Royalty payments
should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4,
"Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation.
should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4,
"Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation.
Stephen Crane
"
The man fled.
Then the man went to another god,--
The god of his inner thoughts.
And this one looked at him
With soft eyes
Lit with infinite comprehension,
And said, "My poor child! "
LII
Why do you strive for greatness, fool?
Go pluck a bough and wear it.
It is as sufficing.
My lord, there are certain barbarians
Who tilt their noses
As if the stars were flowers,
And thy servant is lost among their shoe-buckles.
Fain would I have mine eyes even with their eyes.
Fool, go pluck a bough and wear it.
LIII
I
Blustering god,
Stamping across the sky
With loud swagger,
I fear you not.
No, though from your highest heaven
You plunge your spear at my heart,
I fear you not.
No, not if the blow
Is as the lightning blasting a tree,
I fear you not, puffing braggart.
II
If thou can see into my heart
That I fear thee not,
Thou wilt see why I fear thee not,
And why it is right.
So threaten not, thou, with thy bloody spears,
Else thy sublime ears shall hear curses.
III
Withal, there is one whom I fear;
I fear to see grief upon that face.
Perchance, Friend, he is not your god;
If so, spit upon him.
By it you will do no profanity.
But I--
Ah, sooner would I die
Than see tears in those eyes of my soul.
LIV
"It was wrong to do this," said the angel.
"You should live like a flower,
"Holding malice like a puppy,
"Waging war like a lambkin. "
"Not so," quoth the man
Who had no fear of spirits;
"It is only wrong for angels
"Who can live like the flowers,
"Holding malice like the puppies,
"Waging war like the lambkins. "
LV
A man toiled on a burning road,
Never resting.
Once he saw a fat, stupid ass
Grinning at him from a green place.
The man cried out in rage,
"Ah! Do not deride me, fool!
"I know you--
"All day stuffing your belly,
"Burying your heart
"In grass and tender sprouts:
"It will not suffice you. "
But the ass only grinned at him from the green place.
LVI
A man feared that he might find an assassin;
Another that he might find a victim.
One was more wise than the other.
LVII
With eye and with gesture
You say you are holy.
I say you lie;
For I did see you
Draw away your coats
From the sin upon the hands
Of a little child.
Liar!
LVIII
The sage lectured brilliantly.
Before him, two images:
"Now this one is a devil,
"And this one is me. "
He turned away.
Then a cunning pupil
Changed the positions.
Turned the sage again:
"Now this one is a devil,
"And this one is me. "
The pupils sat, all grinning,
And rejoiced in the game.
But the sage was a sage.
LIX
Walking in the sky,
A man in strange black garb
Encountered a radiant form.
Then his steps were eager;
Bowed he devoutly.
"My Lord," said he.
But the spirit knew him not.
LX
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? "
But she, like the others,
Kept cowled her face,
And answered in haste, anxiously,
"I am Good Deed, forsooth;
"You have often seen me. "
"Not uncowled," I made reply.
And with rash and strong hand,
Though she resisted,
I drew away the veil
And gazed at the features of Vanity
She, shamefaced, went on;
And after I had mused a time,
I said of myself,
"Fool! "
LXI
I
There was a man and a woman
Who sinned.
Then did the man heap the punishment
All upon the head of her,
And went away gayly.
II
There was a man and a woman
Who sinned.
And the man stood with her.
As upon her head, so upon his,
Fell blow and blow,
And all people screaming, "Fool! "
He was a brave heart.
III
He was a brave heart.
Would you speak with him, friend?
Well, he is dead,
And there went your opportunity.
Let it be your grief
That he is dead
And your opportunity gone;
For, in that, you were a coward.
LXII
There was a man who lived a life of fire.
Even upon the fabric of time,
Where purple becomes orange
And orange purple,
This life glowed,
A dire red stain, indelible;
Yet when he was dead,
He saw that he had not lived.
LXIII
There was a great cathedral.
To solemn songs,
A white procession
Moved toward the altar.
The chief man there
Was erect, and bore himself proudly.
Yet some could see him cringe,
As in a place of danger,
Throwing frightened glances into the air,
A-start at threatening faces of the past.
LXIV
Friend, your white beard sweeps the ground,
Why do you stand, expectant?
Do you hope to see it
In one of your withered days?
With your old eyes
Do you hope to see
The triumphal march of Justice?
Do not wait, friend
Take your white beard
And your old eyes
To more tender lands.
