Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DIRE: 9. THE AUGURS, by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Lay the corpse out on the altar; bid the elect Last Line: They carve the corpse -- a beast without a heart. Subject(s): Corpses; Leprosy; Nations; Rome, Italy; Cadavers; Lepers | ||||||||
LAY the corpse out on the altar; bid the elect Slaves clear the ways of service spiritual, Sweep clean the stalled soul's serviceable stall, Ere the chief priest's dismantling hands detect The ulcerous flesh of faith all scaled and specked Beneath the bandages that hid it all, And with sharp edgetools oecumenical The leprous carcases of creeds dissect. As on the night ere Brutus grew divine The sick-souled augurs found their ox or swine Heartless; so now too by their after art In the same Rome, at an uncleaner shrine, Limb from rank limb, and putrid part from part, They carve the corpse -- a beast without a heart. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LEPER by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE THE LEPER (2) by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS ANNA BULLEN, ACT 1: SHORT CURSE by JOHN BANKS (17TH CENTURY-) LEPROSIE IN CLOATHES by ROBERT HERRICK LEPROSIE IN HOUSES by ROBERT HERRICK THE STAR OF GOD'S MALISON by HARRY HIBBARD KEMP INVOCATION by JOHN COWPER POWYS THE LEPER OF LONDON by HERMAN GEORGE SCHEFFAUER A BALLAD OF DEATH by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE |
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