Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IN A LABORATORY, by LEWIS MORRIS (1833-1907)


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IN A LABORATORY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A most intelligent dog I took
Last Line: For sometimes I see him and shudder still!
Subject(s): Animals; Dogs


A MOST intelligent dog I took,
Affectionate, full of caressing grace,
With something of human love in his look,
And such a trustful, half-human face.

Had learnt tricks, too -- would give you a paw
Where a brother-savant would offer a hand,
Right or left, as you asked him; could understand
Your speech -- it might almost fill one with awe,

Seeing how near to mankind, yet how far
These dumb and pitiful creatures are;
How all their faith and belief and love
Is centred in Man as a Lord above.

And looking into his eyes for awhile,
For knowledge is precious and gained through pain,
I bound him down with a pitying smile,
And deftly removed the left lobe of his brain.

And then, with all that I had of skill,
I healed it again, so that presently,
Though lame and sick, in his love for me,
The creature strove to obey my will.

And when I asked him to give me a paw,
He gave the left first, but when for the right
I asked, his maimed brain failing him quite,
Gave the left -- and I thought I had touched a Law.

So I persevered, and the brute again,
With a loving, sorrowful look of pain,
Brought the left paw over the helpless right,
And I marked the effort, with deep delight.

And having pushed knowledge so far, again
I divided the opposite lobe of the brain,
And the poor brute, though willing to offer a paw,
Could no longer obey -- and I grasped a Law.

Later on, still athirst for knowledge, once more
I carved the weak brain, as I did before,
Till the poor dumb wretch, as he lay on his side,
With a loving look regarding me, died.

Poor brute! may his pain be for knowledge, and I,
If I grasp not the clue, yet I may by-and-by.
Strange how weak Man is, and infirm of will,
For sometimes I see him and shudder still!





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