Who he is...

My wonderful lifelong friend Roger sent this poem after seeing the new drawing.

Abou ben Adhem

Abou Ben Adhem, may his great tribe increase,
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
And making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And so, to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."

"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee then,
Write me as one who loves his fellow men."

The angel wrote and vanished. The next night
It came again with great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

James Leigh Hunt