LXV
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,
Heavens! They all flew away.
I cried, "Come back, little thoughts! "
But they only laughed.
They flew on
Until they were as sand
Thrown between me and the sky.
LXVI
If I should cast off this tattered coat,
And go free into the mighty sky;
If I should find nothing there
But a vast blue,
Echoless, ignorant,--
What then?
LXVII
God lay dead in Heaven;
Angels sang the hymn of the end;
Purple winds went moaning,
Their wings drip-dripping
With blood
That fell upon the earth.
It, groaning thing,
Turned black and sank.
Then from the far caverns
Of dead sins
Came monsters, livid with desire.
They fought,
Wrangled over the world,
A morsel.
But of all sadness this was sad,--
A woman's arms tried to shield
The head of a sleeping man
From the jaws of the final beast.
LXVIII
A spirit sped
Through spaces of night;
And as he sped, he called,
"God! God! "
He went through valleys
Of black death-slime,
Ever calling,
"God! God! "
Their echoes
From crevice and cavern
Mocked him:
"God! God! God! "
Fleetly into the plains of space
He went, ever calling,
"God! God! "
Eventually, then, he screamed,
Mad in denial,
"Ah, there is no God! "
A swift hand,
A sword from the sky,
Smote him,
And he was dead.
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK RIDERS AND OTHER LINES
***
A Word from Project Gutenberg
We will update this book if we find any errors.
This book can be found under: http://www. gutenberg. org/ebooks/40786
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one
owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and
you! ) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission
and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the
General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and
distributing Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works to protect the Project
Gutenberg(TM) concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered
trademark, and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you
receive specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of
this eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this
eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works,
reports, performances and research. They may be modified and printed and
given away - you may do practically _anything_ with public domain
eBooks. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially
commercial redistribution.
The Full Project Gutenberg License
_Please read this before you distribute or use this work. _
To protect the Project Gutenberg(TM) mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or
any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg(TM) License available with this file or online at
http://www. gutenberg. org/license.
Section 1. General Terms of Use & Redistributing Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic works
*1. A. * By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the
terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all
copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works in your possession. If you
paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this
agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you
paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1. E. 8.
*1. B. * "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things
that you can do with most Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works even
without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph
1. C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help
preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works. See
paragraph 1. E below.
*1. C. * The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of
Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in
the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you
from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating
derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project
Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the
Project Gutenberg(TM) mission of promoting free access to electronic works
by freely sharing Project Gutenberg(TM) works in compliance with the terms
of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg(TM) name associated
with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg(TM) License when you share it without charge with others.
*1. D. * The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg(TM) work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the
copyright status of any work in any country outside the United States.
*1. E. * Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
*1. E. 1. * The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg(TM) work (any work on
which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase
"Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed,
viewed, copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at http://www. gutenberg. org
*1. E. 2. * If an individual Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with
the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work,
you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1. E. 1 through
1. E. 7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project
Gutenberg(TM) trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1. E. 8 or 1. E. 9.
*1. E. 3. * If an individual Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1. E. 1 through 1. E. 7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg(TM) License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
*1. E. 4. * Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg(TM)
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg(TM).
*1. E. 5. * Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1. E. 1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg(TM) License.
*1. E. 6. * You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg(TM) work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg(TM) web site
(http://www. gutenberg. org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or
expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a
means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include
the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License as specified in paragraph 1. E. 1.
*1. E. 7. * Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg(TM) works unless
you comply with paragraph 1. E. 8 or 1. E. 9.
*1. E. 8. * You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works provided
that
- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg(TM) works calculated using the method you
already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to
the owner of the Project Gutenberg(TM) trademark, but he has agreed to
donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60
days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally
required to prepare) your periodic tax returns.
Royalty payments
should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4,
"Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation. "
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License.
You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the
works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and
all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) works.
- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1. F. 3, a full refund of
any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
receipt of the work.
- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg(TM) works.
*1. E. 9. * If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth
in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from both the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael Hart, the
owner of the Project Gutenberg(TM) trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3. below.
*1. F. *
*1. F. 1. * Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg(TM) collection.
Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works, and the
medium on which they may be stored, may contain "Defects," such as, but
not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription
errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a
defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer
codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.
*1. F. 2. * LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1. F. 3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg(TM) trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg(TM) electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability
to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE
THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF
WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1. F. 3.
YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT,
INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE
NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
*1. F. 3. * LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.
*1. F. 4. * Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1. F. 3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
*1. F. 5. * Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
*1. F. 6. * INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg(TM)
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg(TM) work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg(TM)
Project Gutenberg(TM) is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg(TM)'s goals
and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg(TM) collection will remain freely
available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and
permanent future for Project Gutenberg(TM) and future generations. To learn
more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how
your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the
Foundation web page at http://www. pglaf. org .
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state
of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue
Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification number is
64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/pglaf . Contributions to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the
full extent permitted by U. S. federal laws and your state's laws.
The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr.
S. Fairbanks, AK, 99712. , but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809
North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf. org. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official page
at http://www. pglaf. org
For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
gbnewby@pglaf. org
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg(TM) depends upon and cannot survive without wide spread
public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the
number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely
distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest array of
equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to
$5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with
the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where
we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state
visit http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/donate
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any
statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside
the United States. U. S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways
including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate,
please visit: http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/donate
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic
works.
Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg(TM)
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg(TM) eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg(TM) eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U. S. unless
a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks
in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's eBook
number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII,
compressed (zipped), HTML and others.
Corrected _editions_ of our eBooks replace the old file and take over
the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed.
_Versions_ based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving
new filenames and etext numbers.
Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
http://www. gutenberg. org
This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg(TM), including
how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to
our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
? The Project Gutenberg EBook of War is Kind, by Stephen Crane
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www. gutenberg. net
Title: War is Kind
Author: Stephen Crane
Release Date: October 24, 2011 [EBook #9870]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR IS KIND ***
Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer.
WAR IS KIND
by Stephen Crane
Drawings by Will Bradley
1899
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Hoarse, booming drums of the
regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory files above
them,
Great is the battle-god, great, and his
kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbled in the yellow
trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of the slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses
lie.
Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
What says the sea, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept his message for the ships,
"Awkward ships, stupid ships. "
"The sea bids you mourn, O Pines,
"Sing low in the moonlight.
"He sends tale of the land of doom,
"Of place where endless falls
"A rain of women's tears,
"And men in grey robes--
"Men in grey robes--
"Chant the unknown pain. "
"What says the sea, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept is message for the ships,
"Puny ships, silly ships. "
"The sea bids you teach, O Pines,
"Sing low in the moonlight;
"Teach the gold of patience,
"Cry gospel of gentle hands,
"Cry a brotherhood of hearts.
"The sea bids you teach, O Pines. "
"And where is the reward, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept his message for the ships,
"Puny ships, silly ships. "
"No word says the sea, O Pines,
"No word says the sea.
"Long will your brother be silent to you,
"Keep his message for the ships,
"O puny ships, silly pines. "
To the maiden
The sea was blue meadow,
Alive with little froth-people
Singing.
To the sailor, wrecked,
The sea was dead grey walls
Superlative in vacancy,
Upon which nevertheless at fateful time
Was written
The grim hatred of nature.
A little ink more or less!
It surely can't matter?
Even the sky and the opulent sea,
The plains and the hills, aloof,
Hear the uproar of all these books.
But it is only a little ink more or less.
What?
You define me God with these trinkets?
Can my misery meal on an ordered walking
Of surpliced numskulls?
And a fanfare of lights?
Or even upon the measured pulpitings
Of the familiar false and true?
Is this God?
Where, then is hell?
Show me some bastard mushrooms
Sprung from a pollution of blood.
It is better.
Where is God?
"Have you ever made a just man? "
"Oh, I have made three," answered
God,
"But two of them are dead,
"And the third--
"Listen! Listen!
"And you will hear the thud of his defeat. "
I explain the silvered passing of a ship
at night,
The sweep of each sad lost wave,
The dwindling boom of the steel thing's striving,
The little cry of a man to a man,
A shadow falling across the greyer night,
And the sinking of the small star;
Then the waste, the far waste of waters,
And the soft lashing of black waves
For long and in loneliness.
Remember, thou, O ship of love,
Thou leavest a far waste of waters,
And the soft lashing of black waves
For long and in loneliness.
"I have heard the sunset song of the
birches,
"A white melody in the silence,
"I have seen a quarrel of the pines.
"At nightfall
"The little grasses have rushed by me
"With the wind men.
"These things have I lived," quoth the
maniac,
"Possessing only eyes and ears.
