Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WORDS OF BELIEF, by JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH VON SCHILLER Poet's Biography First Line: Three words will I name thee -- around and about Last Line: Till in those three words he believes no more. Alternate Author Name(s): Schiller, Friedrich Von Subject(s): Faith; Language; Belief; Creed; Words; Vocabulary | ||||||||
THREE Words will I name theearound and about, From the lip to the lip, full of meaning, they flee; But they had not their birth in the being without, And the heart, not the lip, must their oracle be! And all worth in the man shall for ever be o'er When in those Three Words he believes no more. Man is made FREE!Man, by birthright, is free, Though the tyrant may deem him but born for his tool. Whatever the shout of the rabble may be Whatever the ranting misuse of the fool Still fear not the Slave, when he breaks from his chain, For the Man made a Freeman grows safe in his gain. And VIRTUE is more than a shade or a sound, And Man may her voice, in this being, obey; And though ever he slip on the stony ground, Yet, ever again to the godlike way, To the science of Good though the Wise may be blind, yet the practice is plain to the childlike mind. And a GOD there isover Space, over Time; While the Human Will rocks, like a reed, to and fro, Lives the Will of the HolyA Purpose Sublime, A Thought woven over creation below; Changing and shifting the All we inherit, But changeless through all One Immutable Spirit! Hold fast the Three Words of Beliefthough about From the lip to the lip, full of meaning, they flee; Yet they take not their birth from the being without But a voice from within must their oracle be; And never all worth in the Man can be o'er, Till in those Three Words he believes no more. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOWYOUBEENS' by TERRANCE HAYES MY LIFE: REASON LOOKS FOR TWO, THEN ARRANGES IT FROM THERE by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: THE BEST WORDS by LYN HEJINIAN WRITING IS AN AID TO MEMORY: 17 by LYN HEJINIAN CANADA IN ENGLISH by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA THERE IS NO WORD by TONY HOAGLAND CONSIDERED SPEECH by JOHN HOLLANDER AND MOST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK ?Ǫ by JOHN HOLLANDER COLUMBUS [AUGUST 3, 1492] by JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH VON SCHILLER |
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