Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE LATEST DECALOGUE, by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE LATEST DECALOGUE, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thou shalt have one god only; who
Last Line: More than thyself to love thy neighbour.
Subject(s): Bible; Calvinists; Hypocrisy; Religion; Social Protest; Ten Commandments; Theology


THOU shalt have one God only: who
Would be at the expense of two?
No graven images may be
Worshipped, except the currency:
Swear not at all; since for thy curse
Thine enemy is none the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will serve to keep the world thy friend:
Honour thy parents; that is, all
From whom advancement may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Do not adultery commit;
Advantage rarely comes of it:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When it's so lucrative to cheat:
Bear not false witness; let the lie
Have time on its own wings to fly:
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Approves all forms of competition.

The sum of all is, thou shalt love,
If any body, God above:
At any rate shall never labour
More than thyself to love thy neighbour.




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