You Say You Are Holy

You Say You Are Holy - meaning Summary

Perception Versus Observed Sin

Crane’s short poem challenges claims of holiness by contrasting private reputation with others’ observations. The speaker points out that a person’s assertion of being sinless rests on limited vantage; others do, in fact, witness failings. The lines highlight the gap between self-presentation and communal perception, questioning easy moral certainty and suggesting that holiness ascribed by absence of observed sin is unreliable.