Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SWORDLESS CHRIST, by PERCY ADAMS HUTCHISON First Line: Aye, down the years, behold, he rides Last Line: Are slow to rise and follow him. Subject(s): Jesus Christ | ||||||||
Aye, down the years, behold, he rides, The lowly Christ, upon an ass; But conquering? Ten shall heed the call, A thousand idly watch him pass: They watch him pass, or lightly hold In mock lip-loyalty his name: A thousand -- were they his to lead! But meek, without a sword, he came. A myriad horsemen swept the field With Attila, the whirlwind Hun: A myriad cannon spake for him, The silent, dread Napoleon. For these had ready spoil to give. Had reeking spoil for savage hands; Slaves, and fair wives, and pillage rare: The wealth of cities: teeming lands. And if the world, once drunk with blood, Sated, has turned from arms to peace, Man hath not lost his ancient lusts; The weapons change; war doth not cease. The mother in the stifling den, The brain-dulled child beside the loom, The hordes that swarm and toil and starve, We laugh, and tread them to their doom. They shriek, and cry their prayers to Christ; And lift wan faces, hands that bleed: In vain they pray, for what is Christ? A leader -- without men to lead. Ah, piteous Christ, afar he rides: We see him, but the face is dim. We, that would leap at crash of drums, Are slow to rise and follow him. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GREEN CHRIST by ANDREW HUDGINS MEDITATION ON SAVIORS by ROBINSON JEFFERS COMPANIONSHIP by MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK TO A WREN ON CALVARY by LARRY LEVIS THE TRANSFIGURATION by EDWIN MUIR SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 1. BEAST, PEACH.. by MARVIN BELL EVE SPEAKS by LOUIS UNTERMEYER |
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