The Poet made the measure fair;
though couplet doth our error bare.
Fond as we are of the rhyme,
and pleasure in its perfect time,
to find our own name writ in there,
doth occasion dark despair,
and do we add shame to shame
when to Author lay the blame.
But if the Poet be right Master,
can not he save verse from disaster?
If the Author be full Good
would not he fix it if he could?
And yet doth he abide this theme,
ever working in it’s scheme;
to break a rule is no safe sign
of a work that be Divine.
Let not fault in Poet lie,
who did His end from first espy;
who from without would ne’er intrude
one false note or interlude,
but from within by own dear Name,
did bring about this gracious change.
By translating self into his text
so that the curse he might perplex,
His verse he healed in his Christ,
in chiastic sacrifice
by a love before unheard
was word restored in very Word.
Yet, if he did the measure break,
the verse he did but better make.
For rebel verse did Master come
to justify every one
who in his name should believe
and in him new life receive.
From dead verse shall he raise
glory for the end of days.
When the Master doth appear,
When full scheme at last made clear,
only the true shall abide
and in his light shall they thrive.
So stumble not on Corner stone
in which the key hath been make known.
Scandal make not of the Bard,
who in his poem was treated hard,
who in his flesh did atonement make
that we would not suffer break,
and in his suffering so complete
did win for us a joy replete.
If this story ring untrue,
if your soul doth be unmoved,
be so bold as take my plea,
invite the Poet counsel thee.
Ask of Him who knows your heart
and sees thou as thou truly art.
Though the tale foolish seem,
And though this scribe faulty be,
Yet in One may thou depend
And find true savior and true Friend.
Same & Other 