Poor Hodge prays hard - the wise man smiles embowered; The priest-philosopher, who lurks within That screen of Christmas hollies, though empowered For other ends, takes pay for conscious sin: What does the white-robed hireling, simpering thus At his poor neighbour's spiritual desire? Of all that honest faith incredulous, The tainted vestal mocks the holy fire! He lives beneath that little twinkling creed Which counts for light at Tubingen; his list Of Christian sympathies is brief indeed: And yet he speaks right loyally for Christ! Ah! traitorous lips! so Judas falsely kissed The Truth, with thirty pieces for his meed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOROTHY'S DOWER by PHOEBE CARY A FRIEND'S SONG FOR SIMOISIUS by LOUISE IMOGEN GUINEY ESTONIAN BRIDAL SONG by JOHANN GOTTFRIED VON HERDER IAMBICUM TRIMETRUM, FR. LETTER TO HARVEY by EDMUND SPENSER GEORGE LEVISON OR, THE SCHOOLFELLOWS by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM |