# High in Masonry explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James McIntyre.

## What happens

A mason boasts to knights of St. John about his high rank in Freemasonry, claiming he has reached the top of the Washington Monument, standing at thirty-three degrees in freezing weather, a feat none can surpass.

## Themes in this chapter

### Progress and Technology

The mason's claim of reaching the top of the Washington Monument reflects human ambition and the era's fascination with monumental engineering.

### Moral Lessons and Domestic Virtue

The poem uses the mason's boast to illustrate a moral lesson about pride and the limits of achievement within the fraternal order.

## Key lines

> I there stood thirty-three degrees, While the mercury did freeze

I stood at the thirty-third degree of Freemasonry, even as the temperature dropped below freezing.

_The mason emphasizes his high rank and endurance in harsh conditions._

> To top of Washington monument

To the summit of the Washington Monument

_The mason claims to have reached the pinnacle of this iconic structure, symbolizing the highest achievement._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters/high-in-masonry
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters