 | The Last Ballad and Other Poems |  |
106
THE BADGE OF MEN
“In shuttered rooms let others grieve,
And coffin thought in speech of lead;
I'll tie my heart upon my sleeve:
It is the Badge of Men,” he said.
And coffin thought in speech of lead;
I'll tie my heart upon my sleeve:
It is the Badge of Men,” he said.
His friends forsook him: “Who was he!”
Even beggars passed him with a grin:
Physicians called it lunacy;
And priests, the unpardonable sin.
Even beggars passed him with a grin:
Physicians called it lunacy;
And priests, the unpardonable sin.
He strove, he struck for standing-ground:
They beat him humbled from the field;
For though his sword was keen, he found
His mangled heart a feeble shield.
They beat him humbled from the field;
For though his sword was keen, he found
His mangled heart a feeble shield.
107
He slunk away, and sadly sought
The wilderness—false friend of woe.
“Man is The Enemy,” he thought;
But Nature proved a fiercer foe:
The wilderness—false friend of woe.
“Man is The Enemy,” he thought;
But Nature proved a fiercer foe:
The vampire sucked, the vulture tore,
And the old dragon left its den,
Agape to taste the thing he wore—
The ragged, bleeding Badge of Men.
And the old dragon left its den,
Agape to taste the thing he wore—
The ragged, bleeding Badge of Men.
“Against the fates there steads no charm,
For every force takes its own part:
I'll wear a buckler on my arm,
And in my bosom hide my heart!”
For every force takes its own part:
I'll wear a buckler on my arm,
And in my bosom hide my heart!”
But in his bosom prisoned fast
It pained him more than when it beat
Upon his sleeve; and so he cast
His trouble to the ghouls to eat.
It pained him more than when it beat
Upon his sleeve; and so he cast
His trouble to the ghouls to eat.
108
Back to the city, there and then
He ran; and saw, through all disguise,
On every sleeve the Badge of Men:
For truth appears to cruel eyes.
He ran; and saw, through all disguise,
On every sleeve the Badge of Men:
For truth appears to cruel eyes.
Straight with his sword he laid about,
And hacked and pierced their hearts, until
The beaten terror-stricken rout
Begged on their knees to know his will.
And hacked and pierced their hearts, until
The beaten terror-stricken rout
Begged on their knees to know his will.
He said, “I neither love nor hate;
I would command in everything.”
They answered him, “Heartless and great!
Your slaves we are: be you our king!”
I would command in everything.”
They answered him, “Heartless and great!
Your slaves we are: be you our king!”
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