FAITH is the spirit that makes man's body and blood Sacred, to crown when life and death have ceased His heavenward head for high fame's holy feast; But as one swordstroke swift as wizard's rod Made Caesar carrion and made Brutus God, Faith false or true, born patriot or born priest, Smites into semblance or of man or beast The soul that feeds on clean or unclean food. Lo here the faith that lives on its own light, Visible music; and lo there, the foul Shape without shape, the happy throat and howl. Sword of the spirit of man! arise and smite, And sheer through throat and claw and maw and tongue Kill the beast faith that lives on its own dung. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY HEART IS HEAVY by SARA TEASDALE TO A DARK GIRL by GWENDOLYN B. BENNETT THE VOICE by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON EPITAPH INTENDED FOR SIR ISAAC NEWTON, IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY by ALEXANDER POPE THE SONG OF THE OLD MOTHER by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THORWALDSEN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE ORGANIST by KATHARINE LEE BATES |