Black Magdalens
THESE have no Christ to spit and stoopTo write upon the sand,Inviting him that has not sinnedTo raise the first rude hand.And if he came they could not buyRich ointment for his feet,The body’s sale scarce yields enoughTo let the body eat.The chaste clean ladies pass them byAnd draw their skirts aside,But Magdalens have a ready laugh;They wrap their wounds in pride.They fare full ill since Christ forsookThe cross to mount a throne,And Virtue still is stooping downTo cast the first hard stone.
THESE have no Christ to spit and stoopTo write upon the sand,Inviting him that has not sinnedTo raise the first rude hand.And if he came they could not buyRich ointment for his feet,The body’s sale scarce yields enoughTo let the body eat.The chaste clean ladies pass them byAnd draw their skirts aside,But Magdalens have a ready laugh;They wrap their wounds in pride.They fare full ill since Christ forsookThe cross to mount a throne,And Virtue still is stooping downTo cast the first hard stone.
THESE have no Christ to spit and stoopTo write upon the sand,Inviting him that has not sinnedTo raise the first rude hand.
THESE have no Christ to spit and stoop
THESE have no Christ to spit and stoop
To write upon the sand,
Inviting him that has not sinned
To raise the first rude hand.
And if he came they could not buyRich ointment for his feet,The body’s sale scarce yields enoughTo let the body eat.
And if he came they could not buy
Rich ointment for his feet,
The body’s sale scarce yields enough
To let the body eat.
The chaste clean ladies pass them byAnd draw their skirts aside,But Magdalens have a ready laugh;They wrap their wounds in pride.
The chaste clean ladies pass them by
And draw their skirts aside,
But Magdalens have a ready laugh;
They wrap their wounds in pride.
They fare full ill since Christ forsookThe cross to mount a throne,And Virtue still is stooping downTo cast the first hard stone.
They fare full ill since Christ forsook
The cross to mount a throne,
And Virtue still is stooping down
To cast the first hard stone.