Abou Ben Adhem

¹Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

²Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

³And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

⁴Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

⁵An angel writing in a book of gold: —

⁶Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

⁷And to the presence in the room he said,

⁸"What writest thou?" — The vision raised its head,

⁹And with a look made of all sweet accord,

¹⁰Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."

¹¹"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"

¹²Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

¹³But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,

¹⁴Write me as one that loves his fellow men."

¹⁵The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

¹⁶It came again with a great wakening light,

¹⁷And showed the names whom love of God had blest,

¹⁸And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.