"But you--
"You don green spectacles before you look at roses. "
Fast rode the knight
With spurs, hot and reeking,
Ever waving an eager sword,
"To save my lady! "
Fast rode the knight,
And leaped from saddle to war.
Men of steel flickered and gleamed
Like riot of silver lights,
And the gold of the knight's good banner
Still waved on a castle wall.
. . . . . . .
A horse,
Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,
Forgotten at foot of castle wall.
A horse
Dead at foot of castle wall.
Forth went the candid man
And spoke freely to the wind--
When he looked about him he was in a far
strange country.
Forth went the candid man
And spoke freely to the stars--
Yellow light tore sight from his eye.
"My good fool," said a learned bystander,
"Your operations are mad. "
"You are too candid," cried the candid man.
And when his stick left the head of the
learned bystander
It was two sticks.
You tell me this is God?
I tell you this is a printed list,
A burning candle and an ass.
On the desert
A silence from the moon's deepest
valley.
Fire rays fall athwart the robes
Of hooded men, squat and dumb.
Before them, a woman
Moves to the blowing of shrill whistles
And distant thunder of drums,
While mystic things, sinuous, dull with
terrible color,
Sleepily fondle her body
Or move at her will, swishing stealthily over
the sand.
The snakes whisper softly;
The whispering, whispering snakes,
Dreaming and swaying and staring,
But always whispering, softly whispering.
The wind streams from the lone reaches
Of Arabia, solemn with night,
And the wild fire makes shimmer of blood
Over the robes of the hooded men
Squat and dumb.
Bands of moving bronze, emerald, yellow,
Circle the throat and arms of her,
And over the sands serpents move warily
Slow, menacing and submissive,
Swinging to the whistles and drums,
The whispering, whispering snakes,
Dreaming and swaying and staring,
But always whispering, softly whispering.
The dignity of the accursed;
The glory of slavery, despair, death,
Is in the dance of the whispering snakes.
A newspaper is a collection of half-injustices
Which, bawled by boys from mile to mile,
Spreads its curious opinion
To a million merciful and sneering men,
While families cuddle the joys of the fireside
When spurred by tale of dire lone agony.
A newspaper is a court
Where every one is kindly and unfairly tried
By a squalor of honest men.
The man fled.
Then the man went to another god,--
The god of his inner thoughts.
And this one looked at him
With soft eyes
Lit with infinite comprehension,
And said, "My poor child! "
LII
Why do you strive for greatness, fool?
Go pluck a bough and wear it.
It is as sufficing.
My lord, there are certain barbarians
Who tilt their noses
As if the stars were flowers,
And thy servant is lost among their shoe-buckles.
Fain would I have mine eyes even with their eyes.
Fool, go pluck a bough and wear it.
LIII
I
Blustering god,
Stamping across the sky
With loud swagger,
I fear you not.
No, though from your highest heaven
You plunge your spear at my heart,
I fear you not.
No, not if the blow
Is as the lightning blasting a tree,
I fear you not, puffing braggart.
II
If thou can see into my heart
That I fear thee not,
Thou wilt see why I fear thee not,
And why it is right.
So threaten not, thou, with thy bloody spears,
Else thy sublime ears shall hear curses.
III
Withal, there is one whom I fear;
I fear to see grief upon that face.
Perchance, Friend, he is not your god;
If so, spit upon him.
By it you will do no profanity.
But I--
Ah, sooner would I die
Than see tears in those eyes of my soul.
LIV
"It was wrong to do this," said the angel.
"You should live like a flower,
"Holding malice like a puppy,
"Waging war like a lambkin. "
"Not so," quoth the man
Who had no fear of spirits;
"It is only wrong for angels
"Who can live like the flowers,
"Holding malice like the puppies,
"Waging war like the lambkins. "
LV
A man toiled on a burning road,
Never resting.
Once he saw a fat, stupid ass
Grinning at him from a green place.
The man cried out in rage,
"Ah! Do not deride me, fool!
"I know you--
"All day stuffing your belly,
"Burying your heart
"In grass and tender sprouts:
"It will not suffice you. "
But the ass only grinned at him from the green place.
LVI
A man feared that he might find an assassin;
Another that he might find a victim.
One was more wise than the other.
LVII
With eye and with gesture
You say you are holy.
I say you lie;
For I did see you
Draw away your coats
From the sin upon the hands
Of a little child.
Liar!
LVIII
The sage lectured brilliantly.
