One fascinating resource for Melville scholars online, is Melville’s Marginalia. It is an archive of books owned or borrowed by Melville which influenced his work. The most referenced book there is his well-annotated copy of The New Testament and The Book of Psalms — a volume he clearly often had at his side while writing. The following paragraph comes from the introduction, to this resource by Brian Yothers (University of Texas at El Paso).
-----In reading Romans 14.22, Melville paused to underline this
-----sentence: "Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God."
-----And in the top margin, he inscribed an elliptical response:
-----"The only kind of Faith—one's own" (274.2:4-5). This and
-----other marginalia in the New Testament and Psalms constitute
-----a compelling chapter in Melville's spiritual autobiography
-----and contribute greatly to our understanding of his own kind
-----of faith and how it related to his personal life.
In 1863 Herman Melville moved to New York City, where he had been born, and from then on he focussed on writing poetry. In 1866 his collection Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War, which reflected on the American Civil War appeared. This was followed by Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land (1876). His novella Billy Budd was published posthumously in 1924.
The Martyr
Good Friday was the day
-----Of the prodigy and crime,
When they killed him in his pity,
-----When they killed him in his prime
Of clemency and calm—
----------When with yearning he was filled
----------To redeem the evil-willed,
And, though conqueror, be kind;
-----But they killed him in his kindness,
-----In their madness and their blindness,
And they killed him from behind.
--------------------There is sobbing of the strong,
-------------------------And a pall upon the land;
--------------------But the People in their weeping
-----------------------------------Bare the iron hand:
--------------------Beware the People weeping
-------------------------When they bare the iron hand.
He lieth in his blood—
-----The father in his face;
They have killed him, the Forgiver—
-----The Avenger takes his place,
The Avenger wisely stern,
----------Who in righteousness shall do
----------What heavens call him to,
And the parricides remand;
-----For they killed him in his kindness,
-----In their madness and their blindness.
And his blood is on their hand.
--------------------There is sobbing of the strong,
-------------------------And a pall upon the land;
--------------------But the People in their weeping
-----------------------------------Bare the iron hand:
--------------------Beware the People weeping
-------------------------When they bare the iron hand.
Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Cascade) ― a book of poems written from the point-of-view of angels. His books are available through Wipf & Stock.
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