Poor Hodge prays hard - the wise man smiles embowered; The priest-philosopher, who lurks within That screen of Christmas hollies, though empowered For other ends, takes pay for conscious sin: What does the white-robed hireling, simpering thus At his poor neighbour's spiritual desire? Of all that honest faith incredulous, The tainted vestal mocks the holy fire! He lives beneath that little twinkling creed Which counts for light at Tubingen; his list Of Christian sympathies is brief indeed: And yet he speaks right loyally for Christ! Ah! traitorous lips! so Judas falsely kissed The Truth, with thirty pieces for his meed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A MAN'S REQUIREMENTS by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING ON MY THIRTY-THIRD BIRTHDAY by GEORGE GORDON BYRON ON THE DEATH OF A METAPHYSICIAN by GEORGE SANTAYANA VENICE by JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS AGAMEMNON: THE PURPLE CARPER by AESCHYLUS LANDSCAPE; TWILIGHT by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE CHARWOMAN by GEORGE LAWRENCE ANDREWS |