Work Text:
King Minos (may his poor soul be at ease!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the bilight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a rose in bloom,
Gabriel writing in a book of gold:—
Exceeding peace had made King Minos bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?"—The angel raised his head,
And with a look made of no sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Minos. "Nay, not so,"
Replied Gabriel. Minos spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men."
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
He came again with a harsh wakening light,
And showed the names whom God's will wanted dead,
And oh! King Minos's name led all the rest.