James Stephens
I saw God. Do you doubt it?Do you dare to doubt it?I saw the Almighty Man. His handWas resting on a mountain, andHe looked upon the World and all about it:I saw Him plainer than you see me now,You mustn’t doubt it.He was not satisfied;His look was all dissatisfied.His beard swung on a wind far out of sightBehind the world’s curve, and there was lightMost fearful from His forehead, and He sighed,“That star went always wrong, and from the startI was dissatisfied.”He lifted up His hand—I say He heaved a dreadful handOver the spinning Earth, then I said: “Stay—You must not strike it, God; I’m in the way;And I will never move from where I stand.”He said, “Dear child, I feared that you were dead,”And stayed His hand.
I saw God. Do you doubt it?Do you dare to doubt it?I saw the Almighty Man. His handWas resting on a mountain, andHe looked upon the World and all about it:I saw Him plainer than you see me now,You mustn’t doubt it.He was not satisfied;His look was all dissatisfied.His beard swung on a wind far out of sightBehind the world’s curve, and there was lightMost fearful from His forehead, and He sighed,“That star went always wrong, and from the startI was dissatisfied.”He lifted up His hand—I say He heaved a dreadful handOver the spinning Earth, then I said: “Stay—You must not strike it, God; I’m in the way;And I will never move from where I stand.”He said, “Dear child, I feared that you were dead,”And stayed His hand.
I saw God. Do you doubt it?Do you dare to doubt it?I saw the Almighty Man. His handWas resting on a mountain, andHe looked upon the World and all about it:I saw Him plainer than you see me now,You mustn’t doubt it.
I saw God. Do you doubt it?
Do you dare to doubt it?
I saw the Almighty Man. His hand
Was resting on a mountain, and
He looked upon the World and all about it:
I saw Him plainer than you see me now,
You mustn’t doubt it.
He was not satisfied;His look was all dissatisfied.His beard swung on a wind far out of sightBehind the world’s curve, and there was lightMost fearful from His forehead, and He sighed,“That star went always wrong, and from the startI was dissatisfied.”
He was not satisfied;
His look was all dissatisfied.
His beard swung on a wind far out of sight
Behind the world’s curve, and there was light
Most fearful from His forehead, and He sighed,
“That star went always wrong, and from the start
I was dissatisfied.”
He lifted up His hand—I say He heaved a dreadful handOver the spinning Earth, then I said: “Stay—You must not strike it, God; I’m in the way;And I will never move from where I stand.”He said, “Dear child, I feared that you were dead,”And stayed His hand.
He lifted up His hand—
I say He heaved a dreadful hand
Over the spinning Earth, then I said: “Stay—
You must not strike it, God; I’m in the way;
And I will never move from where I stand.”
He said, “Dear child, I feared that you were dead,”
And stayed His hand.
As down the street she wambled slow,She had not got a place to go:She had not got a place to fallAnd rest herself—no place at all.She stumped along and wagged her pateAnd said a thing was desperate.Her face was screwed and wrinkled tightJust like a nut—and, left and right,On either side she wagged her headAnd said a thing; and what she saidWas desperate as any wordThat ever yet a person heard.I walked behind her for a whileAnd watched the people nudge and smile.But ever as she went she said,As left and right she swung her head,—“Oh, God He knows,” and “God He knows:”And surely God Almighty knows.
As down the street she wambled slow,She had not got a place to go:She had not got a place to fallAnd rest herself—no place at all.She stumped along and wagged her pateAnd said a thing was desperate.Her face was screwed and wrinkled tightJust like a nut—and, left and right,On either side she wagged her headAnd said a thing; and what she saidWas desperate as any wordThat ever yet a person heard.I walked behind her for a whileAnd watched the people nudge and smile.But ever as she went she said,As left and right she swung her head,—“Oh, God He knows,” and “God He knows:”And surely God Almighty knows.
As down the street she wambled slow,She had not got a place to go:She had not got a place to fallAnd rest herself—no place at all.She stumped along and wagged her pateAnd said a thing was desperate.
As down the street she wambled slow,
She had not got a place to go:
She had not got a place to fall
And rest herself—no place at all.
She stumped along and wagged her pate
And said a thing was desperate.
