St. Alexis by Joyce Kilmer (1920)
The poem tells the story of a young man who leaves his family and home to live as a hermit in a church. He spends his days praying and reading scripture, but eventually becomes disillusioned with the world outside and decides to remain in the church forever.
By Joyce Kilmer · First published 1920 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 441 words
First lines
Patron of Beggars
We who beg for bread as we daily tread / Country lane and city street, / Let us kneel and pray on the broad highway / To the saint with the vagrant feet. / Our altar light is a buttercup bright, / And our shrine is a bank of sod, / But still we share St. Alexis' care, / The Vagabond of God.
What this Textopian page supports
St. Alexis is listed on Textopian as a poem by Joyce Kilmer, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Joyce Kilmer
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Allegorical Poetry, Historical Poetry
- Length: 441 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for St. Alexis by Joyce Kilmer
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Religious Poetry — The poem explores themes of saintliness, sacrifice, and spirituality, reflecting on the life of a saint.
- Narrative Poetry — The work tells a story about the life and journey of St. Alexis, incorporating elements of narrative structure.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections on faith and devotion, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Allegorical Poetry — The poem uses allegory to convey deeper moral and spiritual lessons through the life of the saint.
Tags
Poetry · Religious · Christianity · Mystery · Folklore · Legend · Saints · Spirituality · Faith · Belief · Devotion · Pilgrimage