Page 137 - Lavender-B-6

Let’s read a poem about compassion.
withered: dry and decaying
groat: a silver coin used in the
past
lagging: to move slowly
anon: soon or in the near
future
shabby: looking old and in bad
condition
dame: a woman
famished: extremely hungry
doled: gave something
sleek: smooth, usually curved
and shiny
savage: extremely violent,
wild, or frightening
scorn: a very strong feeling
of no respect for someone or
something
atone: to do something that
shows you are sorry for
something bad that you did
cur: an aggressive dog
A beggar in the street I saw,
Who held a hand like withered claw,
As cold as clay;
But as I had no silver groat
To give, I buttoned up my coat
And turned away.
And then I watched a working wife
Who bore the bitter load of life, How will you Just a Minute!
With lagging limb; narrate the poet’s
point of view in your
A penny from her purse she took, own words?
And with sweet pity in her look
Gave it to him.
Anon I spied a shabby dame
Who fed six sparrows as they came
In famished flight;
She was so poor and frail and old,
Yet crumbs of her last crust she doled
With pure delight.
Then sudden in my heart was born
For my sleek self a savage scorn,—
Urge to atone;
So when a starving cur I saw
I bandaged up its bleeding paw
And bought a bone.
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