Her face was screwed and wrinkled tightJust like a nut—and, left and right,On either side she wagged her headAnd said a thing; and what she saidWas desperate as any wordThat ever yet a person heard.
Her face was screwed and wrinkled tight
Just like a nut—and, left and right,
On either side she wagged her head
And said a thing; and what she said
Was desperate as any word
That ever yet a person heard.
I walked behind her for a whileAnd watched the people nudge and smile.But ever as she went she said,As left and right she swung her head,—“Oh, God He knows,” and “God He knows:”And surely God Almighty knows.
I walked behind her for a while
And watched the people nudge and smile.
But ever as she went she said,
As left and right she swung her head,
—“Oh, God He knows,” and “God He knows:”
And surely God Almighty knows.
My enemy came high,And IStared fiercely in his face.My lips went writhing back in a grimace,And stern I watched him with a narrow eye.Then, as I turned away, my enemy,That bitter heart and savage, said to me:“Some day, when this is past,When all the arrows that we have are cast,We may ask one another why we hate,And fail to find a story to relate.It may seem to us then a mysteryThat we could hate each other.”Thus said he,And did not turn away,Waiting to hear what I might have to say.But I fled quickly, fearing if I stayedI might have kissed him as I would a maid.
My enemy came high,And IStared fiercely in his face.My lips went writhing back in a grimace,And stern I watched him with a narrow eye.Then, as I turned away, my enemy,That bitter heart and savage, said to me:“Some day, when this is past,When all the arrows that we have are cast,We may ask one another why we hate,And fail to find a story to relate.It may seem to us then a mysteryThat we could hate each other.”Thus said he,And did not turn away,Waiting to hear what I might have to say.But I fled quickly, fearing if I stayedI might have kissed him as I would a maid.
My enemy came high,And IStared fiercely in his face.My lips went writhing back in a grimace,And stern I watched him with a narrow eye.Then, as I turned away, my enemy,That bitter heart and savage, said to me:“Some day, when this is past,When all the arrows that we have are cast,We may ask one another why we hate,And fail to find a story to relate.It may seem to us then a mysteryThat we could hate each other.”Thus said he,And did not turn away,Waiting to hear what I might have to say.But I fled quickly, fearing if I stayedI might have kissed him as I would a maid.
My enemy came high,
And I
Stared fiercely in his face.
My lips went writhing back in a grimace,
And stern I watched him with a narrow eye.
Then, as I turned away, my enemy,
That bitter heart and savage, said to me:
“Some day, when this is past,
When all the arrows that we have are cast,
We may ask one another why we hate,
And fail to find a story to relate.
It may seem to us then a mystery
That we could hate each other.”
Thus said he,
And did not turn away,
Waiting to hear what I might have to say.
But I fled quickly, fearing if I stayed
I might have kissed him as I would a maid.
IAs a naked man I goThrough the desert sore afraid,Holding up my head althoughI’m as frightened as a maid.The couching lion there I sawFrom barren rocks lift up his eye;He parts the cactus with his paw,He stares at me as I go by.He would follow on my traceIf he knew I was afraid,If he knew my hardy faceHides the terrors of a maid.In the night he rises andHe stretches forth, he snuffs the air;He roars and leaps along the sand,He creeps and watches everywhere.His burning eyes, his eyes of bale,Through the darkness I can see;He lashes fiercely with his tail,He would love to spring at me.I am the lion in his lair;I am the fear that frightens me;I am the desert of despairAnd the nights of agony.Night or day, whate’er befall,I must walk that desert land,Until I can dare to callThe lion out to lick my hand.IIAs a naked man I treadThe gloomy forests, ring on ring,Where the sun that’s overheadCannot see what’s happening.There I go: the deepest shade,The deepest silence pressing me;And my heart is more afraidThan a maiden’s heart would be.Every day I have to runUnderneath the demon tree,Where the ancient wrong is doneWhile I shrink in agony.There the demon held a maidIn his arms, and as she, daft,Screamed again in fear, he laidHis lips upon her lips and laughed.And she beckoned me to run,And she called for help to me,And the ancient wrong was doneWhich is done eternally.I am the maiden and the fear;I am the sunless shade, the strife;I the demon lips, the sneerShowing under every life.I must tread that gloomy wayUntil I shall dare to runAnd bear the demon with his preyFrom the forest to the sun.
IAs a naked man I goThrough the desert sore afraid,Holding up my head althoughI’m as frightened as a maid.The couching lion there I sawFrom barren rocks lift up his eye;He parts the cactus with his paw,He stares at me as I go by.He would follow on my traceIf he knew I was afraid,If he knew my hardy faceHides the terrors of a maid.In the night he rises andHe stretches forth, he snuffs the air;He roars and leaps along the sand,He creeps and watches everywhere.His burning eyes, his eyes of bale,Through the darkness I can see;He lashes fiercely with his tail,He would love to spring at me.I am the lion in his lair;I am the fear that frightens me;I am the desert of despairAnd the nights of agony.Night or day, whate’er befall,I must walk that desert land,Until I can dare to callThe lion out to lick my hand.IIAs a naked man I treadThe gloomy forests, ring on ring,Where the sun that’s overheadCannot see what’s happening.There I go: the deepest shade,The deepest silence pressing me;And my heart is more afraidThan a maiden’s heart would be.Every day I have to runUnderneath the demon tree,Where the ancient wrong is doneWhile I shrink in agony.There the demon held a maidIn his arms, and as she, daft,Screamed again in fear, he laidHis lips upon her lips and laughed.And she beckoned me to run,And she called for help to me,And the ancient wrong was doneWhich is done eternally.I am the maiden and the fear;I am the sunless shade, the strife;I the demon lips, the sneerShowing under every life.I must tread that gloomy wayUntil I shall dare to runAnd bear the demon with his preyFrom the forest to the sun.
I
I
As a naked man I goThrough the desert sore afraid,Holding up my head althoughI’m as frightened as a maid.
As a naked man I go
Through the desert sore afraid,
Holding up my head although
I’m as frightened as a maid.
The couching lion there I sawFrom barren rocks lift up his eye;He parts the cactus with his paw,He stares at me as I go by.
The couching lion there I saw
From barren rocks lift up his eye;
He parts the cactus with his paw,
He stares at me as I go by.
He would follow on my traceIf he knew I was afraid,If he knew my hardy faceHides the terrors of a maid.
He would follow on my trace
If he knew I was afraid,
If he knew my hardy face
Hides the terrors of a maid.
In the night he rises andHe stretches forth, he snuffs the air;He roars and leaps along the sand,He creeps and watches everywhere.
In the night he rises and
He stretches forth, he snuffs the air;
He roars and leaps along the sand,
He creeps and watches everywhere.
His burning eyes, his eyes of bale,Through the darkness I can see;He lashes fiercely with his tail,He would love to spring at me.
His burning eyes, his eyes of bale,
Through the darkness I can see;
He lashes fiercely with his tail,
He would love to spring at me.
I am the lion in his lair;I am the fear that frightens me;I am the desert of despairAnd the nights of agony.
I am the lion in his lair;
I am the fear that frightens me;
I am the desert of despair
And the nights of agony.
Night or day, whate’er befall,I must walk that desert land,Until I can dare to callThe lion out to lick my hand.
Night or day, whate’er befall,
I must walk that desert land,
Until I can dare to call
The lion out to lick my hand.
II
II
As a naked man I treadThe gloomy forests, ring on ring,Where the sun that’s overheadCannot see what’s happening.
As a naked man I tread
The gloomy forests, ring on ring,
Where the sun that’s overhead
Cannot see what’s happening.
There I go: the deepest shade,The deepest silence pressing me;And my heart is more afraidThan a maiden’s heart would be.
There I go: the deepest shade,
The deepest silence pressing me;
And my heart is more afraid
Than a maiden’s heart would be.
Every day I have to runUnderneath the demon tree,Where the ancient wrong is doneWhile I shrink in agony.
Every day I have to run
Underneath the demon tree,
Where the ancient wrong is done
While I shrink in agony.
There the demon held a maidIn his arms, and as she, daft,Screamed again in fear, he laidHis lips upon her lips and laughed.
There the demon held a maid
In his arms, and as she, daft,
Screamed again in fear, he laid
His lips upon her lips and laughed.
