Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A TOWER PARABLE, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A TOWER PARABLE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A burning city's raging ire
Last Line: To diamond and chrysolite!
Subject(s): Fire


A burning city's raging ire
Assailed with storms of biting fire
A tower fair in sculptured stone,
That braved the flames, and stood alone.
Blackened it stood, and scarred and drear,
Through many a long revolving year,
Until once more the hearts of men
Impelled them there to build again;
When, lo! a curious thing was found:
The tower courses near the ground,
Fused by the fire, had kept their form
Through cracking frost and beating storm,
While all the tower's lofty spire,
Untouched by that fierce-friendly fire,
Had lost its graces day by day,
And crumbled utterly away.

Ah, thus, my timorous soul, receive
The woes that sadden and bereave!
They sear the life, but haply still
Confirm the faith, inure the will,
And fuse the spirit, soft and slight,
To diamond and chrysolite!





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