Edgar Guest's poem "The Temple What Makes It Of Worth" emphasizes that the true value of a building, particularly a temple, lies not in its physical materials or architectural grandeur but in the spirit and humanity it embodies. The poem argues that regardless of the quality of construction—be it marble, steel, or intricate craftsmanship—a structure remains merely a building if it lacks the essence of human connection and purpose. Guest asserts that the worth of an edifice is determined by its ability to reflect the spirit of its occupants, highlighting the importance of community and shared values over mere physical attributes. The message serves as a reminder that the significance of any gathering place is rooted in the relationships and ideals it fosters among individuals, rather than in its material composition.
Edgar Guest
December 16th, 2025
April 11th, 2026
manual
education and_development
You may delve down to rock for your foundation piers, You may go with your steel to the sky You may purchase the best of the thought of the years, And the finest of workmanship buy. You may line with the rarest of marble each hall, And with gold you may tint it; but then It is only a building if it, after all, Isn't filled with the spirit of men. You may put up a structure of brick and of stone, Such as never was put up before; Place there the costliest woods that are grown, And carve every pillar and door. You may fill it with splendors of quarry and mine, With the glories of brush and of pen–– But it's only a building, though ever so fine, If it hasn't the spirit of men. You may build such structure that lightning can't harm, Or one that an earthquake can't raze; You may build it of granite, and boast that its charm Shall last to the end of all days. But you might as well never have builded at all, Never cleared off the bog and the fen, If, after it's finished, its sheltering wall Doesn't stand for the spirit of men. For it isn't the marble, nor is it the stone Nor is it the columns of steel, By which is the worth of an edifice known; But it's something that's LIVING and REAL.