III

Then a great change befell; Long time I stood In witless hardihood With eyes on one sole changeless vision set —

The deep disturbèd fret Of men who made brief tarrying in hell On their earth travelling. It was as though the lives of men should be

See circle-wise, whereof one little span Through which all passed was blackened with the wing Of perilous evil, bateless misery. But all beyond, making the whole complete

O’ er which the travelling feet Of every man Made way or ever he might come to death, Was odorous with the breath

Of honey-laden flowers, and alive With sacrificial ministrations sweet Of man to man, and swift and holy loves, And large heroic hopes, whereby should thrive

Man’ s spirit as he moves From dawn of life to the great dawn of death. It was as though mine eyes were set alone Upon that woeful passage of despair,

Until I held that life had never known Dominion but in this most troubled place Where many a ruined grace And many a friendless care

Ran to and fro in sorrowful unrest. Still in my hand I pressed Hope’ s fragile chalice, whence I drew deep draughts That heartened me that even yet should grow

Out of this dread confusion, as of broken crafts Driven along ungovernable seas, Prosperous order, and that I should know After long vigil all the mysteries

Of human wonder and of human fate. O fool, O only great In 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 chart

Are given to him, and the inscrutable world But mocks his scars and fills his mouth with dust.” And lies bore lies And lust bore lust,

And the world was heavy with flowerless rods, And pride outran The strength of a man Who had set himself in the place of gods.