AND what is Penance with her knotted thong; Mortification with the shirt of hair, Wan cheek, and knees indurated with prayer, Vigils, and fastings rigorous as long; If cloistered Avarice scruple not to wrong The pious, humble, useful Secular, And rob the people of his daily care, Scorning that world whose blindness makes her strong? Inversion strange! that, unto One who lives For self, and struggles with himself alone, The amplest share of heavenly favour gives; That to a Monk allots, both in the esteem Of God and man, place higher than to him Who on the good of others builds his own! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHAT AILS THIS HEART O'MINE? by SUSANNA BLAMIRE THE TWO OLD BACHELORS by EDWARD LEAR PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 14. AL-MUZAWWIR by EDWIN ARNOLD NIGHTINGALE AND CUCKOO by ALFRED AUSTIN BRUCE: IN PRAISE OF FREEDOM by JOHN BARBOUR SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 30. CHRIST AND WOMAN by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |