I press not to the quire, nor dare I greet The holy place with my unhallowed feet; My unwashed Muse pollutes not things divine, Nor mingles her profaner notes with thine; Here humbly at the porch she listening stays, And with glad ears sucks in thy sacred lays. So devout penitents of old were wont, Some without door and some beneath the font, To stand and hear the Church's liturgies, Yet not assist the solemn exercise: Sufficeth her that she a lay-place gain, To trim thy vestments or but bear thy train; Though nor in tune nor wing she reach thy lark, Her lyric feet may dance before the Ark. Who knows but that her wandering eyes, that run Now hunting glow-worms, may adore the sun? A pure flame may, shot by Almighty Power Into her breast, the earthy flame devour. My eyes in penitential dew may steep That brine which they for sensual love did weep. So (though gainst Nature's course) fire may be quenched With fire, and water be with water drenched. Perhaps my restless soul -- tired with pursuit Of mortal beauty, seeking without fruit Contentment there, which hath not, when enjoyed, Quenched all her thirst, nor satisfied, though cloyed -- , Weary of her vain search below, above In the first Fair may find th' immortal Love. Prompted by thy example then, no more In moulds of clay will I my God adore, But tear those idols from my heart, and write What His blest Sp'rit, not fond love, shall indite; Then I no more shall court the verdant bay, But the dry leaveless trunk on Golgotha; And rather strive to gain from thence one thorn, Than all the flour'shing wreaths by laureates worn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LEAVES OF A MAGAZINE by MARIANNE MOORE HOW TO KNOW LOVE FROM DECEIT by WILLIAM BLAKE FACADE: 17. DARK SONG by EDITH SITWELL IDYLL 11. THE CYCLOPS by THEOCRITUS WHEN YOU ARE OLD by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS HIS LAST STAGE by JOHN PHILIP BURKE DRYBURGH by AMELIA JOSEPHINE BURR ON THE MEANING OF ST. PAUL'S EXPRESSION OF SPEAKING WITH TONGUES by JOHN BYROM |