Etsi Omnes, Ego Non

 
HERE where under earth his head  
Finds a last and lonely bed,  
Let him speak upon the stone:  
Etsi omnes, ego non.  
 
Here he shall not know the eyes  
Bent upon their sordid prize  
Earthward ever, nor the beat  
Of the hurrying faithless feet.  
 
None to make him perfect cheer  
Join’d him on his journey drear;  
Some too soon, who fell away;  
Some too late, who mourn to-day.  
 
Yet while comrades one by one  
Made denial and were gone,  
Not the less he labor’d on:  
Etsi omnes, ego non.  
 
Surely his were heart and mind  
Meet for converse with his kind,  
Light of genial fancy free,  
Grace of sweetest sympathy.  
 
But his soul had other scope,  
Holden of a larger hope,  
Larger hope and larger love.  
Meat to eat men knew not of:  
 
Knew not, know not—yet shall sound  
From this place of holy ground  
Even this legend thereupon,  
Etsi omnes, ego non.