An excerpt from Longfellow's "Divina Commedia":
Oft have I seen at some cathedral door
A laborer, pausing in the dust and heat,
Lay down his burden, and with reverent feet
Enter, and cross himself, and on the floor
Kneel to repeat his paternoster o’er;
Far off the noises of the world retreat;
The loud vociferations of the street
Become an undistinguishable roar.
So, as I enter here from day to day,
And leave my burden at this minster gate,
Kneeling in prayer, and not ashamed to pray,
The tumult of the time disconsolate
To inarticulate murmurs dies away,
While the eternal ages watch and wait.
What a lovely poem! Never ever have I come across this when I studied literature in college, nor did I realize that Longfellow was Catholic!!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a wonderful poem. I don't know if he ever actually became catholic but he was clearly drawn to the faith and found consolation from the Mass and the beauty of a Catholic cathedral.
ReplyDeleteWow, poetry that rhymes and one can understand!
ReplyDelete