Loose thy lips from out the rein;
        Lift thy wisdom to disdain;
        Whatso law thou canst not see,
        Scorning; so the end shall be
        Uttermost calamity!
        'Tis the life of quiet breath,
          'Tis the simple and the true,
        Storm nor earthquake shattereth,
          Nor shall aught the house undo
        Where they dwell. For, far away,
        Hidden from the eyes of day,
          Watchers are there in the skies,
          That can see man's life, and prize
        Deeds well done by things of clay.
          But the world's Wise are not wise,
        Claiming more than mortal may.
        Life is such a little thing;
          Lo, their present is departed,
        And the dreams to which they cling
        Come not. Mad imagining
          Theirs, I ween, and empty-hearted!

        Where is the Home for me?
        O Cyprus, set in the sea,
    Aphrodite's home In the soft sea-foam,
        Would I could wend to thee;
    Where the wings of the Loves are furled,
    And faint the heart of the world.

        Aye, unto Paphos' isle,
        Where the rainless meadows smile
    With riches rolled From the hundred-fold
        Mouths of the far-off Nile,
    Streaming beneath the waves
    To the roots of the seaward caves.

        But a better land is there
        Where Olympus cleaves the air,
    The high still dell Where the Muses dwell,
        Fairest of all things fair!
    O there is Grace, and there is the Heart's Desire.
    And peace to adore thee, thou Spirit of Guiding Fire!

        A God of Heaven is he,
        And born in majesty;
    Yet hath he mirth In the joy of the Earth,
        And he loveth constantly
    Her who brings increase,
    The Feeder of Children, Peace.

        No grudge hath he of the great;
        No scorn of the mean estate;
    But to all that liveth His wine he giveth,
        Griefless, immaculate;
    Only on them that spurn
    Joy, may his anger burn.

        Love thou the Day and the Night;
        Be glad of the Dark and the Light;
    And avert thine eyes From the lore of the wise,
        That have honour in proud men's sight.
    The simple nameless herd of Humanity
    Hath deeds and faith that are truth enough for me!

Our quest is finished, and thy prey, O King,
Caught; for the chase was swift, and this wild thing
Most tame; yet never flinched, nor thought to flee,
But held both hands out unresistingly—
No change, no blanching of the wine-red cheek.
He waited while we came, and bade us wreak
All thy decree; yea, laughed, and made my hest
Easy, till I for very shame confessed
And said: 'O stranger, not of mine own will
I bind thee, but his bidding to fulfil
Who sent me.'