An angel scolds someone—likely a man—for doing something wrong, urging him to live with the harmlessness of a flower, to hold malice as if it were a puppy, and to wage war with the meekness of a lamb. The advice is beautifully innocent, but it comes from a being who doesn’t share human limits. The man fires back without fear, pointing out that such a soft existence is only wrong for angels, who actually can live that way. The mood is wry and unapologetic. There’s a blunt recognition that human life demands something tougher, something angels don’t have to understand. It’s not a rejection of goodness, but a pushback against impractical ideals, delivered with a fearless shrug.
"It was wrong to do this," said the angel — Summary
"It was wrong to do this," said the angel. "You should live like a flower, Holding malice like a puppy, Waging war like a lambkin."
"Not so," quoth the man Who had no fear of spirits; "It is only wrong for angels Who can live like the flowers, Holding malice like the puppies, Waging war like the lambkins."