Selfish Hearts

Selfish Hearts written by William Henry Davies

From "Farewell to Poesy", 1910

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Without a thought
If death brings in
Joy for our virtue,
Pain for our sin -

Know this hard truth:
They live on earth
The sweetest life,
Who, rich from birth,

Do then maintain
A selfish mind;
To moans are deaf,
To tears are blind.

Weep for the poor
You find in books:
From living poor
Avert your looks.

Then dance and sing,
Dress, sail or ride;
Go in your coach
To halls of Pride.

A selfish heart,
And rich from birth,
No sweeter life
Can be on earth.

To match thy joy,
There lives but one:
The beggar who
Lives all alone.

With selfish heart,
And shameless, he
Begs bread at huts,
And almshouse tea.

O selfish pair!
I know not which
Is happiest -
So poor, or rich.

The decent poor,
The working mass,
In misery
Their lives must pass.

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.