Since end must be what matter how it come? Here will I sit, his head upon my breast, Where it has lain in sleep, my arms about His kingly body, sit, and wait the end, Mocking at God. 

 

 THE CHORUS 

 Alas! alas! alas! The skies are torn, the heavens crash, From pole to pole in terror rending, Mountains against mountains dash, The blinding lightnings blaze and flash, And are shaken the foundations Of the earth, for earth is ending. 

 Black the air and black the waters, Lifeless the life-giving sun; Woe upon earth's sons and daughters, For the Wrath is now begun. Ah, too late you clamour wildly, Earth is blind, and earth is dumb, You by earth and earth by you Child and mother are undone; Let your cry to God ascend, For from God the terrors come. 

 Now the father is destroyer And the mother is the grave, Woe is us for God forsakes us And 'tis God alone can save. Oh, a union of destruction Sons of God and nature's daughters, Seed of terror, seed of evil, Nurtured for the hungry waters. 

 Is there help now? Oh beseeching, Raise for help impotent hands. While the frenzied winds are roaring, Hound-like loosened from their bands, And the waters' tumult reaching To the stars, where quiet stands God contemplative. Destruction, 'Tis the uttermost destruction he demands! 

 Now the waters are uprising And the mountain summits bend, Headlong all the turrets hurling, Towers and temples now descend; All in black confusion whirling Earth and heaven rocking blend, In the waters wildly swirling To annihilation's end. Alas! alas! alas! Neither foothold, hand-hold, safety For the body nor the soul. Cracks the earth, the heavens rend, And the waters of despair consuming roll. 

 

 

   SONNETS 

 

 TO J. F. W. 

 We've touched the borderland of death and life And come back to the primroses again, And see with different eyes the slanting rain Buffet the larches in a short-lived strife; With different eyes, for we have looked on death, And know what life is for; we felt the hand Of that sad Lady of the other Land, And now, with her released, we draw our breath. 

 Prev. P 13/33 next