Still wond'ring how the Marvel came
because two coupling mammals chose
To slake the thirst of fleshly love,
and thus the "Immortal Being" rose;

Wond'ring the Babe with staring eyes,
perforce compel'd from night to day,
Gript in the giant grasp of Life
like gale-born dust or wind-wrung spray;

Who comes imbecile to the world
'mid double danger, groans, and tears;
The toy, the sport, the waif and stray
of passions, error, wrath and fears;

Who knows not Whence he came nor Why,
who kens not Whither bound and When,
Yet such is Allah's choicest gift,
the blessing dreamt by foolish men;

Who step by step perforce returns
to couthless youth, wan, white and cold,
Lisping again his broken words
till all the tale be fully told:

Wond'ring the Babe with quenched orbs,
an oldster bow'd by burthening years,
How 'scaped the skiff an hundred storms;
how 'scaped the thread a thousand shears;