Poems, Sacred and Moral/Equity

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EQUITY.

Turn, turn thy hasty foot aside,Nor crush that helpless worm:The frame thy scornful looks derideRequir'd a God to form.
The common Lord of all that move,From whom thy being flow'd,A portion of his boundless loveOn that poor worm bestow'd.
The Sun, the Moon, the Stars He madeTo all his Creatures free;And spreads o'er earth the grassy bladeFor worms as well as thee.
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The Crown to awe, the Rod to smite,Is Man's by law divine:But sacred be each humbler rightThat clashes not with thine!
Let savage prowlers of the wood,With thirst of hunger bold;Let poisonous foes, by land or flood;Let plunderers of thy fold;
Let pilferers of thy hoarded grain,To justice victims die:But injure not the harmless trainThat creep, or walk, or fly.
Let them enjoy their little day,Their lowly bliss receive:O, do not lightly take awayThe Life thou canst not give!
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