thought—Create—Create!”" title="Photograph of Ella Wheeler Wilcox, underneath which she has written “Send forth thy thought—Create—Create!”" src="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@3257@3257-h@images@p8s.jpg" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}img"/>

A Dialogue.

Mortal.

THE world is full of selfishness and greed.
Lord, I would lave its sin.

Spirit.

Yea, mortal, earth of thy good help has need.
Go cleanse thyself within.

Mortal.

Mine ear is hurt by harsh and evil speech.
I would reform men’s ways.

Spirit.

There is but one convincing way to teach.
Speak thou but words of praise.

Mortal.

On every hand is wretchedness and grief,
Despondency and fear.
Lord, I would give my fellow men relief.

Spirit.

Be, then, all hope, all cheer.

Mortal.

Lord, I look outward and grow sick at heart,
Such need of change I see.

Spirit.

Mortal, look in.  Do thy allotted part,
And leave the rest to ME.

The Weed.

A WEED is but an unloved flower!
   Go dig, and prune, and guide, and wait,
   Until it learns its high estate,
And glorifies some bower.
   A weed is but an unloved flower!

All sin is virtue unevolved,
   Release the angel from the clod—
   Go love thy brother up to God.
Behold each problem solved.
   All sin is virtue unevolved.

Strength.

WHO is the strong?  Not he who puts to test
His sinews with the strong and proves the best;
But he who dwells where weaklings congregate,
And never lets his splendid strength abate.

Who is the good?  Not he who walks each day
With moral men along the high, clean way;
But he who jostles gilded sin and shame,
Yet will not sell his honor or his name.

Who is the wise?  Not he who from the start
With Wisdom’s followers has taken part;
But he who looks in Folly’s tempting eyes,
And turns away, perceiving her disguise.

Who is serene?  Not he who flees his kind,
Some mountain fastness, or some cave to find;
But he who in the city’s noisiest scene,
Keeps calm within—he only is serene.

Affirm.

BODY and mind, and spirit, all combine
To make the Creature, human and divine.

Of this great trinity no part deny.
Affirm, affirm, the Great Eternal I.

Affirm the body, beautiful and whole,
The earth-expression of immortal soul.

Affirm the mind, the messenger of the hour,
To speed between thee and the source of power.

Affirm the spirit, the Eternal I—
Of this great trinity no part deny.

The Chosen.

THEY stood before the Angel at the gate;
   The Angel asked: “Why should you enter in?”
One said: “On earth my place was high and great;”
   And