Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, by GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Said the lord god, 'build a house'
Last Line: That we darkly build today.
Alternate Author Name(s): Chesterton, G. K.
Subject(s): Religion; Theology


Said the Lord God, "Build a house,
Cleave its treasure from the earth,
With the jarring powers of hell
Strive with formless might and mirth,
Tribes and warmen build it well."

Then the raw red sons of men
Brake the soil, and lopped the wood,
But a little and they shrill,
"Lord, we cannot view thy good,"
And the wild men clamor still.

Said the Lord God, "Build a house,
Smoke and iron, spark and steam,
Speak and vote and buy and sell;
Let a new world throb and stream,
Seers and makers, build it well."

Strove the cunning men and strong,
But a little and they cry,
"Lord, mayhap we are but clay,
And we cannot know the why,"
And the wise men doubt today.

Yet though worn and deaf and blind,
Force and savage, king and seer
Labour still, they know not why;
At the dim foundation here,
Knead and plough and think and ply.

Till at last, mayhap, hereon,
Fuse of passion and accord,
Love its crown and peace its stay,
Rise the city of the Lord
That we darkly build today.





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