Religion

The Cloisters: The Church in Wales (III)

by Isaac Williams 1802–1865

From The Cathedral (1838; ed. W. Benham, 1889)

Religion

For thou didst take me up unto thy breast,
Pitying my lost and helpless infancy,
And didst engraft me in the living tree.
Still breathe fresh thoughts from thy Plinlimmon's crest.
Hedg'd by thy language, (in thy mountain-nest,
Indented oft with blue o'er-arching sea,)
That so the airs of foul disloyalty
Reach thee but faintly from our sad unrest,
Which, like Avernian steams, to Heaven's deep roof
Daily ascend, and gathering there aloof,
Hang in tempestuous clouds. If thou wouldst still
Have thy good Angel guard thee free from blame,
Rend not Christ's robe at thine irreverent will,
But wrap it round thee, lest they see thy shame.

MLA

Williams, Isaac. “The Cloisters: The Church in Wales (III).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/williams_isaac/19/.

Chicago

Williams, Isaac. “The Cloisters: The Church in Wales (III).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/williams_isaac/19/.

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