Roots and Wings

All credit to Fortis Vita

Can a man live without roots and wings:

A place to stand and a place to move?

No, no, those are the needful things

When all the world seeks to reprove

You for what it thinks to be sin.

The martyr who worships one God,

The knight who fell in Camlan’s din

Beside you bear the beating rod

That is the old, eternal lie

Which cannot die till death is dead

Spake by the men for whom you die

And after death's kiss raise your head.

…

Your roots are Christ, who gave you wings

Towards Heaven and to Paradise,

Armor to blunt the devil’s stings,

True words puncturing false device,

And Eden’s yours although the vines

Of ages’ growth tangle the sward,

To foil even Earth’s designs

He gave you Eden’s burning sword.

…

The narrow road is fraught with thorns

And every thorn beside a rose

Wound scarlet red as which adorns

The Lord who gave you wedding clothes

There clear the air and clean the way,

The broad highway is choked with dust,

To cloud your eyes and soul astray,

Caking your limbs with filth and rust.

Turn, turn, Man and take the road

That gives you roots to bear the weight

And wings to speed the heavy load

Of saying that the grass is green.

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