"Ha! shall the living Needy miss my hand, Whom for my penitence I sought to bless, Till there depended on me numberless Souls that unaided scarce have strength to stand? Not only for my penance had I planned To succour these; I pitied their distress: Shall I betray them to their helplessness For that new task? Is this thy sad demand?" Oh, strength of tenderness! 'tis here I pause: I dare not answer; for to thee alone The weight and shaping of that claim is known; Lo, even Nature has her minor laws! Yet fling thy will once down before her throne, -- Brave frankly her last verdict in the cause. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONNET TO A FRIEND WHO ASKED, HOW I FELT ... MY INFANT TO ME by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE MARSYAS by CHARLES GEORGE DOUGLAS ROBERTS EPIPSYCHIDION by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY FRIDAY NIGHT by ISIDORE G. ASCHER EXCUSE OF ABSENCE by THOMAS CAREW |