I saw the unloved and unhappy old, waiting for slow delinquent death
to come.
Pale little children toiling for the rich, in rooms where sunlight is
ashamed to go.
The awful alms-house, where the living dead rot slowly in their
hideous open graves.
And there were shameful things;
Soldiers and forts, and industries of death, and devil ships, and
loud-winged devil birds,
All bent on slaughter and destruction. These and yet more shameful
things mine eyes beheld.
Old men upon lascivious conquest bent, and young men living with no
thought of God;
And half clothed women puffing at a weed, aping the vices of the
underworld -
Engrossed in shallow pleasures and intent on being barren wives.
These things I saw.
(How God must loathe His earth.)

Glad man, Glad man, tell me, pray,
What did you see to-day?

I saw an aged couple, in whose eyes
Shone that deep light of mingled love and faith
Which makes the earth one room of Paradise,
And leaves no sting in death.

I saw fair regiments of children pour,
Rank after rank, out of the schoolroom door
By Progress mobilised. They seemed to say