 | Carol and Cadence |  |
THE FASHION OF THIS WORLD.
Life hath lost its savour;
Soul is grown a slave.
Who from Wont the Slaver,
Who is there shall save?
Soul is grown a slave.
Who from Wont the Slaver,
Who is there shall save?
When shall Time's impress on
Thought to harvest turn?
When shall men the lesson
Of the ages learn?
Thought to harvest turn?
When shall men the lesson
Of the ages learn?
259
When, from out the pages
Of the kings of thought,
Practise that which sages,
Prophets, poets taught?
Of the kings of thought,
Practise that which sages,
Prophets, poets taught?
When shall they, the vainness
Knowing of the quest,
Leave Life's long insaneness,
Turn their eyes to rest?
Knowing of the quest,
Leave Life's long insaneness,
Turn their eyes to rest?
Free from fruitless striving
Set the hands and feet,
Cease from heaping, hiving
Honey none shall eat?
Set the hands and feet,
Cease from heaping, hiving
Honey none shall eat?
Leave the long endeavour
After Gods without?
(Idle hoping ever
Brought despair and doubt.)
After Gods without?
(Idle hoping ever
Brought despair and doubt.)
Cast the toys of Science
To their native wind,
Call the old affiance
Back, the quiet mind?
To their native wind,
Call the old affiance
Back, the quiet mind?
Truce to pride and passion,
Strife and sorrow, say,
For the waste world's fashion,
Let it pass away?
Strife and sorrow, say,
For the waste world's fashion,
Let it pass away?
Leave the loveless asking
Of the How and Why,
In the sunbeams basking,
Live before they die?
Of the How and Why,
In the sunbeams basking,
Live before they die?
260
Shall I see it? Never!
Worlds must wax and wane
Ere the world's endeavour
Turn to truth again;
Worlds must wax and wane
Ere the world's endeavour
Turn to truth again;
Ere, from Darkness' grudges
'Gainst the Light, men, free,
Cease to be the drudges
Of the Will-to-be;
'Gainst the Light, men, free,
Cease to be the drudges
Of the Will-to-be;
Ere the stress of seeking,
Still with vain conceit
Out their void lives eking,
Loose their labouring feet;
Still with vain conceit
Out their void lives eking,
Loose their labouring feet;
Ere desire forsake them
After vain increase,
Ere from greed they cease,
Seeking but to make them,
Ere the darkness take them,
Just a pause of peace.
After vain increase,
Ere from greed they cease,
Seeking but to make them,
Ere the darkness take them,
Just a pause of peace.
| Carol and Cadence | |