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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PROGRESSIVE PIETY, by WALT MASON Poet's Biography
First Line: The old-time brimstone preacher, when once
Last Line: Vile, or calls me caterpillar, or worm, or crocodile.
Subject(s): Cruelty; Sin
First Line: The old-time brimstone preacher, when once
Last Line: Vile, or calls me caterpillar, or worm, or crocodile.
Subject(s): Cruelty; Sin
THE old-time brimstone preacher, when once he waded in, said every human
creature was loaded down with sin. Beneath his towering steeple, in bitter,
scathing terms, he roasted all the people, and said we were but worms. This poor
old earth we cumbered, according to his rede, and when our days were numbered,
we'd have some grief, indeed. The hymns that we were singing were of the same
grim style, such lines as this one springing: "Where only man is vile." We all
of us were lepers, the baby and the dame, the cripples and high
steppers—all soaked in sin and shame; the lovely girls were ditto, their
beauty was a snare, and none of us were fit to pack liver to a bear. But
nowadays the preacher is willing to confess that man is quite a peach, or, at
least, a great success. The learned and reverend thriller no longer says I'm
vile, or calls me caterpillar, or worm, or crocodile.
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