Herba Santa

After long wars when comes

Not olive wands proclaiming peace  Can import dearer

Than stems of Herba Santa hazed  In autumn's Indian air.

Of moods they breathe that care disarm,

They pledge us lenitive and calm.

Shall code or creed a lure

To win all selves to Love's accord?

When Love ordained a supper divine  For the wide world of man,

What bickerings o'er his gracious wine!  Then strange new feuds began.

Effectual more in lowlier way,  Pacific Herb, thy sensuous

The bristling clans of Adam sway  At least to fellowship in thee!

Before thine altar tribal flags are furled,

Fain wouldst thou make one hearthstone of    the world.

To scythe, to sceptre, pen and hod--  Yea, sodden laborers dumb;

To brains overplied, to feet that plod,

In solace of the

Truce of God_  The Calumet has come!

Ah for the world ere Raleigh's find  Never that knew this suasive

That helps when Gilead's fails to heal,  Helps by an interserted charm.

Insinuous thou that through the nerve  Windest the soul, and so canst

Some from repinings, some from sin,  The Church's aim thou dost subserve.

The ruffled fag fordone with care  And brooding,

God would ease this pain:

Him soothest thou and smoothest down  Till some content return again.

Even ruffians feel thy influence breed  Saint Martin's summer in the mind,

They feel this last evangel plead,

As did the first, apart from creed,  Be peaceful, man--be kind!

Rejected once on higher plain,

O Love supreme, to come again  Can this be thine?

Again to come, and win us too  In likeness of a

That as a god didst vainly woo,  As man more vainly bleed?

Forbear, my soul! and in thine Eastern    chamber  Rehearse the dream that brings the long    release:

Through jasmine sweet and talismanic amber  Inhaling Herba Santa in the passive Pipe    of Peace.