She sat and wept beside His feet; the weight

Of sin oppress'd her heart; for all the blame,

And the poor malice of the worldly shame,

To her was past, extinct, and out of date:

Only the sin remain'd,--the leprous state;

She would be melted by the heat of love,

By fires far fiercer than are blown to prove

And purge the silver ore adulterate.

She sat and wept, and with her untress'd hair

Still wiped the feet she was so blest to touch;

And He wiped off the soiling of despair

From her sweet soul, because she loved so much.

I am a sinner, full of doubts and fears,--

Make me a humble thing of love and tears!