Which is the greater thing? To dwell on high As God does, far apart from all the cares Of mankind, kissed by heavenly golden airs And all the countless flower-scents of the sky,— Or Christ-like and Prometheus-like to die?— Which is the nobler? Man who suffers long? Or God who guards himself with fence of song From sight of sorrow and from sound of sigh?— Which is the grander? God with silken hair Smooth, fragrant, combed, anointed,—or the grim Blood-stained and sweat-stained form that faces him?— Man wounded, marred, yet terrible and fair: With hand on red sword jagged along the rim And armour God's weak shoulders could not bear. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GOOD GREAT MAN by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE LAUSANNE: IN GIBBON'S OLD GARDEN by THOMAS HARDY THE IRISH PEASANT TO HIS MISTRESS by THOMAS MOORE THE DEATH-BED by SIEGFRIED SASSOON THE DOUBLE-HEADED SNAKE OF NEWBURY by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER THE CLIFF-TOP by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES HASTINGS' SONNETS: 2 by SAMUEL EGERTON BRYDGES |