THE Saviour, bowed beneath his cross, climbed up the dreary hill, And from the agonizing wreath ran many a crimson rill; The cruel Roman thrust him on with unrelenting hand, Till, staggering slowly mid the crowd, He fell upon the sand. A little bird that warbled near, that memorable day, Flitted around and strove to wrench one single thorn away; The cruel spike impaled his breast, -- and thus, 't is sweetly said, The Robin has his silver vest incarnadined with red. Ah, Jesu! Jesu! Son of man! My dolor and my sighs Reveal the lesson taught by this winged Ishmael of the skies. I, in the palace of delight or cavern of despair, Have plucked no thorns from thy dear brow, but planted thousands there! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN EQUAL SACRIFICE by ROBERT FROST LAMENT FOR THE DEATH OF EOGHAN RUADH (OWEN ROE) O'NEIL by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS OF THE REED THAT THE JEWS SET IN OUR SAVIOUR'S HAND by WILLIAM ALABASTER NOCTURNE by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH IN IMMEMORIAM by EDWARD BRADLEY TO A CHILD, THE DAUGHTER OF A FRIEND by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD |