Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BURDEN-BEARER, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BURDEN-BEARER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Lord, if thy hand, with swift, indignant sweep
Last Line: I, trembling, or, o burden-bearer, thou!
Subject(s): Sin


Lord, if Thy hand, with swift, indignant sweep,
Drove them afar to some unholy deep --
These foul, unconquerable shapes of woe
That weigh upon my soul and shame me so;

Lord, if Thy loveliness, all perfect-fair,
Might awe these blots to hell and leave them there,
Thyself unscarred by any sin of mine,
And I in wondering pureness left to shine;

If that could be --! But oh, the bitterness,
My burdens on Thy radiant form to press,
My foulness on Thy purity, my sin
Upon Thy love, all glorious within!

This be my battle impulse when the host
Of evil passions throng and tempt me most,
The thought that one beneath my shame must bow,
I, trembling, or, O Burden-Bearer, Thou!





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