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ReadingWillow structured literacy program for Australian students
Poetry Library

— Stephen Crane

I stood upon a high place,

And saw, below, many devils

Running, leaping,

And carousing in sin.

…

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adjective

Engaged in or ready for action; characterized by energetic work, thought, or speech.

“The students were very active in class discussions, asking many thoughtful questions.”

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VIII. 'SING US ONE OF THE SONGS OF SION.'

41 lines
Coventry Patmore·1823–1896
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ow sing the Lord's Song in so strange a Land?A torrid waste of water-mocking sand;Oases of wild grapes;A dull, malodorous fogO'er a once Sacred River's wandering strand,Its ancient tillage all gone back to bog;A busy synod of blest cats and apesExposing the poor trick of earth and starWith worshipp'd snouts oracular;Prophets to whose blind stareThe heavens the glory of God do not declare,Skill'd in such question niceAs why one conjures toads who fails with lice,And hatching snakes from sticks in such a swarmAs quite to surfeit Aaron's bigger worm;A nation which has gotA lie in her right hand,And knows it not;With Pharaohs to her mind, each drifting as a logWhich way the foul stream flows,More harden'd the more plagued with fly and frog!How should sad Exile sing in such a Land?How should ye understand?What could he win but jeers,Or howls, such as sweet music draws from dog,Who told of marriage-feasting to the manThat nothing knows of food but bread of bran?Besides, if aught such earsMight e'er unclog,There lives but one, with tones for Sion meet.Behoveful, zealous, beautiful, elect,Mild, firm, judicious, loving, bold, discreet,Without superfluousness, without defect,Few are his words, and find but scant respect,Nay, scorn from some, for God's good cause agog.Silence in such a Land is oftenest such men's speech.O, that I might his holy secret reach;O, might I catch his mantle when he goes;O, that I were so gentle and so sweet,So I might deal fair Sion's foolish foesSuch blows!
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