Sonett-Forum

THE ORIGIN OF EVIL.

I.

THE origin of evil ? good my friend,
Ask him who helps my vegetable needs,
The gardener there, the origin of weeds ;
He '11 turn about and stare to comprehend
What thing you mean. c The weeds/ he says, are there
No doubt with very proper right to grow,
And I with them have equal right to care
For flowery fragrance and for blooming show.'
This man is wise ; and you, what thing are you ?
A thing of idle dreams and fancies crude ;
Evil exists, that you may make it good,
Else had the Saints on Earth scant work to do.
What would you have ? in Paradise no doubt
Weeds grandly grew, and Adam plucked them out.


II.

THE origin of Evil ? good my friend,
To ask such questions proves thee far from wise;
No mightiest man that walks beneath the skies
Hath plumb to measure, or device to mend,
The vasty Universe. If thou wouldst know
Whence Evil comes, first say what evil means,
And if this pictured pomp of shifting scenes
Which men call life, a many-mingling show,
Was made for your mere pleasure or for mine.
Cease foolish questions ; here for me and you
Close by the door is fruitful work to do ;
Accept the task, and own the work divine ;
Sow, plant, or build, drain fields, or cleave the clod,
But spend no breath in arguing with God.