Ode to the Sixth Petition

                      
	(modesty)

“And lead us not unto temptation.”

When Saints have sinned, in fear
	of body danger,
What have I not to fear?
	Would I escape
The demon prince by courting Thee? 
	O Stranger!
In some immodest barb
	of loathsome shape?

You dressed my tree-of-life
	with naked boughs,
Then gave me seasons
	to observe the woe
Of nakedness implanted sin endows
In threadbare souls who reap
	the seeds they sow. 

The Curator’s Notes: This poem treats modesty as a form of spiritual wisdom born from recognizing human frailty. Unlike contemporary views that might see modesty as repression, the speaker frames it as realistic self-protection—knowing that even saints have fallen, ordinary people must guard themselves carefully. The seasonal imagery suggests that cycles of exposure and covering, vulnerability and protection, are built into creation itself as teaching moments. We learn about our need for modesty by observing natural patterns of nakedness and its consequences. There’s a profound humility here: the poet doesn’t claim moral superiority but instead confesses fear and weakness, asking God not to lead into temptations that would surely overcome her given strength.