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Lyric Poem · Peace

A man went before a strange God

by Stephen Crane

A man went before a strange God —

The God of many men, sadly wise.

And the deity thundered loudly,

Fat with rage, and puffing.

"Kneel, mortal, and cringe

And grovel and do homage

To My Particularly Sublime Majesty."

The man fled.

Then the man went to another God —

The God of his inner thoughts.

And this one looked at him

With soft eyes

Lit with infinite comprehension,

And said, "My poor child!"

This poem is in the public domain.

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