Jephthah and Other Mysteries

xvi PRELUDE. Its pure wings, and abased itself, and bore Fetters impure, and stooped, and was no more. But resurrection’s ghastly power grew strong, And Lust was born, adulterous with Wrong, The Child of Lies; so man was blinded still, Garnered the harvest of abortive ill, For wheat reaped thistles, and for worship wrought A fouler idol of his meanest thought: A monster, vengeful, cruel, traitor, slave, Lord of disease and father of the grave, A treacherous bully, feeble as malign, Intolerable, inhuman, undivine, With spite close girded and with hatred shod, A snarling cur, the Christian’s Christless God. Out! misbegotten monster! with thy brood, The obscene offspring of thy pigritude, Incestuous wedlock with the Pharisees That hail the Christ a son of thee! Our knees Bend not before thee, and our earth-bowed brows Shake off their worship, and reject thy spouse, The harlot of the world! For, proud and free, We stand beyond thy hatred, even we: We broken in spirit beneath bitter years, Branded with the burnt-offering of tears, Spit out upon the lie, and in thy face Cast back the slimy falsehood; to your place, Ye Gadarean swine, too foul to fling Into the waters that abound and spring ! Back, to your mother filth! With hope, and youth Love, light, and power, and mastery of truth