Before him, two images:
"Now this one is a devil,
"And this one is me. "
He turned away.
Then a cunning pupil
Changed the positions.
Turned the sage again:
"Now this one is a devil,
"And this one is me. "
The pupils sat, all grinning,
And rejoiced in the game.
But the sage was a sage.
LIX
Walking in the sky,
A man in strange black garb
Encountered a radiant form.
Then his steps were eager;
Bowed he devoutly.
"My Lord," said he.
But the spirit knew him not.
LX
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? "
But she, like the others,
Kept cowled her face,
And answered in haste, anxiously,
"I am Good Deed, forsooth;
"You have often seen me. "
"Not uncowled," I made reply.
And with rash and strong hand,
Though she resisted,
I drew away the veil
And gazed at the features of Vanity
She, shamefaced, went on;
And after I had mused a time,
I said of myself,
"Fool! "
LXI
I
There was a man and a woman
Who sinned.
Then did the man heap the punishment
All upon the head of her,
And went away gayly.
II
There was a man and a woman
Who sinned.
And the man stood with her.
As upon her head, so upon his,
Fell blow and blow,
And all people screaming, "Fool! "
He was a brave heart.
III
He was a brave heart.
Would you speak with him, friend?
Well, he is dead,
And there went your opportunity.
Let it be your grief
That he is dead
And your opportunity gone;
For, in that, you were a coward.
LXII
There was a man who lived a life of fire.
Even upon the fabric of time,
Where purple becomes orange
And orange purple,
This life glowed,
A dire red stain, indelible;
Yet when he was dead,
He saw that he had not lived.
LXIII
There was a great cathedral.
To solemn songs,
A white procession
Moved toward the altar.
The chief man there
Was erect, and bore himself proudly.
Yet some could see him cringe,
As in a place of danger,
Throwing frightened glances into the air,
A-start at threatening faces of the past.
LXIV
Friend, your white beard sweeps the ground,
Why do you stand, expectant?
Do you hope to see it
In one of your withered days?
With your old eyes
Do you hope to see
The triumphal march of Justice?
Do not wait, friend
Take your white beard
And your old eyes
To more tender lands.
LXV
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,
Heavens! They all flew away.
I cried, "Come back, little thoughts! "
But they only laughed.
They flew on
Until they were as sand
Thrown between me and the sky.
LXVI
If I should cast off this tattered coat,
And go free into the mighty sky;
If I should find nothing there
But a vast blue,
Echoless, ignorant,--
What then?
LXVII
God lay dead in Heaven;
Angels sang the hymn of the end;
Purple winds went moaning,
Their wings drip-dripping
With blood
That fell upon the earth.
It, groaning thing,
Turned black and sank.
Then from the far caverns
Of dead sins
Came monsters, livid with desire.
They fought,
Wrangled over the world,
A morsel.
But of all sadness this was sad,--
A woman's arms tried to shield
The head of a sleeping man
From the jaws of the final beast.
LXVIII
A spirit sped
Through spaces of night;
And as he sped, he called,
"God! God! "
He went through valleys
Of black death-slime,
Ever calling,
"God! God! "
Their echoes
From crevice and cavern
Mocked him:
"God! God! God! "
Fleetly into the plains of space
He went, ever calling,
"God! God! "
Eventually, then, he screamed,
Mad in denial,
"Ah, there is no God! "
A swift hand,
A sword from the sky,
Smote him,
And he was dead.
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK RIDERS AND OTHER LINES
***
A Word from Project Gutenberg
We will update this book if we find any errors.
This book can be found under: http://www. gutenberg. org/ebooks/40786
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one
owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and
you! ) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission
and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the
General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and
distributing Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works to protect the Project
Gutenberg(TM) concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered
trademark, and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you
receive specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of
this eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this
eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works,
reports, performances and research. They may be modified and printed and
given away - you may do practically _anything_ with public domain
eBooks. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially
commercial redistribution.
The Full Project Gutenberg License
_Please read this before you distribute or use this work. _
To protect the Project Gutenberg(TM) mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or
any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg(TM) License available with this file or online at
http://www. gutenberg. org/license.
Section 1. General Terms of Use & Redistributing Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic works
*1. A. * By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the
terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all
copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works in your possession. If you
paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this
agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you
paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1. E. 8.
*1. B. * "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things
that you can do with most Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works even
without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph
1. C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help
preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works. See
paragraph 1. E below.
