Ferishtah's Fancies by Robert Browning — Read

Dervish -- (though yet un-dervished, call him so / No less beforehand: while he drudged our way, / Other his worldly name was: when he wrote / Those versicles we Persians praise him for, / -- True fairy-work -- Ferishtah grew his style) -- / Dervish Ferishtah walked the woods one eve, / And noted on a bough a raven's nest / Whereof each youngling gaped with callow beak / Widened by want; for why? beneath the tree / Dead lay the mother-bird. "A piteous chance! / How shall they 'scape destruction? " sighed the sage / -- Or sage about to be, though simple still. / Responsive to which doubt, sudden there swooped / An eagle downward, and behold he bore / (Great-hearted) in his talons flesh wherewith / He stayed their craving, then resought the sky. / "Ah, foolish, faithless me! " the observer smiled, / "Who toil and moil to eke out life, when, lo, / Providence cares for every hungry mouth! " / To profit by which lesson, home went he, / And certain days sat musing, -- neither meat / Nor drink would purchase by his handiwork. / Then -- for his head swam and his limbs grew faint -- / Sleep overtook the unwise one, whom in dream / God thus admonished: "Hast thou marked my deed? / Which part assigned by providence dost judge / Was meant for man's example? Should he play / The helpless weakling, or the helpful strength / That captures prey and saves the perishing? / Sluggard, arise: work, eat, then feed who lack!"

Waking, "I have arisen, work I will, / Eat, and so following. Which lacks food the more, / Body or soul in me? I starve in soul: / So may mankind: and since men congregate / In towns, not woods, -- to Ispahan forthwith!"