James H. Cousins

Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922.
105. A Curse on a Closed Gate By James H. Cousins (From the Irish)

BE THIS the fate
Of the man who would shut his gate
On the stranger, gentle or simple, early or late.

When his mouth with a day’s long hunger and thirst would wish
For the savour of salted fish,
Let him sit and eat his fill of an empty dish.

To the man of that ilk,
Let water stand in his churn, instead of milk
That turns a calf’s coat silk.

And under the gloomy night
May never a thatch made tight
Shut out the clouds from his sight.

Above the ground or below it,
Good cheer, may he never know it,
Nor a tale by the fire, nor a dance on the road, nor a song by a wandering poet.

Till he open his gate
To the stranger, early or late,
And turn back the stone of his fate.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: James Henry Sproul Cousins (1873-1956) was an Irish writer who was a playwright, critic and poet; ultimately he was known as a writer on theosophy. He used a pseudonym Mac Oisín and the Hindu name Jayaram. He was born in Belfast, Ireland. His plays were produced in the first years of the twentieth century by the Irish National Theatre; he also acted. He then taught and worked as an editor. He travelled in 1915 to India, converting to Hinduism. He later worked for the Irish Literary Theatre. He wrote a joint autobiography with his wife Margaret.