Worship

John Crowe Ransom 1888 (Pulaski) – 1974 (Gambier)



I know a quite religious man
Who utters praises when he can.

Now I find God in bard and book,
In school and temple, bird and brook.

But he says God is sweetest of all
Discovered in a drinking-hall.

For God requires no costly wine
But comes on the foam of a crockery stein.

And when that foam is on the lips,
Begin then God's good fellowships.

Cathedrals, synagogues, and kirks
May go to the devil, and all their works.

And as for Christian charity,
It's made out of hilarity.

He gives the beggar all his dimes,
Forgives his brother seven times.

'I love the rain,' says thirsty clod;
So this religious man of God.

For God has come, and is it odd
He praises all the works of God?

'For God has come, and there's no sorrow,'
He sings all night--will he sing to-morrow?

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

45 sec read
123

Quick analysis:

Scheme AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH GI II JJ
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 761
Words 149
Stanzas 11
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

John Crowe Ransom

John Crowe Ransom was an educator, scholar, literary critic, poet, essayist and editor. more…

All John Crowe Ransom poems | John Crowe Ransom Books

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