Once there was a man - Oh, so wise! In all drink He detected the bitter, And in all touch

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.

I HEARD thee laugh, And in this merriment I defined the measure of my pain; I knew that I was alone, Alone with love,

A man said to the universe: “Sir I exist!” “However,” replied the universe, “The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.”

A man saw a ball of gold in the sk… He climbed for it, And eventually he achieved it— It was clay. Now this is the strange part:

I looked here; I looked there; Nowhere could I see my love. And—this time— She was in my heart.

I met a seer. He held in his hands The book of wisdom. “Sir,” I addressed him, “Let me read.”

Behold, the grave of a wicked man, And near it, a stern spirit. There came a drooping maid with vi… But the spirit grasped her arm. ‘No flowers for him,’ he said.

Once, I knew a fine song, —It is true, believe me— It was all of birds, And I held them in a basket; When I opened the wicket,

A man feared that he might find an… Another that he might find a victi… One was more wise than the other.

Do not weep, maiden, for war is ki… Because your lover threw wild hand… And the affrighted steed ran on al… Do not weep. War is kind.

There was a man who lived a life o… Even upon the fabric of time, Where purple becomes orange And orange purple, This life glowed,

Behold, the grave of a wicked man, And near it, a stern spirit. There came a drooping maid with vi… But the spirit grasped her arm. “No flowers for him,” he said.

There came whisperings in the wind… “Good-bye! Good-bye!” Little voices called in the darkne… “Good-bye! Good-bye!” Then I stretched forth my arms.

A slant of sun on dull brown walls… A forgotten sky of bashful blue. Toward God a mighty hymn, A song of collisions and cries, Rumbling wheels, hoof-beats, bells…