SHOWING his ill-made frame And mumbling of troubles many, Along a public street, The cripple calls for a penny. Inviting sympathy, By his rags and his withered arm, He follows and frets till we argue A penny can do him no harm. . . . . . . . Just now, in this intimate room, Sagacious, clever and witty, Exposing his hardships, a Beggar Beckoned his friends for pity. Ugh! By displaying his pains, By showing his heart was ashen, By revealing his twisted life, He played for a glance of compassion. Strange how I longed to laugh; His feebleness was funny. I thought: "He's only a Beggar And affection is golden money. "Scorn will do for this Beggar, And a smile will send him away; I will keep my love for One Who may need my love some day. "I will keep my love for One Who is brave and ashamed of tears: The importunity Of silence reaches my ears; -- "Life on its lonely way Moving on lonely wings, And the mute mind, alone With dark imaginings." I thought, "I will keep my love, -- I will keep my tenderness, For One who is piteous, Hiding his loneliness." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SOLUTIONS by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN HER DILEMMA; IN CHURCH by THOMAS HARDY A FAREWELL [TO C.E.G.] by CHARLES KINGSLEY PARADISE LOST: BOOK 4 by JOHN MILTON BRONZE TRUMPETS AND SEA WATER; ON TURNING LATIN VERSE INTO ENGLISH by ELINOR WYLIE A POEM, DEDICATED TO WILLIAM LAW, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY by ROBERT BLAIR WRITTEN ON A GLOOMY DAY, IN SICKNESS. THACKWOOD, 4TH JUNE, 1786 by SUSANNA BLAMIRE |