Living

Contrasts

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850–1919

From Custer, and Other Poems (1896)

Living

I see the tall church steeples,
They reach so far, so far,
But the eyes of my heart see the world's great mart,
Where the starving people are.

I hear the church bells ringing
Their chimes on the morning air;
But my soul's sad ear is hurt to hear
The poor man's cry of despair.

Thicker and thicker the churches,
Nearer and nearer the sky
But alack for their creeds while the poor man's needs
Grow deeper as years roll by.

MLA

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Contrasts.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/198/.

Chicago

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Contrasts.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/198/.

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