Oh Thou, who Man of baser Earth didst make,
And ev'n with Paradise devise the Snake:
   For all the Sin wherewith the Face of Man
Is blacken'd-Man's forgiveness give-and take!

As under cover of departing Day
Slunk hunger-stricken Ramazan away,
   Once more within the Potter's house alone
I stood, surrounded by the Shapes of Clay.

Shapes of all Sorts and Sizes, great and small,
That stood along the floor and by the wall;
   And some loquacious Vessels were; and some
Listen'd perhaps, but never talk'd at all.

Said one among them-"Surely not in vain
"My substance of the common Earth was ta'en
    "And to this Figure moulded, to be broke,
"Or trampled back to shapeless Earth again."

Then said a Second-"Ne'er a peevish Boy
"Would break the Bowl from which he drank in joy;
    "And He that with his hand the Vessel made
"Will surely not in after Wrath destroy."

After a momentary silence spake
Some Vessel of a more ungainly Make;
   "They sneer at me for leaning all awry:
"What! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?"

Whereat some one of the loquacious Lot-
I think a Sufi pipkin-waxing hot-
    "All this of Pot and Potter-Tell me, then,
"Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?"

"Why," said another, "Some there are who tell
"Of one who threatens he will toss to Hell
   "The luckless Pots he marr'd in making-Pish!
"He's a Good Fellow, and 't will all be well."