Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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THE BOOK OF BANE. |
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
THE BOOK OF BANE.
Stand upon Ebal, Lord, baring the judgment sword;
Curse with avenging need, curse all the powers of Greed.
Curse with avenging need, curse all the powers of Greed.
This is the Book of Bane—
Hear what the Heavens ordain,
Hear the unaltered curse
Cast on the Spoiler's purse
Builded of crime and greed,
Growing by lives that bleed
Under the sweater's pall
Woven of bitter need;
Hear the abiding curse
Cast on his house and all,
Sparing not babe or nurse,
Blasting them in one fall
Mingled of mire and pain—
This is the Book of Bane.
Hear what the Heavens ordain,
Hear the unaltered curse
Cast on the Spoiler's purse
Builded of crime and greed,
Growing by lives that bleed
Under the sweater's pall
Woven of bitter need;
Hear the abiding curse
Cast on his house and all,
Sparing not babe or nurse,
Blasting them in one fall
Mingled of mire and pain—
This is the Book of Bane.
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This is the Book of Bane—
Cursèd be he in gain
Wrung from his drudges' throes
Out of their daily woes;
Cursèd his cruel breath
Fed by their living death,
Scorning the One who died
Jesus of Nazareth;
His be the victims' throes
Heard not howe'er they cried,
His be the inward foes
Gnawing a nature wried,
Horror and leper stain—
This is the Book of Bane.
Cursèd be he in gain
Wrung from his drudges' throes
Out of their daily woes;
Cursèd his cruel breath
Fed by their living death,
Scorning the One who died
Jesus of Nazareth;
His be the victims' throes
Heard not howe'er they cried,
His be the inward foes
Gnawing a nature wried,
Horror and leper stain—
This is the Book of Bane.
This is the Book of Bane,
Making his toil in vain;
Cursèd be he in store
Gathering hourly more
But for the spendthrift's hand,
But for the canker's brand,
But for the mocker's part,
Heaped as a tower of sand;
Cursèd be he in store,
Cursèd his haunted heart
Bearing what others bore
Crushed by his evil art,
Bearing their pangs again—
This is the Book of Bane.
Making his toil in vain;
Cursèd be he in store
Gathering hourly more
But for the spendthrift's hand,
But for the canker's brand,
But for the mocker's part,
Heaped as a tower of sand;
Cursèd be he in store,
Cursèd his haunted heart
Bearing what others bore
Crushed by his evil art,
Bearing their pangs again—
This is the Book of Bane.
This is the Book of Bane—
Hear what the Heavens ordain;
Cursèd be he with gloom
Clouding the bridal room,
Laid on his dying life,
Hung with the judgment knife
Over his path in shame,
Breeding the rot of strife;
Cursèd be he with gloom,
Shadow of fear and flame
Shed by the creeping doom;
Cursèd his kin and name,
Bound in one blighting chain—
This is the Book of Bane.
Hear what the Heavens ordain;
Cursèd be he with gloom
Clouding the bridal room,
Laid on his dying life,
Hung with the judgment knife
Over his path in shame,
Breeding the rot of strife;
Cursèd be he with gloom,
Shadow of fear and flame
Shed by the creeping doom;
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Bound in one blighting chain—
This is the Book of Bane.
Stand upon Ebal, Lord, baring the judgment sword;
Curse with avenging need, curse all the powers of Greed.
Curse with avenging need, curse all the powers of Greed.
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