And like a vulture quaff’d, And raised his hideous head With joy aloft, and laugh’d Like vultures sipping blood. The purple, fold by fold, Fell from her, and, unseen, The diadem of gold By which I knew her queen. Nor he unknown: for at His feet the fiery brand And freezing fetters that Endow him with command. And on his head a crown Of thirsty thorns of flame That flicker’d up and down In words that went and came Like God’s, ‘I am of God’; And said, ‘Duty to me Is duty unto God’; And said, ‘Come unto me, And I will give you rest.’ Then as I wonder’d, lo! I saw the Woman waste To nothing; and he, as tho’ Blood nourisht by her blood, Grow grosser in the gloom And leprous like the toad That battens in the tomb. And both corrupted pined. And lo! a voice that wept, And then a faint far wind Of laughter; and I slept. II Methought the heav’ns were crusht; A myriad angels stood; A wind of thunder rusht Before the feet of God. He spake: ‘Accursèd men, I find your earth a hell; Show me what ye have done; I bade ye order well.’ They said, ‘Well we have pray’d, Lord, and for Heaven’s hope A thousand temples made.’ And His lightning lickt them up. * * * * * V * * * * * THE DEEPS I Spirit, tho’ without a name, Great, the left hand of God; Who coolest the quick flame And bendest back the rod His awful right hand bears, Till the dull worm of earth No worse in darkness fares Than things of brighter birth, Nor in the lapse of hell All everlasting gloom, Help us to suffer well These dark days of our doom. Swift Smiter of extremes, Who only lettest us live; Who feedest with bright dreams At midnight, and dost give Even to the poorest wretch Of this distressful land A draught, a rag, a stretch Of soil, a loving hand, Ours too the guardian Thou; And if no other good Thou wilt bestow, endow At least with fortitude. II Long, long the barren years. A deeper darkness grows; The road-side tree appears No more; the shadows close. Lost, I sit down with night And weave night-horrors here— Sad voices heard in flight, And warnings in the air, And convocations of thunder Above tumultuous woods, And white stars weeping under Black threatening of clouds. * * * * * LOSS I