 | Lyrical Poems |  |
43
MAN'S COMING
The
world was gay and blithe:
Again the world was sad:
Time moved his ceaseless scythe,
Time, neither sad nor glad.
Again the world was sad:
Time moved his ceaseless scythe,
Time, neither sad nor glad.
Then dragon dragon tore;
Then swept their sheeted breath:
A spasm was at the core,
From the rent flesh rose Death.
Then swept their sheeted breath:
A spasm was at the core,
From the rent flesh rose Death.
44
No more than this there was—
Pain, rage, and Death through pain:
No more than this had cause
To be in land or main.
Pain, rage, and Death through pain:
No more than this had cause
To be in land or main.
'Twas thus before man came:
He came, and with him guilt:
He bent a brow of shame
On blood that had been spilt.
He came, and with him guilt:
He bent a brow of shame
On blood that had been spilt.
He cast an eye of care
On pain, on rage through pain:
And these were made aware
How awful was their reign.
On pain, on rage through pain:
And these were made aware
How awful was their reign.
And Death, that was at most
Carcase and skeleton,
Became a shadowy host
After the flesh and bone.
Carcase and skeleton,
Became a shadowy host
After the flesh and bone.
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