*1. C. * The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of
Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in
the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you
from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating
derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project
Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the
Project Gutenberg(TM) mission of promoting free access to electronic works
by freely sharing Project Gutenberg(TM) works in compliance with the terms
of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg(TM) name associated
with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg(TM) License when you share it without charge with others.
*1. D. * The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg(TM) work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the
copyright status of any work in any country outside the United States.
*1. E. * Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
*1. E. 1. * The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg(TM) work (any work on
which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase
"Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed,
viewed, copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at http://www. gutenberg. org
*1. E. 2. * If an individual Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with
the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work,
you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1. E. 1 through
1. E. 7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project
Gutenberg(TM) trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1. E. 8 or 1. E. 9.
*1. E. 3. * If an individual Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1. E. 1 through 1. E. 7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg(TM) License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
*1. E. 4. * Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg(TM)
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg(TM).
*1. E. 5. * Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1. E. 1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg(TM) License.
*1. E. 6. * You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg(TM) work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg(TM) web site
(http://www. gutenberg. org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or
expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a
means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include
the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License as specified in paragraph 1. E. 1.
*1. E. 7. * Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg(TM) works unless
you comply with paragraph 1. E. 8 or 1. E. 9.
*1. E. 8. * You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works provided
that
- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg(TM) works calculated using the method you
already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to
the owner of the Project Gutenberg(TM) trademark, but he has agreed to
donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60
days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally
required to prepare) your periodic tax returns.
Royalty payments
should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4,
"Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation. "
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg(TM) License.
You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the
works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and
all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) works.
- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1. F. 3, a full refund of
any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
receipt of the work.
- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg(TM) works.
*1. E. 9. * If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg(TM)
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth
in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from both the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael Hart, the
owner of the Project Gutenberg(TM) trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3. below.
*1. F. *
*1. F. 1. * Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg(TM) collection.
Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works, and the
medium on which they may be stored, may contain "Defects," such as, but
not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription
errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a
defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer
codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.
*1. F. 2. * LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1. F. 3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg(TM) trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg(TM) electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability
to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE
THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF
WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1. F. 3.
YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT,
INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE
NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
*1. F. 3. * LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.
*1. F. 4. * Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1. F. 3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
*1. F. 5. * Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
*1. F. 6. * INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg(TM)
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg(TM) work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg(TM)
Project Gutenberg(TM) is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg(TM)'s goals
and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg(TM) collection will remain freely
available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and
permanent future for Project Gutenberg(TM) and future generations. To learn
more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how
your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the
Foundation web page at http://www. pglaf. org .
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state
of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue
Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification number is
64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/pglaf . Contributions to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the
full extent permitted by U. S. federal laws and your state's laws.
The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr.
S. Fairbanks, AK, 99712. , but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809
North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf. org. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official page
at http://www. pglaf. org
For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
gbnewby@pglaf. org
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg(TM) depends upon and cannot survive without wide spread
public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the
number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely
distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest array of
equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to
$5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with
the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where
we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state
visit http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/donate
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any
statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside
the United States. U. S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways
including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate,
please visit: http://www. gutenberg. org/fundraising/donate
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg(TM) electronic
works.
Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg(TM)
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg(TM) eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg(TM) eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U. S. unless
a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks
in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's eBook
number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII,
compressed (zipped), HTML and others.
Corrected _editions_ of our eBooks replace the old file and take over
the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed.
_Versions_ based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving
new filenames and etext numbers.
Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
http://www. gutenberg. org
This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg(TM), including
how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to
our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
? The Project Gutenberg EBook of War is Kind, by Stephen Crane
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www. gutenberg. net
Title: War is Kind
Author: Stephen Crane
Release Date: October 24, 2011 [EBook #9870]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR IS KIND ***
Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer.
WAR IS KIND
by Stephen Crane
Drawings by Will Bradley
1899
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Hoarse, booming drums of the
regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory files above
them,
Great is the battle-god, great, and his
kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbled in the yellow
trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of the slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses
lie.
Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
What says the sea, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept his message for the ships,
"Awkward ships, stupid ships. "
"The sea bids you mourn, O Pines,
"Sing low in the moonlight.
"He sends tale of the land of doom,
"Of place where endless falls
"A rain of women's tears,
"And men in grey robes--
"Men in grey robes--
"Chant the unknown pain. "
"What says the sea, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept is message for the ships,
"Puny ships, silly ships. "
"The sea bids you teach, O Pines,
"Sing low in the moonlight;
"Teach the gold of patience,
"Cry gospel of gentle hands,
"Cry a brotherhood of hearts.
