Is there any reward?
  I'm beginning to doubt it.
  I am broken and bored,
  Is there any reward
  Reassure me, Good Lord,
  And inform me about it.
  Is there any reward?
  I'm beginning to doubt it.

While I had mentioned, in passing, that Belloc had written more than the children’s verse he is famous for, I was surprised to discover the sheer quantity and versatility of his work.

Today’s poem is a beautiful example. Like most of Belloc’s work, it shows a strong Christian influence, and is vaguely reminiscent of some of the metaphysical poets (particularly Herbert), but lacking the heaviness that so many of them possess, and injecting, instead, a refreshingly ironical tone.

Belloc has, IMO, that quality that distinguishes a good poet - the ability to take a timeworn theme and write a poem that in no way sounds cliched or stale. Note the intriguing conflict of moods in today’s piece - the underlying seriousness, the overlay of irony (‘Reassure me, Good Lord…’) and the almost nursery-rhyme effect, with a tinge of despair, created by the short lines (2 feet), simple rhymes and repetition. All intended, no doubt, as a commentary on Man’s relationship with God; our old friends form and content engaged in their usual interplay.

Biography etc

See the previous poem, poem #124

And for a nice collection of Belloc’s poems, see http://rcatholic-l.freeservers.com/belloc.html

— Martin