The Beggars

It is the beggars who possess the earth. Kings on their throne have but a narrow girth Of some poor known dominion; these possess All the unknown, and that vast happiness Of the uncertainty of human things. Wandering on eternal wanderings, They know the world; and tasting but the bread Of charity, know man; and, strangely led By some vague, certain, and appointed hand, Know fate; and being lonely, understand Some little of the thing without a name That sits by the roadside and talks with them, When they are silent; for the soul is shy If more than its own shadow loiter by. They and the birds are old acquaintances, Knowing the dawn together; theirs it is To settle on the dusty land like crows, The ragged vagabonds of the air; who knows How they too shall be fed, day after day, And surer than the birds, for are not they The prodigal sons of God, our piteous Aliens, outcast and accusing us? Do they not ask of us their own, and wait, Humbly, among the dogs about the gate, While we are feasting? They will wait till night: Who shall wait longer? Dim, shadowy, white, The highway calls; they follow till it ends, And all the way they walk among their friends, Sun, wind, and rain, their tearful sister rain, Their brother wind. Forest and hill and plain Know them and are forgotten. Grey and old, Their feet begin to linger, brown arms fold The heavy peace of earth about their heart, And soon, and without trouble, they depart On the last journey. As the beggar lies, With naked face, remembering the skies, I think he only wonders: Shall I find A good road still, a hayrick to my mind, A tavern now and then upon the road? He has been earth's guest; he goes; the old abode Drops to the old horizon, the old way Of yesterday and every yesterday. We, heavy laden, miserably proud Because our hands ache and our backs are bowed With dusty treasures, have so much to quit: He, nothing, nor the memory of it. O, the one happiness, when, out of breath, Our feet slip, and we stumble upon death!