Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NICODEMUS, by HARRY HIBBARD KEMP


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NICODEMUS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: And nicodemus came by night
Last Line: He dared the world by day!
Subject(s): Jesus Christ; Nicodemus (bible); Wisdom


There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; the
same came to Jesus by night.—John 3:1-2.
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by
night.—John 19:39.

AND Nicodemus came by night
When none might hear or see—
He came by night to shun men's sight
And away by night slunk he.

He dared not come by light of day
To move where sinners trod:
He must hold apart from the common heart,
For he was a Man of God. ...

But the honest Christ, he walked with men
Nor held his ways apart—
With publicans talked, with harlots walked,
And loved them all in his heart. ...

Came Nicodemus to Christ by night;
And long they reasoned, alone,
Till the Old man saw the sham of the Law
That turned his being to stone:

He tore the formal husks from his life;
He was born again, though gray.
And, erect with the youth of a Living Truth,
He dared the world by day!





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