Zacchaeus struggled with the crowd; A little man was he. "Vermin!" he muttered half aloud, "I'll make them honor me. Ah, when the taxes next are due, I'll tower as is meet: This beggarly, ill-mannered crew Shall cower at my feet." Zacchaeus climbed the sycomore (He was a little man), And as he looked the rabble o'er He chuckled at the plan. "I get the thing I want," he said, "And that is to be tall. They think me short, but by a head I rise above them all." "Zacchaeus, come! I dine with you," The famous Rabbi cried. Zacchaeus tumbled into view A giant in his pride. He strutted mightily before That silly, gaping throng; You'd think him six feet high or more, To see him stride along. Zacchaeus listened to the Lord, And as he listened, feared: How was his life a thing abhorred When that pure Life appeared! Down to a dwarf he shrank away In sorrow and in shame. He owned his sins that very day, And bore the heavy blame. But as he rose before the crowd, (A little man, alack!) Confessed his guilt and cried aloud And gave his plunder back, I think he stood a giant then As angels truly scan, And no one ever thought again He was a little man. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPRING, FR. SONGS OF INNOCENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE CHRISTMAS CAROL by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR MARY MAGDALENE by GEORGE HERBERT THOSE EVENING BELLS by THOMAS MOORE THE NYMPH'S REPLY TO THE SHEPHERD by WALTER RALEIGH THE VOW OF WASHINGTON by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER WATER FOWL by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |