The Fires of God III

Then a great change befell;Long time I stoodIn witless hardihoodWith eyes on one sole changeless vision set--The deep disturbèd fretOf men who made brief tarrying in hellOn their earth travelling.It was as though the lives of men should beSee circle-wise, whereof one little spanThrough which all passed was blackened with the wingOf perilous evil, bateless misery.But all beyond, making the whole completeO’er which the travelling feetOf every manMade way or ever he might come to death,Was odorous with the breathOf honey-laden flowers, and aliveWith sacrificial ministrations sweetOf man to man, and swift and holy loves,And large heroic hopes, whereby should thriveMan’s spirit as he movesFrom dawn of life to the great dawn of death.

It was as though mine eyes were set aloneUpon that woeful passage of despair,Until I held that life had never knownDominion but in this most troubled placeWhere many a ruined graceAnd many a friendless careRan to and fro in sorrowful unrest.Still in my hand I pressedHope’s fragile chalice, whence I drew deep draughtsThat heartened me that even yet should growOut of this dread confusion, as of broken craftsDriven along ungovernable seas,Prosperous order, and that I should knowAfter long vigil all the mysteriesOf human wonder and of human fate.

O fool, O only greatIn pride unhallowed, O most blind of heart!Confusion but more dark confusion bred,Grief nurtured grief, I cried aloud and said,“Through trackless ways the soul of man is hurled,No sign upon the forehead of the skies,No beacon, and no chartAre given to him, and the inscrutable worldBut mocks his scars and fills his mouth with dust.”

And lies bore liesAnd lust bore lust,And the world was heavy with flowerless rods,And pride outranThe strength of a manWho had set himself in the place of gods.