"Abou Ben Adhem and the Angel" (Feb. 1952)
by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895

[Source: pages 102-103 of "The Academy Vocalist"]

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe in-crease)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And new, within the moonlight in his room,
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 to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?"
The vision raised its head,
And with a look made all of sweet accord
Answered,
"The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou.
"Nay, not so," replied the angel.
A-bou spoke more low but cheerly still, and said,
"I pray thee, then, Write me as one that loves his fellow men."
The angel wrote and vanished: the next night
The angel came again with great awakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.