A TIME there was - as one may guess And as, indeed, earth's testimonies tell - Before the birth of consciousness, When all went well. None suffered sickness, love, or loss, None knew regret, starved hope, or heart-burnings; None cared whatever crash or cross Brought wrack to things. If something ceased, no tongue bewailed, If something winced and waned, no heart was wrung; If brightness dimmed, and dark prevailed, No sense was stung. But the disease of feeling germed, And primal rightness took the tinct of wrong; Ere nescience shall be reaffirmed How long, how long? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...YOUTH'S IMMORTALITY by GEORGE SANTAYANA A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 1 by GAIUS VALERIUS CATULLUS CYNTHIADES: TO CYNTHIA ON CONCEALMENT OF HER BEAUTY by FRANCIS KYNASTON THESEUS by THOMAS STURGE MOORE DRINKING SONG (5) by ALCAEUS OF MYTILENE THE IVORY CRADLE by AUGUSTE ANGELLIER NOT TO BE MINISTERED TO by MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK THE IVORY GATE; AN UNFINISHED DRAFT by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |