HERBA SANTA (Herman Melville)

After long wars when comes release
Not olive wants proclaiming peace
   An import dearer share
Than stems of Herba Santa hazed
   In autumn's Indian air.
Of moods they breathe that care disarm,
They pledge us lenitive and calm.

              II.

Shall code or creed a lure afford
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 plea
The bristling clans of Adam sway
   At least to fellowship in thee!
Before thine altar tribal flags are furled,
Fain woulds't thou make one hearthstone of the world.

              III.

To scythe, to sceptre, pen and hod---
   Yea, sodden laborers dumb;
To brains overplied, to feed that plod,
In solace of the Truce of God
   The Calumet has come!

             IV.

Ah for the world ere Raleigh's find
   Never that knew this suasive balm
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 win
    Some from repinings, some from sin,
The Church's aim thou dost subserve.

The ruffled fag fordone with care
   And brooding, Gold would east 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!

             V.

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

              VI.

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.



Herman Melville