A beggar died last night; his soul Went up to God, and said: "I come uncalled, forgive it, Lord; I died for want of bread." Then answered him the Lord of heaven: "Son, how can this thing be? Are not my saints on earth? and they Had surely succoured thee." "Thy saints, O Lord," the beggar said, "Live holy lives of prayer; How should they know of such as we? We perish unaware. "They strive to save our wicked souls And fit them for the sky; Meanwhile, not having bread to eat, (Forgive!) our bodies die." Then the Lord God spake out of heaven In wrath and angry pain: "O men, for whom my Son hath died, My Son hath lived in vain!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE DARKEST HOUR; OXFORD, 1917 by GEORGE SANTAYANA ISADORA DUNCAN DANCING 'IPHIGENIA IN AULIS' by LOUIS UNTERMEYER THE WILD FLOWER'S SONG by WILLIAM BLAKE WHY I WRITE NOT OF LOVE by BEN JONSON THE POSY RING by CLEMENT MAROT SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: LUCINDA MATLOCK by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |