"Forgive Us All Our Trespasses, Little Creatures Everywhere"
Last Updated on August 26, 2016, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 118
Context: This poem expressing simple humanitarian sentiments is a prayer addressed to "little creatures everywhere," beseeching forgiveness in behalf of all mankind for trespasses against them. The poet's sympathies go out to the helpless creatures "that run and quail/ And die in silence and despair." He calls upon little creatures of the air, land, and sea, "little things that fight and fail/ And fall," to forgive mankind its many injustices. "All trapped and frightened little things,/ The mouse, the coney, hear our prayer," he pleads. Using the Lord's Prayer as a model, he concludes his poem:
As we forgive those done to us,
The lamb, the linnet, and the hare,
Forgive us all our trespasses,
Little creatures everywhere.
See eNotes Ad-Free
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
Already a member? Log in here.