There’s something very scary, even radical,
About seeing life through a pious lens, puritanical—
Oft deemed better than engaging in anything Satanical—
Where life’s only to be scented in perfume botanical,
Hiding the poor’s iron, judge-rusted manacle.
2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
Tittu
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Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: July 27th, 2025 06:50
- Comment from author about the poem: This poem speaks of poverty in broader ways than merely financial.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 44
- Users favorite of this poem: Cheeky Missy, sorenbarrett, Poetic Licence, Teddy.15, Salvia.S, Friendship, ElizabethMoroz, Demar Desu, Kevin Hulme
Offline)
Comments11
This poem shreds polite moralising. It reveals how self-righteous views mask injustice. It sets “perfume botanical” against “iron, judge-rusted manacle.” The tight rhyme shows dogma’s grip on us. It asks who suffers in the name of virtue. “Puritanical” means being overly strict about what’s right. It’s seeing life through a pious lens. It ignores the pain of the poor.
Rik, my dear friend…thank you. You not only read the poem…you saw through it. That final line you wrote says it all: purity culture ignores pain, especially the kind it silently causes. I’m grateful for you, my friend. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Say you so, eh? "...My yoke is easy, and my burden is light...but ye will not come to Me that ye might have life...[Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word.] Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do, he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him, when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth ye believe Me not." (Matt 11:30; Jn 5:40; 8: 43-45) Yes, there is both a wealth and poverty in this discussion and the ways. Beautifully rendered in brevity with excellent imagery and a keenly haunting poignancy. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Missy, for engaging so fully…those are indeed powerful scriptures you’ve quoted. My poem, however, is more grounded in passages like these:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.”
“Woe to you… you are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”
(Matthew 23:15, 27)
It is easy to forget that Jesus didn’t get crucified for being polite. He spoke hard truths to the righteous (the Puritans of his day) and he sat with the ones those “righteous” deemed unworthy. To the point he was called a drunkard and a glutton (Matthew 11:19), and even accused of being demon-possessed (John 8:48) and casting out demons by the power of Satan (Mark 3:22).
Anywho, thank you again for your time and thoughtful read…always appreciated, my friend. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Aha! Now go read Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23. Thank you for explaining.
Thank you again, Missy, especially for the Scripture. I’ve spent decades in Scripture…not just reading it, but wrestling with it, discerning it, living it…and I say this in love and humility: there’s a vast difference between quoting scripture and understanding it.
Knowing a verse and reciting it isn’t the same as grasping its heart, its history, its language, its purpose. That’s the difference between memorization and discernment. One comes from the mind. The other…through prayer, reflection, and the Spirit…from the soul.
Now, as for the passages you referenced…Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23…these are prophetic rebukes aimed squarely at corrupt religious leaders: shepherds who abandoned their flock, who exploited power for their own gain, and who scattered the people of God instead of gathering them. These are words of warning against self-righteousness disguised as holiness. Against leaders who weaponize the Word instead of letting it heal. In that light, I’d say they deeply affirm the heart of my poem. Maybe that IS what you are implying?
Again, Jesus didn’t get crucified for fitting in. He was hated because he spoke hard truths to the powerful…and embraced the outcast, the sinner, the one deemed unclean. That’s the Christ I follow and try to reflect.
Anywho, grateful for the conversation, as always. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
[This is too fun.] So far as my limited understanding of those passages I gave you, and many others I didn't, yes, it seems akin to whom your poem alluded to, though I'd say pharisaical in lieu of Pennsylvania's painful familiarity with puritanical, Cotton and Increase Mather, the witch trials, Satanic influence, and demonic wildness mentioned in their records. Albeit I believe more are included in these warnings than merely the leaders, but that would take too long for now.
Yet, who, precisely, is "Jesus," when referred to thus? Read Acts 2; etc. This wasn't an accident nor mistake. All was merely fulfillment of prophesy. What's left after that?
And thank you for this discussion, I enjoy it likewise.
