Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, POVERTY, IN IMITATION OF MILTON, by SAMUEL JONES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

POVERTY, IN IMITATION OF MILTON, by                    
First Line: Hail, happy lot of the laborious man, / securest state of life, great poverty
Last Line: Most venerable poverty! To thee all hail!
Subject(s): Poverty


HAIL, happy lot of the laborious man,
Securest state of life, great Poverty,
To thee thrice hail!_____
Millions of active arms to thee each dawn,
Of supplications feminine devoid,
Erect their noble nerves,_____
Smile cheerful on the sultry steeds of heaven,
Vying in labour with their painful driver.
To thee, the cold and tedious winter's night,
The profit of innumerable hands
Most sinewy all! o' th' world's vast altar burns.
To thee! consummate happiness of mind,
And health, and length of life, and innocence,
With all the remnants of discarded virtue,
Are like events to causes ever knit.
Despite of pompous ornament, with thee
The Author of the furniture of heaven,
Of which both Art's and Nature's eyes see little
In the low'st floorage of the earth-nigh chambers,
And Founder of the boundless wealth beneath,
Of which to men and devils much unknown,
Took up his more than blessed abode when Man.
In thee, that second to the first great All
Drunk up the deluge of original guilt,
And brought the face of heaven's high road to ken:
Beneath thy umbrage very frailties died for.
Hail then to th' image of our Saviour's life!
As near as human things with things divine
Can correspond._____
Most venerable Poverty! to thee all hail!





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