Pity would be no more,
If we did not make somebody Poor:
And Mercy no more could be,
If all were as happy as we:
And mutual fear brings peace:
Till the selfish loves increase.
Then Cruelty knits a snare,
And spreads his baits with care.
He sits down with holy fears,
And waters the ground with tears:
Then Humility takes its root
Underneath his foot.
Soon spreads the dismal shade
Of Mystery over his head;
And the Catterpiller and Fly,
Feed on the Mystery.
And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
Ruddy and sweet to eat:
And the Raven his nest has made
In its thickest shade.
The Gods of the earth and sea,
Sought thro’ Nature to find this Tree
But their search was all in vain;
There grows one in the Human Brain
You can compare different pictorial versions of the poem here.
Questions to answer on the poem
What effects are created when the poem is read aloud or sung?
What interests you most about the poem? Why?
What questions might you ask about the poem?
What is the poem about?
What effects does the language create?
What is the effect of the poem’s structure and form?
What are the similarities and differences between other texts?
How do other people interpret this poem? Find sources/links…
What might make a good creative response to the poem?
How might you teach this poem?
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