Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SAVED, by LUCY LARCOM Poet's Biography First Line: What is the soul he would save? Last Line: For the life of our life art thou! Subject(s): Faith; Belief; Creed | ||||||||
WHAT is the soul He would save? -- The being, with all its powers; The root, with its leaves and flowers: All possible good we can crave In this God-given life of ours. From what would He save the soul? -- From contented selfishness, And from bleak unlovingness; From the lower aim's control, From the downward passion's stress. From the hell of an evil choice, When our eyes on His Presence close; From an earth-clogged ear that knows No tone of His tender voice; From a void heart's waste of woes. He saveth thee, soul, for what? -- To be born anew, as a child, In the clear and open thought; In the love that envieth not; The desires all undefiled. To enrich thee with every gift That His fatherly thought can plan: Front belittling sins to lift Thee up to the angel swift, And the stature of a man! He saveth thee, soul, to be As the cleansing salt and the leaven: His mind and His will to see; To be faithful and strong and free In the truth, which alone is heaven. Not to wait for the Far-away, Wrapped in Eden-dreams, -- but now To become a warmth, a ray, O Christ, of Thy deathless day! For the Life of our life art Thou! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UNHOLY SONNET 4 by MARK JARMAN QUIA ABSURDUM by ROBINSON JEFFERS GOING TO THE HORSE FLATS by ROBINSON JEFFERS SONNET TO FORTUNE by LUCY AIKEN JONATHAN EDWARDS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS by ROBERT LOWELL RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION by MINA LOY |
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