free-verse36 lines
It May Be
by Ella Wheeler WilcoxLet us be silent for a little while;
Let us be still and listen. We may hear
Echoes from other worlds not far a way.
City on city rising, steeple out-topping steeple,
Gaining and hoarding and spending, and armies on battle bent,
People and people and people, and ever more human people -
This is not all of creation, this is not all that was meant!
Earth on its orbit spinning,
This is not end or beginning;
That is but one of a trillion spheres out into the ether hurled:
We move in a zone of wonder,
And over our planet and under
Are infinite orders of beings and marvels of world on world.
There may be moving among us curious people and races,
Folk of the fourth dimension, folk of the vast star spaces.
They may be trying to reach us,
They may be longing to teach us
Things we are longing to know.
If it is so,
Voices like these are not heard in earth's riot,
Let us be quiet.
Classes with classes disputing, nation warring with nation,
Building and owning and seeking to lead - this is not all!
Endless the works of creation,
There may be waiting our call
Beings in numberless legions,
Dwellers in rarefied regions,
Journeying Godward like us,
Alist for a word to be spoken,
Awatch for a sign or a token.
If it be thus,
How they must grieve at our riotous noise
And the things we call duties and joys!
Let us be silent for a little while;
Let us be still and listen. We may hear
Echoes from other worlds not far away.