Classic and Contemporary Poetry
REPOSE IN EGYPT, by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: O happy mother! - while the man wayworn Last Line: While the man sleeps, the sacred mystery. | ||||||||
O HAPPY mother! -- while the man wayworn Sleeps by his ass and dreams of daily bread, Wakeful and heedful for thy infant care -- O happy mother! -- while thy husband sleeps, Art privileged, O blessed one, to see Celestial strangers sharing in thy task, And visible angels waiting on thy child. Take, O young soul, O infant heaven-desired, Take and fear not the cates, although of earth, Which to thy hands celestial hands extend, Take and fear not: such vulgar meats of life Thy spirit lips no more must scorn to pass; The seeming ill, contaminating joys, Thy sense divine no more be loth to allow; The pleasures as the pains of our strange life Thou art engaged, self-compromised, to share. Look up, upon thy mother's face there sits No sad suspicion of a lurking ill, No shamed confession of a needful sin; Mistrust her not, although of earth she too: Look up! the bright-eyed cherubs overhead Strew from mid air fresh flowers to crown the just. Look! thy own father's servants these, and thine, Who at his bidding and at thine are here. In thine own word was it not said long since Butter and honey shall he eat, and learn The evil to refuse and choose the good? Fear not, O babe divine, fear not, accept; O happy mother, privileged to see, While the man sleeps, the sacred mystery. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN A LECTURE-ROOM by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH NATURA NATURANS by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH QUA CURSUM VENTUS by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH SONGS IN ABSENCE: 7. THE SHIP by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH THE LATEST DECALOGUE by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A LONDON IDYLL by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A PROTEST by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A RIVER POOL by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A SLEEPING CHILD by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH |
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