Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


FAIR WORDS by JOHN HENRY NEWMAN

Poet Analysis

First Line: THY WORDS ARE GOOD, AND FREELY GIVEN
Last Line: A SIN AGAINST THE LIGHT.
Subject(s): LANGUAGE; WORDS; VOCABULARY;

THY words are good, and freely given,
As though thou felt them true;
Friend, think thee well, to hell or heaven
A serious heart is due.

It pains thee sore, man's will should swerve
In his true path divine;
And yet thou ventur'st nought to serve
Thy neighbour's weal nor thine.

Beware! such words may once be said.
Where shame and fear unite;
But, spoken twice, they mark instead
A sin against the light.



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