Once a man clambering to the house… Appealed to the heavens. With strong voice he called to the… A warrior’s shout he raised to the… Lo, at last, there was a dot on th…

Many red devils ran from my heart And out upon the page, They were so tiny The pen could mash them. And many struggled in the ink.

The livid lightnings flashed in th… The leaden thunders crashed. A worshipper raised his arm. “Hearken! Hearken! The voice of… “Not so,” said a man.

There was a man and a woman Who sinned. Then did the man heap the punishme… All upon the head of her, And went away gaily.

Tradition, thou art for suckling c… Thou art the enlivening milk for b… But no meat for men is in thee. Then— But, alas, we all are babes.

THOU art my love And thou art the peace of sundown When the blue shadows soothe And the grasses and the leaves sle… To the song of the little brooks

‘It was wrong to do this,’ said th… ‘You should live like a flower, Holding malice like a puppy, Waging war like a lambkin.’ ‘Not so,’ quoth the man

There was a great cathedral. To solemn songs, A white procession Moved toward the altar. The chief man there

Black riders came from the sea. There was clang and clang of spear… And clash and clash of hoof and he… Wild shouts and the wave of hair In the rush upon the wind:

You say you are holy, And that Because I have not seen you sin. Aye, but there are those Who see you sin, my friend.

The sage lectured brilliantly. Before him, two images: “Now this one is a devil, And this one is me.” He turned away.

Mystic shadow, bending near me, Who art thou? Whence come ye? And—tell me—is it fair Or is the truth bitter as eaten fi…

Supposing that I should have the… To let a red sword of virtue Plunge into my heart, Letting to the weeds of the ground My sinful blood,

Upon the road of my life, Passed me many fair creatures, Clothed all in white, and radiant. To one, finally, I made speech: “Who art thou?”

I stood upon a high place, And saw, below, many devils Running, leaping, and carousing in sin. One looked up, grinning,