# Retribution explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

## What happens

The chapter describes how God's judgment, long delayed despite sending priests and prophets, finally falls upon a guilty nation that gloried in its shame and shed the blood of the poor. The land reels under divine wrath, serving as a warning to all nations.

## Themes in this chapter

### Faith and Divine Justice

God's judgment is portrayed as inevitable and just, falling on a nation that ignored prophets and continued in oppression.

### Social Injustice and Class

The blood of God's poor children is spilt freely, and the nation's guilt lies heavy, pressing like an iron crown.

## Character check-ins

### The People

The guilty nation that ignored warnings and faced divine retribution.

## Key lines

> Judgment slumbered. God in mercy Stayed his strong avenging hand; Sent them priests and sent them prophets, But they would not understand.

God delayed punishment out of mercy, sending messengers and warnings, but the people refused to listen.

_Describes the period of patience before divine retribution._

> Then arose a cry to heaven, Deep and startling, sad and wild, Sadder than the wail of Egypt, Mourning for the first-born child.

A desperate cry rose from the oppressed, more sorrowful than the Egyptians' lament for their firstborn.

_Compares the suffering of the oppressed to the biblical plague of the firstborn._

> And the land did reel and tremble ’Neath the terror of his frown, For its guilt lay heavy on it, Pressing like an iron crown.

The nation staggered under God's anger, burdened by its own guilt as if wearing a heavy iron crown.

_Imagery of the land physically shaking under divine judgment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/retribution
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters