Personality I

Each man is an urn, and the wine within it
Containeth his soul. Yea, and he poureth it out
Freely, or with fretful fingers,
Jealously guarding each drop.
Lo, it be sweet or bitter, yea, or yet sour
Or salt; salt if it be a common wisdom!
Sweet, if it be a wisdom of spirit!
Sour, if it be a wisdom of flesh!
Yea-but IT BE HIM!
This wine is poured through the vat of days,
And containeth elements of all the instants.
Yet, verily, I say, it hath become one wine,
And is known by its taste: salt, sour, sweet,
Or yet acid-bit.
I say me this is the Personality of man,
And it be a thing, no man's words may
Dis-assemble. Lift the cup and drink,
And speak-this be me! Or, if thou mayest
Taste a whit of salt within the sweet,
Or yet a dreg of sour!-
It be naught but the shadow of incident!