Religion

Revival of Popery

by William Wordsworth 1770–1850

From Ecclesiastical Sonnets

Religion

The saintly Youth has ceased to rule, discrowned
By unrelenting Death. O People keen
For change, to whom the new looks always green!
Rejoicing did they cast upon the ground
Their Gods of wood and stone; and, at the sound
Of counter-proclamation, now are seen,
(Proud triumph is it for a sullen Queen!)
Lifting them up, the worship to confound
Of the Most High. Again do they invoke
The Creature, to the Creature glory give;
Again with frankincense the altars smoke
Like those the Heathen served; and mass is sung;
And prayer, man's rational prerogative,
Runs through blind channels of an unknown tongue.

MLA

Wordsworth, William. “Revival of Popery.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wordsworth/499/.

Chicago

Wordsworth, William. “Revival of Popery.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wordsworth/499/.

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