Herman Melville

“ Esther! then start. And hast thou been? ⁠85
And I for ages in this plight?
Caitiff I am; but there's no sin
Conjecturable, possible,
No crime they expiate in hell
Justly whereto such pangs belong: ⁠90
The wrongdoer he endureth wrong.
Yea, now theJew, inhuman erst,
With penal sympathy is cursed--
The burden shares of every crime,
And throttled miseries undirged, ⁠95
Unchronicled, and guilt submerged
Each moment in the flood of time.
Go mad I can not: I maintain
The perilous outpost of the sane.
Memory could I mitigate, ⁠100
Or would the long years vary any! ”

“ The perilous outpost of the sane. ”

“ Of shifted flambeau, burst from cave
On bushy wing, and brushed away
Down the long Kedron gorge and grave. ⁠115
"It flees, but it will be at rest
Anon! But I--" and hung oppressed--
"Years, three-score years, seem much to men ”