The weary man upon a spot of ground Bare to the heaven had thrown himself supine; Lying diffuse, his wistful face upturned, And poring on the starry-scriptured scroll Above him, he such thoughts breathed out in words. He had deemed himself alone, aloof from men; But seemed had scarce his murmurous monotone Died on his lips, he skyward gazing still, When he was conscious of approaching feet, Feet all at once so nigh, they in the dark Touched him ere he could rouse himself to stand. 'Why, brother Saul! I stumble on you here, Much as this morn you stumbled over me!' Such, to the sleeping man, a voice seemed borne. 'Those odious false-cheery tones once more! Shimei has watched, and, hither following me, Lurked overhearing my soliloquy; Then, stealthily retiring a few steps, Comes back, as with the brisk and frank advance Of one somewhither walking at full speed, And stumbles against me of purpose rude!' So Saul divined dissembling Shimei, Who said, or to Saul, dreaming, seemed to say-- Vision as life-like as reality: "How naturally appear our paths to cross! I thought that I would take a casual stroll Alone, and you the same thought had, it seems, At the same time, directed both, odd too, The self-same way--another proof, you see, What kindred spirits we are! "You must have marked How fine the night is! What a wealth of stars! Do you not sometimes wish, Saul, you could be As comfortably calm at heart as stars? How wonderfully quiet all is there, Up in the region of the firmament! Probably stars have nothing else to do Than to be calm like that, and smile at us Fretting ourselves down here with worry and work. Worry is worse than work to wear us out. But worst of all is having huge desires That nothing in the world can satisfy. Some men moon sighing for they know not what, Mainly great hollow hungry mouths and maws, Like void sea-beds; abysses of desire, You know, that not the world itself could fill. Better close up your heart than stretch it wide And never get enough to make it full. Adjust yourself, say I, to circumstance, Hard work adjusting circumstance to you! There's nothing better than to go right on Doing the obvious duty next to hand, And let the stars pursue their peaceful way, As hindered not, so envied not, by you. The sky is calm, no doubt--the upper sky-- But happens we do not live in the sky, But on the earth, a very different place, And man's work we, not star's work, have to do; So let us be about it while we may.