evil things.
And some will tell you of Evolution With social science thereto: and some Look forth to the parable's retribution, When the lot is changed in the life to come, To the trumpet sound and the great awaking, To One with healing upon His wings In the house of the many mansions making An end of the evil things.
In the name of Knowledge the race grows healthier, In the name of Freedom the world grows great., And men are wiser, and men are wealthier, But—Lazarus lies at the rich man's gate; Lies as he lay through human history, Through fame of heroes and pomp of Kings, At the rich man's gate, an abiding mystery, Receiving his evil things.
ALFRED COCHRAN&
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