The Years Between Part 9

A DEATH-BED

'This is the State above the Law.

The State exists for the State alone.'

[_This is a gland at the back of the jaw,_ _And an answering lump by the collar-bone._]

Some die shouting in gas or fire; Some die silent, by sh.e.l.l and shot.

Some die desperate, caught on the wire; Some die suddenly. This will not.

'Regis suprema Voluntas lex.'

[_It will follow the regular course of--throats._]

Some die pinned by the broken decks, Some die sobbing between the boats.

Some die eloquent, pressed to death By the sliding trench, as their friends can hear.

Some die wholly in half a breath Some--give trouble for half a year.

'There is neither Evil nor Good in life Except as the needs of the State ordain.'

[_Since it is rather too late for the knife, All we can do is to mask the pain._]

Some die saintly in faith and hope-- One died thus in a prison-yard-- Some die broken by rape or the rope; Some die easily. This dies hard.

'I will dash to pieces who bar my way.

Woe to the traitor! Woe to the weak!'

[_Let him write what he wishes to say.

It tires him out if he tries to speak._]

Some die quietly. Some abound In loud self-pity. Others spread Bad morale through the cots around ...

This is a type that is better dead.

'The war was forced on me by my foes.

All that I sought was the right to live.'

[_Don't be afraid of a triple dose; The pain will neutralize half we give._

_Here are the needles. See that he dies While the effects of the drug endure....

What is the question he asks with his eyes?-- Yes, All-Highest, to G.o.d, be sure._]

GEHAZI

'Whence comest thou, Gehazi, So reverend to behold, In scarlet and in ermines And chain of England's gold?'

'From following after Naaman To tell him all is well, Whereby my zeal hath made me A Judge in Israel.'

Well done, well done, Gehazi, Stretch forth thy ready hand, Thou barely 'scaped from judgment, Take oath to judge the land, Unswayed by gift of money Or privy bribe, more base, Of knowledge which is profit In any market-place.

Search out and probe, Gehazi, As thou of all canst try, The truthful, well-weighed answer That tells the blacker lie-- The loud, uneasy virtue, The anger feigned at will, To overbear a witness And make the Court keep still.

Take order now, Gehazi, That no man talk aside In secret with his judges The while his case is tried.

Lest he should show them--reason To keep a matter hid, And subtly lead the questions Away from what he did.

Thou mirror of uprightness, What ails thee at thy vows?

What means the risen whiteness Of the skin between thy brows?

The boils that s.h.i.+ne and burrow, The sores that slough and bleed-- The leprosy of Naaman On thee and all thy seed?

Stand up, stand up, Gehazi, Draw close thy robe and go, Gehazi, Judge in Israel, A leper white as snow!

THE VIRGINITY

Try as he will, no man breaks wholly loose From his first love, no matter who she be.

Oh, was there ever sailor free to choose, That didn't settle somewhere near the sea?

Myself, it don't excite me nor amuse To watch a pack o' s.h.i.+pping on the sea, But I can understand my neighbour's views From certain things which have occurred to me.

Men must keep touch with things they used to use To earn their living, even when they are free; And so come back upon the least excuse-- Same as the sailor settled near the sea.

He knows he's never going on no cruise-- He knows he's done and finished with the sea, And yet he likes to feel she's there to use-- If he should ask her--as she used to be.

Even though she cost him all he had to lose, Even though she made him sick to hear or see, Still, what she left of him will mostly choose Her skirts to sit by. How comes such to be?

_Parsons in pulpits, tax-payers in pews, Kings on your thrones, you know as well as me, We've only one virginity to lose, And where we lost it there our hearts will be!_

A PILGRIM'S WAY

I do not look for holy saints to guide me on my way, Or male and female devilkins to lead my feet astray.

If these are added, I rejoice--if not, I shall not mind, So long as I have leave and choice to meet my fellow-kind.

For as we come and as we go (and deadly-soon go we!) The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

Thus I will honour pious men whose virtue s.h.i.+nes so bright (Though none are more amazed than I when I by chance do right), And I will pity foolish men for woe their sins have bred (Though ninety-nine per cent. of mine I brought on my own head) And, Amorite or Eremite, or General Averagee, The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they bore me overmuch, I will not shake mine ears, Recalling many thousand such whom I have bored to tears.

And when they labour to impress, I will not doubt nor scoff; Since I myself have done no less and--sometimes pulled it off.

Yea, as we are and we are not, and we pretend to be, The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

And when they work me random wrong, as often-times hath been, I will not cherish hate too long (my hands are none too clean) And when they do me random good I will not feign surprise, No more than those whom I have cheered with wayside charities.

But, as we give and as we take--whate'er our takings be-- The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!

But when I meet with frantic folk who sinfully declare There is no pardon for their sin, the same I will not spare Till I have proved that Heaven and h.e.l.l which in our hearts we have Show nothing irredeemable on either side the grave.

For as we live and as we die--if utter Death there be-- The people, Lord, Thy people, are good enough for me!