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The world shall know itself and where it stands；
What cowering angel and what upright beast
Make man； behold； nor count the low the least；
Nor less the stars have round it than its flowers。
When these two meet； a point of time is ours。
As in a land of waterfalls； that flow
Smooth for the leap on their great voice below；
Some eddies near the brink borne swift along；
Will capture hearing with the liquid song；
So； while the headlong world's imperious force
Resounded under； heard I these discourse。
First words； where down my woodland walk she led；
To her blind sister Patience； Foresight said：
… Your faith in me appals； to shake my own；
When still I find you in this mire alone。
… The few steps taken at a funeral pace
By men had slain me but for those you trace。
… Look I once back； a broken pinion I：
Black as the rebel angels rained from sky！
… Needs must you drink of me while here you live；
And make me rich in feeling I can give。
… A brave To…be is dawn upon my brow：
Yet must I read my sister for the How。
My daisy better knows her God of beams
Than doth an eagle that to mount him seems。
She hath the secret never fieriest reach
Of wing shall master till men hear her teach。
… Liker the clod flaked by the driving plough；
My semblance when I have you not as now。
The quiet creatures who escape mishap
Bear likeness to pure growths of the green sap：
A picture of the settled peace desired
By cowards shunning strife or strivers tired。
I listen at their breasts： is there no jar
Of wrestlings and of stranglings； dead they are；
And such a picture as the piercing mind
Ranks beneath vegetation。 Not resigned
Are my true pupils while the world is brute。
What edict of the stronger keeps me mute；
Stronger impels the motion of my heart。
I am not Resignation's counterpart。
If that I teach； 'tis little the dry word；
Content； but how to savour hope deferred。
We come of earth； and rich of earth may be；
Soon carrion if very earth are we！
The coursing veins； the constant breath； the use
Of sleep； declare that strife allows short truce；
Unless we clasp decay； accept defeat；
And pass despised； 〃a…cold for lack of heat；〃
Like other corpses； but without death's plea。
… My sister calls for battle； is it she？
… Rather a world of pressing men in arms；
Than stagnant； where the sensual piper charms
Each drowsy malady and coiling vice
With dreams of ease whereof the soul pays price！
No home is here for peace while evil breeds；
While error governs； none； and must the seeds
You sow； you that for long have reaped disdain；
Lie barren at the doorway of the brain；
Let stout contention drive deep furrows； blood
Moisten； and make new channels of its flood！
… My sober little maid； when we meet first；
Drinks of me ever with an eager thirst。
So can I not of her till circumstance
Drugs cravings。 Here we see how men advance
A doubtful foot； but circle if much stirred；
Like dead weeds on whipped waters。 Shout the word
Prompting their hungers； and they grandly march；
As to band…music under Victory's arch。
Thus was it； and thus is it； save that then
The beauty of frank animals had men。
… Observe them； and down rearward for a term；
Gaze to the primal twistings of the worm。
Thence look this way； across the fields that show
Men's early form of speech for Yes and No。
My sister a bruised infant's utterance had；
And issuing stronger； to mankind 'twas mad。
I knew my home where I had choice to feel
The toad beneath a harrow or a heel。
… Speak of this Age。
… When you it shall discern
Bright as you are； to me the Age will turn。
… For neither of us has it any care；
Its learning is through Science to despair。
… Despair lies down and grovels； grapples not
With evil； casts the burden of its lot。
This Age climbs earth。
… To challenge heaven。
… Not less
The lower deeps。 It laughs at Happiness！
That know I； though the echoes of it wail；
For one step upward on the crags you scale。
Brave is the Age wherein the word will rust；
Which means our soul asleep or body's lust；
Until from warmth of many breasts； that beat
A temperate common music； sunlike heat
The happiness not predatory sheds！
… But your fierce Yes and No of butting heads；
Now rages to outdo a horny Past。
Shades of a wild Destroyer on the vast
Are thrown by every novel light upraised。
