If You Made Gentler The Churlish World

If you have spoken something beautiful,—
Or touched the dead canvas to life,—
Or made the cold stone to speak ——
You who know the secret heart of beauty;—
If you have done one thing—
That has made gentler the churlish world,—
Though mankind pass you by,—
And feed and clothe you grudgingly ——
Though the world starve you,—
And God answer not your nightly prayers,—
And you grow old hungering still at heart,—
And walk friendless in your way,—
And lie down at last forgotten ——
If all this befall you who have created beauty,—
You shall still leave a bequest to the world—
Greater than institutions and riches and commerce;—
And by the immutable law of the human heart—
The God of the universe is your debtor,—
If you have made gentler the churlish world.—
—
If you have spoken something beautiful,—
Or touched the dead canvas to life,—
Or made the cold stone to speak ——
You who know the secret heart of beauty;—
If you have done one thing—
That has made gentler the churlish world,—
Though mankind pass you by,—
And feed and clothe you grudgingly ——
Though the world starve you,—
And God answer not your nightly prayers,—
And you grow old hungering still at heart,—
And walk friendless in your way,—
And lie down at last forgotten ——
If all this befall you who have created beauty,—
You shall still leave a bequest to the world—
Greater than institutions and riches and commerce;—
And by the immutable law of the human heart—
The God of the universe is your debtor,—
If you have made gentler the churlish world.