Thank you, Missy…truly. I always appreciate your thoughtful engagement, and yes, there’s a whole mural of parallels running through both those warnings and what I was wrestling with in the poem. Whether Pharisee or Puritan, when power gets dressed up in piety and used to harm rather than heal… Jesus had strong words.
As for who’s included in those warnings…you’re right. Scripture rarely spares anyone from reflection, myself included.
Thanks again, my friend. Truly appreciate the engagement. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Rather, thank you.
You are most welcome! 🙂
Short the key to poetry, powerful, metaphoric it sends its message straight to the conscience of the capitalist, socialist and communist where the poor still reside. A fave my friend
Soren, thank you. I’m honored, my dear friend. You clearly see that message reaches beyond ideology and straight to the shared neglect of the poor. I am glad that came out of your reading of this. Appreciate your time and analysis, always. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
You are most welcome my friend hope you are doing well
Excellent write Tristan
Thank you kindly, Tony. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
You're welcome
A wonderful and powerful write, it does send out a strong message of the pain and suffering of the poor continuing unabated, but I feel the world is becoming poor and bankrupt in morality, kindness, compassion, patience, guidance and so on, really enjoyed the read
Thank you, Tobani. I really appreciate that insight as the poverty I’m speaking to does stretch beyond money, and you picked that up perfectly. Morality without compassion leaves us all bankrupt. Grateful for your read, my friend. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
You are very welcome
Your poem critiques the strict, moralistic views of Puritanism, highlighting the potential for fear, judgment, and hypocrisy. The contrast between the "perfume botanical" and "iron, judge-rusted manacle" effectively conveys the disconnect between the idealized, pious life and the harsh realities faced by the poor. This seems to suggest that this strict moral lens can be limiting and even oppressive. Well-crafted dearest Tittu 👏🌹
A fave for sure 🌹
Thank you Salvia! You heard exactly what I was wrestling with beneath the surface—the mask of piety, the rusted chains beneath the lace. Your read is thoughtful, insightful and kind, as always. So grateful, my dearest friend. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Indeed it does, Tristan,
Of homelessness, depression, hopelessness, the absence of self esteem, nightmares and above all, wretchedness. Shackled from the fundamental needs of life by those who wallow in their scented fountains and voluntary blindness. A formidable verse perfectly composed and I do so like multi syllable rhyming words. Excellent, my friend.
Fond regards,
Tony.
Tony, your response is poetry in itself. You named every shadow I tried to cast in just five lines…and did it with the weight of someone who’s seen what those “scented fountains” obscure. I’m grateful for you and your astute analysis, my friend. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Your poem revolves around the tension between piety and the realities of life, particularly the harsh conditions faced by the marginalized. It critiques the puritanical view of life that prioritizes moral superiority over compassion and engagement with the struggles of the poor.
Friendship, you captured the core of it. That tension between moral posturing and real-world suffering…that’s exactly it. Grateful you saw the heart of it, dear poet and friend. Always means a lot. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
your very welcome, my friend,
You engage with fierce critique of the truth and at the same time imbue beauty among the second paragraph which is a lovely way to lift the piece through the dark and critical and necessary truth of the first paragraph: I love the rhyme in this piece - it sings with insight and uplifts in poetic elegance and word placement: delightful criticism of mankind’s wayward ways highlighting the restrictive thinking of puritanical notions.
Looking forward to the next piece! Elizabeth
Elizabeth, your reflections always rock, my dear friend. I appreciate how you read both the critique and the craft…truth held in tension with rhythm. That means the world to me. Grateful for your eye and your presence, truly. 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
I’m so glad you appreciate them Tristan I was wondering if they were up to scratch as you do such a Stirling job and I am so humbled you think they rock lol 😜 I will continue giving as much as I can in return for your amazing support and constant goodwill. Elizabeth
Your presence and kindness are far more than I could ever ask for, my friend. Thank you for being you and for being here! 🤘😎🖤🕯️
Beautiful work
Thank you my friend! Much appreciated!
Yes I enjoyed this. Good one.
Thank you, Kevin! Glad you enjoyed! 🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
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