The Poetry of Real Life | ||
REAL VALUE;
SUGGESTED BY A FIGURE IN CLAY, OR “TERRA COTTA,” BY M. ANGELO.
Things have a spiritual worth, beside,And far beyond, all money-value too—
Thus, e'en a piece of clay, which has passed through
A Michael Angelo's fingers, beautified
By his allmighty touch, to God's allied,
(For it creates, and breathes Soul into new
And godlike forms, and vileness doth endue
With value) hath a worth which will abide—
E'en in this worldly traffic it is worth
More than its weight in gold, though paltry earth;
Gold is but mere brute metal: but it bears
God's impress in its Beauty, and thenceforth,
So long as in aught heavenly Man shares,
'Twill touch his heart, and breathe celestial airs!
The Poetry of Real Life | ||