The world hath just one tale to tell, and it is very old,
A little tale--a simple tale--a tale that's easy told:
"There was a youth in Babylon who greatly loved a
maid!"
The world hath just one song to sing, but sings it
unafraid,
A little song--a foolish song--the only song it hath:
"There was a youth in Ascalon who loved a girl in
Gath!"

Homer clanged it, Omar twanged it, Greece and
Persia knew!--
Nimrod's reivers, Hiram's weavers, Hindu, Kurd,
and Jew--
Crowning Tyre, Troy afire, they have dreamed
the dream;
Tiber-side and Nilus-tide brightened with the
gleam--

Oh, the suing, sighing, wooing, sad and merry
hours,
Blisses tasted, kisses wasted, building Babel's
towers!
Hearts were aching, hearts were breaking, lashes
wet with dew,
When the ships touched the lips of islands Sappho
knew;
Yearning breasts and burning breasts, cold at last,
are hid