And she beckoned me to run,And she called for help to me,And the ancient wrong was doneWhich is done eternally.
And she beckoned me to run,
And she called for help to me,
And the ancient wrong was done
Which is done eternally.
I am the maiden and the fear;I am the sunless shade, the strife;I the demon lips, the sneerShowing under every life.
I am the maiden and the fear;
I am the sunless shade, the strife;
I the demon lips, the sneer
Showing under every life.
I must tread that gloomy wayUntil I shall dare to runAnd bear the demon with his preyFrom the forest to the sun.
I must tread that gloomy way
Until I shall dare to run
And bear the demon with his prey
From the forest to the sun.
And as we walked the grass was faintly stirred;We did not speak—there was no need to speak.Above our heads there flew a little bird,A silent one who feared that we might seekHer hard-hid nest.Poor little frightened one!If we had found your nest that sunny dayWe would have passed it by; we would have goneAnd never looked or frightened you away.O little bird! there’s many have a nest,A hard-found, open place, with many a foe;And hunger and despair and little rest,And more to fear than you can know.Shield the nests where’er they be,On the ground or on the tree;Guard the poor from treachery.
And as we walked the grass was faintly stirred;We did not speak—there was no need to speak.Above our heads there flew a little bird,A silent one who feared that we might seekHer hard-hid nest.Poor little frightened one!If we had found your nest that sunny dayWe would have passed it by; we would have goneAnd never looked or frightened you away.O little bird! there’s many have a nest,A hard-found, open place, with many a foe;And hunger and despair and little rest,And more to fear than you can know.Shield the nests where’er they be,On the ground or on the tree;Guard the poor from treachery.
And as we walked the grass was faintly stirred;We did not speak—there was no need to speak.Above our heads there flew a little bird,A silent one who feared that we might seekHer hard-hid nest.
And as we walked the grass was faintly stirred;
We did not speak—there was no need to speak.
Above our heads there flew a little bird,
A silent one who feared that we might seek
Her hard-hid nest.
Poor little frightened one!If we had found your nest that sunny dayWe would have passed it by; we would have goneAnd never looked or frightened you away.
Poor little frightened one!
If we had found your nest that sunny day
We would have passed it by; we would have gone
And never looked or frightened you away.
O little bird! there’s many have a nest,A hard-found, open place, with many a foe;And hunger and despair and little rest,And more to fear than you can know.
O little bird! there’s many have a nest,
A hard-found, open place, with many a foe;
And hunger and despair and little rest,
And more to fear than you can know.
Shield the nests where’er they be,On the ground or on the tree;Guard the poor from treachery.
Shield the nests where’er they be,
On the ground or on the tree;
Guard the poor from treachery.
DARK WINGS
Sing while you may, O bird upon the tree!Although on high, wide-winged above the day,Chill evening broadens to immensity,Sing while you may.On thee, wide-hovering too, intent to slay,The hawk’s slant pinion buoys him terribly—Thus near the end is of thy happy lay.The day and thou and miserable meDark wings shall cover up and hide awayWhere no song stirs of bird or memory:Sing while you may.
Sing while you may, O bird upon the tree!Although on high, wide-winged above the day,Chill evening broadens to immensity,Sing while you may.On thee, wide-hovering too, intent to slay,The hawk’s slant pinion buoys him terribly—Thus near the end is of thy happy lay.The day and thou and miserable meDark wings shall cover up and hide awayWhere no song stirs of bird or memory:Sing while you may.
Sing while you may, O bird upon the tree!Although on high, wide-winged above the day,Chill evening broadens to immensity,Sing while you may.
Sing while you may, O bird upon the tree!
Although on high, wide-winged above the day,
Chill evening broadens to immensity,
Sing while you may.
On thee, wide-hovering too, intent to slay,The hawk’s slant pinion buoys him terribly—Thus near the end is of thy happy lay.
On thee, wide-hovering too, intent to slay,
The hawk’s slant pinion buoys him terribly—
Thus near the end is of thy happy lay.
The day and thou and miserable meDark wings shall cover up and hide awayWhere no song stirs of bird or memory:Sing while you may.
The day and thou and miserable me
Dark wings shall cover up and hide away
Where no song stirs of bird or memory:
Sing while you may.