Page:Prometheus Bound, and other poems.djvu/230

 Of adverse interests: this, at last, is known, (Thank Pius for the lesson) that albeit, Among the Popedom's hundred heads of stone Which blink down on you from the roof's retreat In Siena's tiger-striped cathedral, Joan And Borgia 'mid their fellows you may greet, A harlot and a devil, you will see Not a man, still less angel, grandly set With open soul, to render man more free. The fishers are still thinking of the net, And if not thinking of the hook too, we Are counted somewhat deeply in their debt: But that's a rare case-so, by hook and crook They take the advantage, agonizing Christ By rustier nails than those of Cedron's brook, I' the people's body very cheaply priced; Quoting high priesthood out of Holy book, And buying death-fields with the sacrificed.

Priests, priests!—there's no such name,—God's own, except Ye take most vainly. Through Heaven's lifted gate The priestly ephod in sole glory swept, When Christ ascended, entered in, and sate With victor face sublimely overwept, At Deity's right hand, to mediate, He alone, He for ever. On his breast The Urim and the Thummim, fed with fire From the full Godhead, flicker with the unrest Of human, pitiful heartbeats. Come up higher, All Christians! Levi's tribe is dispossest! That solitary alb ye shall admire, But not cast lots for. The last chrism, poured right,