The gem, to which the artist did entrust That Face which now outshines the Cherubim, Gave up, full willingly, its emerald dust, To take Christ's likeness, to make room for Him. So must it be, if thou wouldst bear about Thy Lord - thy shining surface must be lowered, Thy goodly prominence be chipt and scored, Till those deep scars have brought His features out: Sharp be the stroke and true, make no complaints; For heavenly lines thou givest earthy grit: But oh! how oft our coward spirit faints, When we are called our jewels to submit To this keen graver, which so oft hath writ The Saviour's image on His wounded saints! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UNGRATEFULNESS by GEORGE HERBERT PROLOGUE, SPOKEN BY MR. GARRICK AT ... THEATRE ROYALE, 1747 by SAMUEL JOHNSON (1709-1784) AT A READING by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE INGOLDSBY PENANCE!; A LEGEND OF PALESTINE AND -- WEST KENT by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM URANIA; THE WOMAN IN THE MOON: THE THIRD CANTO, OR FULL MOON by WILLIAM BASSE |