The world's whole round smokes ominously； amazed
And trembling as its pregnant AEtna swells。
Combustibles on hot combustibles
Run piling； for one spark to roll in fire
The mountain…torrent of infernal ire
And leave the track of devils where men built。
Perceptive of a doom； the sinner's guilt
Confesses in a cry for help shrill loud；
If drops the chillness of a passing cloud；
To conscience； reason； human love； in vain：
None save they but the souls which them contain。
No extramural God； the God within
Alone gives aid to city charged with sin。
A world that for the spur of fool and knave；
Sweats in its laboratory； what shall save？
But men who ply their wits in such a school；
Must pray the mercy of the knave and fool。
… Much have I studied hard Necessity！
To know her Wisdom's mother； and that we
May deem the harshness of her later cries
In labour a sure goad to prick the wise；
If men among the warnings which convulse；
Can gravely dread without the craven's pulse。
Long ere the rising of this Age of ours；
The knave and fool were stamped as monstrous Powers。
Of human lusts and lassitudes they spring；
And are as lasting as the parent thing。
Yet numbering locust hosts； bent they to drill；
They might o'ermatch and have mankind at will。
Behold such army gathering： ours the spur；
No scattered foe to face； but Lucifer。
Not fool or knave is now the enemy
O'ershadowing men； 'tis Folly； Knavery！
A sea； nor stays that sea the bastioned beach。
Now must the brother soul alive in each；
His traitorous individual devildom
Hold subject lest the grand destruction come。
Dimly men see it menacing apace
To overthrow； perchance uproot the race。
Within； without； they are a field of tares：
Fruitfuller for them when the contest squares；
And wherefore warrior service they must yield；
Shines visible as life on either field。
That is my comfort； following shock on shock；
Which sets faith quaking on their firmest rock。
Since with his weapons； all the arms of Night；
Frail men have challenged Lucifer to fight；
Have matched in hostile ranks； enrolled； erect；
The human and Satanic intellect；
Determined for their uses to control
What forces on the earth and under roll；
Their granite rock runs igneous； now they stand
Pledged to the heavens for safety of their land。
They cannot learn save grossly； gross that are：
Through fear they learn whose aid is good in war。
… My sister； as I read them in my glass；
Their field of tares they take for pasture grass。
How waken them that have not any bent
Save browsing … the concrete indifferent！
Friend Lucifer supplies them solid stuff：
They fear not for the race when full the trough。
They have much fear of giving up the ghost；
And these are of mankind the unnumbered host。
… If I could see with you； and did not faint
In beating wing； the future I would paint。
Those massed indifferents will learn to quake：
Now meanwhile is another mass awake；
Once denser than the grunters of the sty。
If I could see with you！ Could I but fly！
… The length of days that you with them have housed；
An outcast else； approves their cause espoused。
… O true； they have a cause； and woe for us；
While still they have a cause too piteous！
Yet； happy for us when； their cause defined；
They walk no longer with a stumbler blind；
And quicken in the virtue of their cause；
To think me a poor mouther of old saws！
I wait the issue of a battling Age；
The toilers with your 〃troughsters〃 now engage；
Instructing them through their acutest sense；
How close the dangers of indifference！
Already have my people shown their worth；
More love they light； which folds the love of Earth。
That love to love of labour leads： thence love
Of humankind … earth's incense flung above。
… Admit some other features： Faithless； mean；
Encased in matter； vowed to Gods obscene；
Contemptuous of the impalpable； it swells
On Doubt； for pastime swallows miracles；
And if I bid it face what I observe；
Declares me hoodwinked by my optic nerve！
… Oft has your prophet； for reward of toil；
Seen nests of seeming cockatrices coil：
Disowned them as the unholiest of Time；
Which were his offspring； born of flame on slime。
Nor him； their sire； have known the filial fry：
As little as Time's earliest knew the sky。
Perchance among them shoots a lustrous flame
At intervals； in proof of whom they came。
To strengthen our foundations is the task
Of this tough Age；