Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LABOR IS PRAYER, by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK Poet's Biography First Line: Laborare est orare Last Line: And the whole earth rings with prayers. Alternate Author Name(s): Mulock, Dinah Maria Subject(s): Labor & Laborers; Women; Work; Workers | ||||||||
LABORARE est orare: We, black-visaged sons of toil, From the coal-mine and the anvil And the delving of the soil, -- From the loom, the wharf, the warehouse, And the ever-whirling mill, Out of grim and hungry silence Raise a weak voice small and shrill; -- Laborare est orare: Man, dost hear us? God, He will. We, who just can keep from starving Sickly wives, -- not always mild: Trying not to curse Heaven's bounty When it sends another child, -- We who, worn-out, doze on Sundays O'er the Book we strive to read, Cannot understand the parson Or the catechism and creed. Laborare est orare: -- Then, good sooth, we pray indeed. We, poor women, feeble-natured, Large of heart, in wisdom small, Who the world's incessant battle Cannot understand at all, All the mysteries of the churches, All the troubles of the state, -- Whom child-smiles teach "God is loving," And child-coffins, "God is great": Laborare est orare: -- We too at His footstool wait. Laborare est orare; Hear it, ye of spirit poor, Who sit crouching at the threshold While your brethren force the door; Ye whose ignorance stands wringing Rough hands, scamed with toil, nor dares Lift so much as eyes to Heaven, -- Lo! all life this truth declares, Laborare est orare; And the whole earth rings with prayers. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER WORKING SIXTY HOURS AGAIN FOR WHAT REASON by HICOK. BOB DAY JOB AND NIGHT JOB by ANDREW HUDGINS BIXBY'S LANDING by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON BUILDING WITH STONE by ROBINSON JEFFERS LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS IN CALIFORNIA: MORNING, EVENING, LATE JANUARY by DENISE LEVERTOV BY THE ALMA RIVER by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK DOUGLAS, DOUGLAS, TENDER AND TRUE by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK |
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