"The sea bids you teach, O Pines. "
"And where is the reward, little shell?
"What says the sea?
"Long has our brother been silent to us,
"Kept his message for the ships,
"Puny ships, silly ships. "
"No word says the sea, O Pines,
"No word says the sea.
"Long will your brother be silent to you,
"Keep his message for the ships,
"O puny ships, silly pines. "
To the maiden
The sea was blue meadow,
Alive with little froth-people
Singing.
To the sailor, wrecked,
The sea was dead grey walls
Superlative in vacancy,
Upon which nevertheless at fateful time
Was written
The grim hatred of nature.
A little ink more or less!
It surely can't matter?
Even the sky and the opulent sea,
The plains and the hills, aloof,
Hear the uproar of all these books.
But it is only a little ink more or less.
What?
You define me God with these trinkets?
Can my misery meal on an ordered walking
Of surpliced numskulls?
And a fanfare of lights?
Or even upon the measured pulpitings
Of the familiar false and true?
Is this God?
Where, then is hell?
Show me some bastard mushrooms
Sprung from a pollution of blood.
It is better.
Where is God?
"Have you ever made a just man? "
"Oh, I have made three," answered
God,
"But two of them are dead,
"And the third--
"Listen! Listen!
"And you will hear the thud of his defeat. "
I explain the silvered passing of a ship
at night,
The sweep of each sad lost wave,
The dwindling boom of the steel thing's striving,
The little cry of a man to a man,
A shadow falling across the greyer night,
And the sinking of the small star;
Then the waste, the far waste of waters,
And the soft lashing of black waves
For long and in loneliness.
Remember, thou, O ship of love,
Thou leavest a far waste of waters,
And the soft lashing of black waves
For long and in loneliness.
"I have heard the sunset song of the
birches,
"A white melody in the silence,
"I have seen a quarrel of the pines.
"At nightfall
"The little grasses have rushed by me
"With the wind men.
"These things have I lived," quoth the
maniac,
"Possessing only eyes and ears.
"But you--
"You don green spectacles before you look at roses. "
Fast rode the knight
With spurs, hot and reeking,
Ever waving an eager sword,
"To save my lady! "
Fast rode the knight,
And leaped from saddle to war.
Men of steel flickered and gleamed
Like riot of silver lights,
And the gold of the knight's good banner
Still waved on a castle wall.
. . . . . . .
A horse,
Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,
Forgotten at foot of castle wall.
A horse
Dead at foot of castle wall.
Forth went the candid man
And spoke freely to the wind--
When he looked about him he was in a far
strange country.
Forth went the candid man
And spoke freely to the stars--
Yellow light tore sight from his eye.
"My good fool," said a learned bystander,
"Your operations are mad. "
"You are too candid," cried the candid man.
And when his stick left the head of the
learned bystander
It was two sticks.
You tell me this is God?
I tell you this is a printed list,
A burning candle and an ass.
On the desert
A silence from the moon's deepest
valley.
Fire rays fall athwart the robes
Of hooded men, squat and dumb.
Before them, a woman
Moves to the blowing of shrill whistles
And distant thunder of drums,
While mystic things, sinuous, dull with
terrible color,
Sleepily fondle her body
Or move at her will, swishing stealthily over
the sand.
The snakes whisper softly;
The whispering, whispering snakes,
Dreaming and swaying and staring,
But always whispering, softly whispering.
The wind streams from the lone reaches
Of Arabia, solemn with night,
And the wild fire makes shimmer of blood
Over the robes of the hooded men
Squat and dumb.
Bands of moving bronze, emerald, yellow,
Circle the throat and arms of her,
And over the sands serpents move warily
Slow, menacing and submissive,
Swinging to the whistles and drums,
The whispering, whispering snakes,
Dreaming and swaying and staring,
But always whispering, softly whispering.
The dignity of the accursed;
The glory of slavery, despair, death,
Is in the dance of the whispering snakes.
A newspaper is a collection of half-injustices
Which, bawled by boys from mile to mile,
Spreads its curious opinion
To a million merciful and sneering men,
While families cuddle the joys of the fireside
When spurred by tale of dire lone agony.
A newspaper is a court
Where every one is kindly and unfairly tried
By a squalor of honest men.
