MANY the guileless years the Patriarch spent, Bless'd in the wife a father's foresight chose; Many the prayers and gracious deeds, which rose Daily thank-offerings from his pilgrim tent. Yet these, though written in the heavens, are rent From out truth's lower roll, which sternly shows But one sad trespass at his history's close, Father's, son's, mother's, and its punishment. Not in their brightness, but their earthly stains Are the true seed vouchsafed to earthly eyes. Sin can read sin, but dimly scans high grace, So we move heavenward with averted face, Scared into faith by warning of sin's pains; And Saints are lower'd, that the world may rise. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MARRIAGE (1) by TIMOTHY LIU FIRST FRUIT by ISAAC ROSENBERG THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT OH! SUSANNA! by STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER THE CONVERGENCE OF THE TWAIN; LINES ON LOSS OF THE TITANIC by THOMAS HARDY ODES II, 10 by QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS TO QUILCA; A COUNTRY HOUSE IN NO GOOD REPAIR by JONATHAN SWIFT |