The poem "Assisi" by Norman MacCaig explores profound themes of religious hypocrisy, social inequality, and human suffering through the stark contrast between a deformed beggar and the grandeur of St. Francis's basilica.

The poem centers on a dwarf beggar outside the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, creating a powerful irony since St Francis of Assisi was known for his dedication to helping the poor and sick. MacCaig describes the beggar in raw, unsentimental terms - "a dwarf with hands like a medieval gargoyle" - while tourists ignore him to admire the church's artistic depictions of the saint's life. This juxtaposition highlights the disconnect between religious symbolism and actual Christian charity. The setting is particularly significant as St Francis was renowned for his work with outcasts and lepers, making the modern church's apparent indifference to the beggar even more striking.

The poem's structure reinforces its themes through three distinct stanzas that move between describing the beggar, the tourists, and the church's artwork. MacCaig employs vivid imagery and metaphors to emphasize the contrast between the beggar's harsh reality and the sanitized religious art. The priest's explanation of Giotto's frescoes depicting "St Francis" preaching to the birds represents institutional religion's focus on comfortable narratives while ignoring present suffering. This creates what critics call a thematic structure that builds layers of meaning through carefully constructed contrasts. The poem raises essential questions about religious institutions, human compassion, and society's treatment of the disadvantaged. These themes resonate particularly strongly given the historical context of St Francis of Assisi, who died in 1226 after establishing an order dedicated to serving the poor. The final stanza's focus on the priest "explaining the efficiency of the feeding system" creates a bitter irony that encapsulates the poem's critique of how religious institutions can lose sight of their founding principles.