The Hebrew Mind

GIFTS, as romantic as the cruse of oil,

Found in the days of mad Antiochus,

Were brewed by Hadrian from henbane; spruce

For Israel’s quaffing; potions, framed to foil

A nation’s growth, they met with swift recoil!

Tempt never genius, with devil’s juice!

Vain arts, O Hadrian, and vain the ruse,—

When balked by birds, who garnered all the spoil.

For Hadrian, as for Vespasian,

History sheds a tear of wonder blind;

Mere vessels those, Balaam’s sent to bless,

They scourged with fire and sword, till the dread ban

Flowered, like Aaron’s rod of loveliness,

And forged that wondrous thing, the Hebrew mind.