Thou shalt have one God only; who
Would be at the expense of two?
No graven images may be
Worshipp'd, except the currency:
Swear not at all; for, for thy curse
Thine enemy is none the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will serve to keep the world thy friend:
Honour thy parents; that is, all
From whom advancement may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but need'st not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Do not adultery commit;
Advantage rarely comes of it:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When it's so lucrative to cheat:
Bear not false witness; let the lie
Have time on its own wings to fly:
Thou shalt not covert; but tradition
Approves all forms of competition.
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Comments1ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A POETRY EXPERT, I REMEMBER READING ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH'S WORKS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. I MUST SAY, HIS TONE IN THIS PARTICULAR PIECE CAME ACROSS AS A BIT DISCOURAGING FOR ME. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE CLEVERNESS BEHIND HIS WORDPLAY AND RHYTHM, I WASN'T AS ENTHUSED WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE POEM AS I WAS WHEN I READ IT BACK IN THE DAY. JUST MY TWO CENTS!