Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A PRAYER FOR A BEGINNING REIGN, by JOHN MASEFIELD Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: He who is order, beauty, power and glory Last Line: Over a kingdom worthy, the world's wonder. Alternate Author Name(s): Masefield, John Edward Subject(s): Beauty; Coronations; Courts & Courtiers; Elizabeth Ii, Queen Of England; Prayer | ||||||||
HE who is Order, Beauty, Power and Glory, HE, the All-Wise, who made the eterne abyss, The Splendour, without Presence, without Story, Maker and Arbiter of all that is, HE set within Man's mind All thought and image of a kingly kind; In serving earthly Kingship we serve HIS. Therefore, to THEE, All-Glorious, let us pray For Her, THY Destined, consecrate today. We, then, beseech THEE, Everlasting Power, That This, THY dedicated Soul, may reign In peace, in wisdom, for her mortal hour In this beloved Land So guide Her with THY ever-giving Hand That She may re-establish standards shaken, Set the enfettered spirit free again With impulse green again in hearts forsaken, With light to gladden as men reawaken That they, after such winter-time, may flower. Grant, KING OF KINGS, All-Merciful, All-Knowing, That in Her reign Her people may advance In all fair knowledges of starry sowing In all arts that rejoice, In beauty of sound of instrument and voice, In colour and form that leave the soul befriended, In ancient joy, our Land's inheritance, In thought, the quest for guidance never-ended For light of THINE to make our living splendid In service to the Queen who guides our going. We, as a people, have been split in sunder By all a century of thoughtless greed. What glory in that time has been kept under? What stunted hopes allowed? What miles of squalid city under cloud? Let us forget all this as done for ever; This is a season of the springing speed Of all a People one in an endeavour To make our Sovereign Lady Queen indeed Over a Kingdom worthy, the World's wonder. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UNHOLY SONNET 11 by MARK JARMAN LISTEN, LORD: A PRAYER by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON A PRAYER FOR THE FUTURE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRAY by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE PRAYER DURING A TIME MY SON IS HAVING SEIZURES by SHARON OLDS WE WHO PRAYED AND WEPT by WENDELL BERRY PRAYERS AND SAYINGS OF THE MAD FARMER by WENDELL BERRY |
|