64523: The Two Brothers (An Allegory)

<p dir="ltr"> Once two brothers, Joe and Will,<br> Parted each to choose his home,<br> Joe on top of Windy Hill<br> Where the storm clouds go and come<br> All day long, but Will the other<br> In the plain would snugly rest<br> Low and safe yet near his brother:<br> Low and safe he made his nest<br> At the foot of Windy Hill,<br> Built a clattering Watermill.<br> In the winter Joe would freeze,<br> Will lay warm in his snug mill;<br> Through the summer Joe's cool breeze<br> Filled with envy burning Will.<br> Yet to take all times together<br> Both were portioned their fair due,<br> Joe enjoyed the fine warm weather,<br> Will could smile in winter too;<br> Neither troubled nor complained,<br> Each in his own home remained.<br> These two brothers at first sight<br> Made a pair of Heavenly Twins,<br> Two green peas, two birds in flight,<br> Two fresh daisies, two new pins:<br> Yet the second time you'd seen 'em,<br> Seen 'em close and watched 'em well,<br> You would find there lay between 'em<br> All the span of Heaven and Hell,<br> Spring and Autumn, East and West,<br> And I know whom I liked best.<br> Listen: once when lofty Joe<br> Climbing down to view the mill,<br> Wept to find Will lived so low<br> Would not stop to dine with Will,<br> Will climbed back through the cloudy smother<br> Laughed to feel he stood so high,<br> Tossed his hat up, kissed his brother,<br> Drank old ale, ate crusty pie . . .<br> will had no high soul, but oh<br> Give us Will, we all hate Joe!</p>