Oxford It is well that there are palaces of peace And…
““Oxford It is well that there are palaces of peace And discipline and dreaming and desire, Lest we forget our heritage and cease The Spirit’s work—to hunger and aspire: Lest we forget that we were born divine, Now tangled in red battle’s animal net, Murder the work and lust the anodyne, Pains of the beast ‘gainst bestial solace set. But this shall never be: to us remains One city that has nothing of the beast, That was not built for gross, material gains, Sharp, wolfish power or empire’s glutted feast. We are not wholly brute. To us remains A clean, sweet city lulled by ancient streams, A place of visions and of loosening chains, A refuge of the elect, a tower of dreams. She was not builded out of common stone But out of all men’s yearning and all prayer That she might live, eternally our own, The Spirit’s stronghold—barred against despair.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage celebrates a city as a spiritual sanctuary, free from material greed and animalistic cruelty, built on collective yearning, prayer, and higher aspirations.
In simple terms: A city of peace, dreams, and higher purpose, not material wealth.
Key Takeaway
Seek and nurture spiritual community over material ambition.
Themes
spirituality
community
idealism
peace
critique of materialism
Mood
hopeful
reflective
inspirational
Type
poetic
philosophical
visionary
When to use this quote
- university life
- urban planning
- personal meditation
- social activism
Key Concepts
collective yearning
spiritual stronghold
purity
transcendence
Questions to Reflect On
- What does a truly spiritual community look like today?
- How can we balance material needs with higher aspirations?
A Different Perspective
The ideal may be unattainable in a world driven by profit and power.