But will He love?
I heard it rumored in the heavens of old, (And doth He love ?) Thou wilt not, canst not, stand Against the love of God.

Dominion fails; I see it float from me, that long have worn Fetters of flesh to win it.

Love of God! I cry against thee; thou art worse than all." They answered, "Be not moved, admired chief And trusted of mankind"; and they went on, And fed him with the prophecies that fell From the Master-shipwright in his prayer.
But prone He lay, for he was sick: at every word Prophetic cowering.

As a bruising blow, It fell upon his head and daunted him, Until they ended, saying, "Prince, behold, Thy servants have revealed the whole." Thereon He out of snaky lips did hiss forth thanks.
Then said he, "Tartis and Deleisonon, Receive your wages." So their fetters fell; And they retiring, lauded him, and cried, "King, reign forever." Then he mourned, "Amen." And he,--being left alone,--he said: "A light! I see a light,--a star among the trees,-- An angel." And it drew toward the cave, But with its sacred feet touched not the grass, Nor lifted up the lids of its pure eyes, But hung a span's length from that ground pollute, At the opening of the cave.
And when he looked, The dragon cried, "Thou newly-fashioned thing, Of name unknown, thy scorn becomes thee not.
Doth not thy Master suffer what thine eyes Thou countest all too clean to open on ?" But still it hovered, and the quietness Of holy heaven was on the drooping lids; And not as one that answereth, it let fall The music from its mouth, but like to one That doth not hear, or, hearing, doth not heed.
"A message: 'I have heard thee, while remote I went My rounds among the unfinished stars.' A message: 'I have left thee to thy ways, And mastered all thy vileness, for thy hate I have made to serve the ends of My great love.
Hereafter will I chain thee down.

To-day One thing thou art forbidden; now thou knowest The name thereof: I told it thee in heaven, When thou wert sitting at My feet.