Upon the Begger

He wants, he asks, he pleads his poverty,
They within doors do him an alms deny.

He wants, he asks, he pleads his poverty,
They within doors do him an alms deny.
He doth repeat and aggravate his grief,
But they repulse him, give him no relief.

He begs, they say, Begone; he will not hear,
But coughs, sighs, and makes signs he still is there;
They disregard him, he repeats his groans;
They still say nay, and he himself bemoans.

They grow more rugged, they call him vagrant;
He cries the shriller, trumpets out his want.
At last, when they perceive he’ll take no nay,
An alms they give him without more delay.

Comparison.

This beggar doth resemble them that pray
To God for mercy, and will take no nay,
But wait, and count that all his hard gainsays
Are nothing else but fatherly delays;

Then imitate him, praying souls, and cry:
There’s nothing like to importunity.

John Bunyan