'Twere well the soldiers stripped the finery Of purple from him in that hour of shame; For dressed again in the simplicity Of peasant's garb, a seamless robe—the same He wore when He the little children blessed, And when He made the ailing bodies whole— They knew Him theirs, a comrade heart possessed Of love, and saw the kingship of His soul. O Son of Man, do we, too, in our pride Of tawdry symbols mock Thy kingliness, And give to Thee a strange and alien guise? Then be these, O our Christ, all cast aside, That we may see Thee in Thy naturalness And own Thee king in Thy great sacrifice. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INVITATION TO A PAINTER: 3 by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM TWENTY-FOUR HOKKU ON A MODERN THEME by AMY LOWELL THE MAN WITH THE HOE OUTWITTED by EDWIN MARKHAM THE ARCHITECT (2) by KAREN SWENSON THE CAMBODIAN BOX by KAREN SWENSON |