War broke:
and now the Winter of the world
and now the Winter of the world
With
perishing great darkness closes in.
perishing great darkness closes in.
The foul
tornado, centred at Berlin,
tornado, centred at Berlin,
Is over all
the width of Europe whirled,
the width of Europe whirled,
Rending the
sails of progress. Rent or furled
sails of progress. Rent or furled
Are all
Art’s ensigns. Verse wails. Now begin
Art’s ensigns. Verse wails. Now begin
Famines of
thought and feeling. Love’s wine’s thin.
thought and feeling. Love’s wine’s thin.
The grain
of human Autumn rots, down-hurled.
of human Autumn rots, down-hurled.
For after
Spring had bloomed in early Greece,
Spring had bloomed in early Greece,
And Summer
blazed her glory out with Rome,
blazed her glory out with Rome,
An Autumn
softly fell, a harvest home,
softly fell, a harvest home,
A slow
grand age, and rich with all increase.
grand age, and rich with all increase.
But now,
for us, wild Winter, and the need
for us, wild Winter, and the need
Of sowings
for new Spring, and blood for seed.
for new Spring, and blood for seed.