Classic Poem

I paused and listened with hot, hurried breath,
Erect, accepting all, alone, firm-hearted,
And hearing then no answering voice, departed
To give life unto death!

So, for unnumbered days, in wrath I slew
Alike the harmless birds, the beasts ferocious,
Without a pang or pain, in calm atrocious,
As I had sworn to do.

The swarming rivers, winding to far seas,
By offal foul and carrion I polluted,
And, by the mastery of my hate imbruted,
I felled the blooming trees.

Far to the winds I flung the unrooted seed,
From out the soil I tore the young buds growing,
I burned the bounteous orchards overflowing,
And I was glad indeed!

In every path my sateless rages toiled;
I moved attended by all desolation,
And by the marvels of my desecration
I gloried as I spoiled.

No marah then was mine, and in my pride
Successful, unabashed and most exulting,
God at each step defiantly insulting,
I unto Abel cried:

“The Lord hath told me in a dream His whim;
Harken therefore unto His will, oh brother!
Prepare a firstling from thy flock, none other,
And sacrifice to Him.

“While I, with offerings gathered from my trees,
Most humble fruit of unpretending savor,
Will strive to gain His providential favor,
And by my worship please.”

And pious Abel, trusting in my love,
Glad in such sacrifice to be partaker,
Did burn a lamb as offering to his maker,
With all the fat thereof.

Even then, I say, in my contempt severe,
Grandly, fraternally, I would have pardoned,
And melted by my tears a spirit hardened,
Had I not known God near;

God, who had seen the savory gift and sweet;
God, who was eager for our genuflection;
God, who delighted in our base subjection,
Our servitude complete!

I felt that He, invisible, was nigh;
His great mysterious essence hovered o'er me;
I felt his moody majesty before me,
And with a savage cry,

Powerful enough to awe His holihead,
My hosts of hate against Him fast assembling,
Cruel, sublime, magnificent, untrembling,
I struck my brother dead!

And as I staggered, with hot arms defiled,
Warm with the blood of him I loved, yet tearless,
Gazing upon the face of God and fearless,
I arrogantly smiled!

“Ah, puny master!” I cried in my delight,
“Behold this gory holocaust and nameless!
Why dost thou strike me not as I stand shameless?
Tell me, where is Thy might?

“Thy threats are impotent, oh, fallen one!
Vain, ruthless god of chastisement and error,
I scorn Thee as a worm that writhes in terror!
Mark what my hand hath done!

“Of hideous work, Jehovah most austere!
This is alone the terrible beginning!
All upon Earth, the innocent, the sinning,
By me shall disappear!

“Thou art the slave of man born to obey
Before the tempest of my wrath indignant,
And now imperiously, oh God, malignant!
I bid Thee go Thy way!

“No lips again will Thy false name adore;
Thy power most irredeemably is broken.
Bow down before me, for I, man, have spoken;
There will be life no more!”

And as I spake the law of my desire,
Wind-like I sped in fierce exasperation,
Filled with red visions of extermination,
To slay my sons and sire!

But pains mysterious, and by me unknown,
Clung to my loins; I felt my pulses quicken,
And, by the laggard hand of God, I, stricken,
Upon the ground fell prone.

Conscious of lofty projects overcast,
I lay frenetic, crushed, inefficacious,
Feeling that my sublimest dream audacious
Had unto nothing passed.