Kahlil Gibran Poem, The Forerunner, Love, Morning Thoughts

Kahlil Gibran

I checked to see if some of Kahlil Gibran's work is in the public domain. There are a few things. Most are still under copyright. This is not. I am currently reading Kahlil Gibran's collected works. It will take me quite a bit of time to read his poetry. I won't do it all at once. I will read his poetry while reading other things. Poetry is often one of those things which is best approached in snippets and read over time.

From The Forerunner,

Love

They say the jackal and the mole
Drink from the self-same stream
Where the lion comes to drink.

And they say the eagle and the vulture
Dig their beaks into the same carcass,
And are at peace, one with the other,
In the presence of the dead thing.

O love, whose lordly hand
Has bridled my desires,
And raised my hunger and my thirst
To dignity and pride,
Let not the strong in me and the constant
Eat the bread or drink the wine
That tempt my weaker self.
Let me rather starve,
And let my heart parch with thirst,
And let me die and perish,
Ere I stretch my hand
To a cup you did not fill,
Or a bowl you did not bless.