St. MARTIN AND THE BEGGAR -- THOM GUNN

ST. MARTIN AND THE BEGGAR

Thom Gunn

St. Martin and The Beggar – a religious poem from the pen of Prof. Thom Gunn, -- educated in Cambridge and teaching now in University of California USA.

The poem deals with a popular legend about St.Martin, born of pagan parents but became a converted Christian and went to monastery (convent) as a cenobite, received Christian doctrine and discipline before his baptism. St. Martin was not satisfied with the mere observance of Christian rites and the following of its teachings. Thus, reluctantly he had enlisted himself in the Roman Army.

Should I not pay my nature down

With a religious nail?

St. Martin asked himself whether he should not subdue his nature to his religious teachings. Was he not betraying his religious faith when he joined the army? He, therefore, did not want to fix up his belief to the religious nail.

When a brawny beggar started up

Who pulled at his rein

And leant dripping with sweat and water

Upon the horse’s mane.

Once he set out on horseback in order to live up to the true principles of Christianity. While, travelling across the plain, he came across a well-bodied beggar who pulled at his rein and leaned upon the horse’s mane, soaked to the skin in the hailstorm and shivering with cold. The beggar looked at Martin with wild light burning in his eyes. Martin understood what the beggar needed at the moment. He cut soldier’s cloak in two equal parts and gave one part of it to the beggar. The beggar received it gratefully and soon disappeared in the dark.

I have no food to give you,

Money would be a joke.

St. Martin’s merit laid in recognizing the human need of both the beggar and himself. He would have been acting foolishly if had given the beggar money instead of food it will become a joke or if had given the beggar the whole cloak in the name of selflessness, but to flatter God’s grace.

You recognised the human need

Including yours, because

 You did not hesitate, my Saint,

To cut your cloak across;

Here the poet heralds the god’s manifestation of universal brotherhood and cooperation by identifying the human need. Those who refuse to share what they have with their needy fellow-creatures are the enemies of God. The poet mention another class of people, who show off their compassion towards the needy by giving everything what they have, and boast that they have fulfilled God’s purpose are also to be condemned. But God’s acceptance is as he said, “In so far as ye (you) have done it unto the least of these my brethren, Ye (you) have done it unto me”.

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