_Eve._ The voices of foreshown Humanity Die off;--so let me die. _Adam._ So let us die, When God's will soundeth the right hour of death. _Earth Spirits._ And bringer of the curse upon all these. _Eve._ O Spirits! by the gentleness ye use In winds at night, and floating clouds at noon, In gliding waters under lily-leaves, In chirp of crickets, and the settling hush A bird makes in her nest with feet and wings,-- Fulfil your natures now! _Earth Spirits._ Agreed, allowed! We gather out our natures like a cloud, And thus fulfil their lightnings! Thus, and thus! Hearken, oh hearken to us! _First Spirit._ As the storm-wind blows bleakly from the norland, As the snow-wind beats blindly on the moorland, As the simoom drives hot across the desert, As the thunder roars deep in the Unmeasured. As the torrent tears the ocean-world to atoms, As the whirlpool grinds it fathoms below fathoms, Thus,--and thus! _Second Spirit._ As the yellow toad, that spits its poison chilly, As the tiger, in the jungle crouching stilly, As the wild boar, with ragged tusks of anger, As the wolf-dog, with teeth of glittering clangour, As the vultures, that scream against the thunder, As the owlets, that sit and moan asunder, Thus,--and thus! _Eve._ Adam! God! _Adam._ Cruel, unrelenting Spirits! By the power in me of the sovran soul Whose thoughts keep pace yet with the angel's march, I charge you into silence--trample you Down to obedience. I am king of you! _Earth Spirits._ Ha, ha! thou art king! With a sin for a crown, And a soul undone! Thou, the antagonized, Tortured and agonized, Held in the ring Of the zodiac! Now, king, beware! We are many and strong Whom thou standest among,-- And we press on the air, And we stifle thee back, And we multiply where Thou wouldst trample us down From rights of our own To an utter wrong-- And, from under the feet of thy scorn, O forlorn, We shall spring up like corn, And our stubble be strong. _Adam._ God, there is power in thee! I make appeal Unto thy kingship. _Eve._ There is pity in THEE, O sinned against, great God!--My seed, my seed, There is hope set on THEE--I cry to thee, Thou mystic Seed that shalt be!--leave us not In agony beyond what we can bear, Fallen in debasement below thunder-mark, A mark for scorning--taunted and perplext By all these creatures we ruled yesterday, Whom thou, Lord, rulest alway! O my Seed, Through the tempestuous years that rain so thick Betwixt my ghostly vision and thy face, Let me have token! for my soul is bruised Before the serpent's head is.