“It was wrong to do this,” said the angel.
“You should live like a flower,
Holding malice like a puppy,
Waging war like a lambkin.”
“Not so,” quoth the man
Who had no fear of spirits;
“It is only wrong for angels
Who can live like the flowers,
Holding malice like the puppies,
Waging war like the lambkins.”
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I love all that Crane writes about the relativity of truth and morality– not that there is no such thing, but that what is good for one man may be wicked for another… The angel can live a perfect life, in a place where there is no violence or need for it, and for an angel to commit violence is wicked, but it may not be wicked for a man, in his world, to do the same.
Actually I don’t beleive this poem is about sin, exactly.
The Angel is showing sorrow, remorse, maybe disdain at the wrechedness of mankind, but when he tells the man the man disagrees:
“It is only wrong for angels
Who can live like the flowers,
Holding malice like the puppies,
Waging war like the lambkins.”
I think what he is saying here is that it’s not wrong that I’m so low, but that your so high up judging me.
i think it shows that we can sin, and it is kinda expected and saying that it isnt totally wrong, eventhough it is. i donno what to say about it, i think i said what i thought wrong, sorry…