O may those who have richest store,
And do refuse to feast the poor,
Whilst they are served with every dish
That coin can buy or heart can wish —
O may they still have store of meat,
But stomach none, the same to eat.
For the Proud-Hearted
Summary
"For the Proud-Hearted" is a pointed verse that turns its gaze on the wealthy who hoard abundance while refusing to share with the poor. With sharp, almost vengeful wit, the poem wishes upon the miserly rich a fitting curse: may they keep their overflowing tables yet lose all appetite to enjoy them. In just a few lines, it captures the bitter sting of social inequality and the moral weight of withheld generosity.
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