| W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895. | | | | Mary Magdalen | | Jean Ingelow (1820–1897) |
| | | ONCE in old Jerusalem | |
| A woman kneeled at consecrated feet, | |
Kissed them, and washed them with her tears,
“What then? | |
| I think that yet our Lord is pitiful: | |
| I think I see the castaway e’en now! | 5 |
| And she is not alone: the heavy rain | |
| Splashes without, and sullen thunder rolls, | |
| But she is lying at the sacred feet | |
Of One transfigured.
“And her tears flow down, | |
| Down to her lips—her lips that kiss the print | 10 |
| Of nails; and love is like to break her heart! | |
| Love and repentance—for it still doth work | |
| Sore in her soul to think, to think that she, | |
| Even she, did pierce the sacred, sacred feet, | |
And bruise the thorn-crown’d head.
“O Lord, our Lord, | 15 |
| How great is Thy compassion!” | | | | |
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