The iron harp that Adam christened Life ...
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The iron harp that Adam christened Life
The iron harp that Adam christened Life
Drips haunting tones into the brazen bowl
That Satan’s wife
Grips close between her heavy naked thighs.
(Her burning eyes
Tell of each god to whom she paid hard toll.)
An endless monotone of single notes
That ne’er began and nevermore shall end
Across the seas in dim metallics floats
The years to blend.
And they that bear the harp revere their lords,
The blind uncertain gods that smite the chords.
Like some Manchurian gong of keenest jade
Into the brazen bowl the brazen tones
Drum out a hard scintillant cannonade
As in a skull were shaken precious stones.
And she who holds the bowl still knows the spur
Of they who smite the harp and ravish her.
This work is from the United States and in the public domain because it was not legally published with the permission of the copyright holder before January 1, 2003 and the author died 89 years ago. This is a posthumous work and its copyright in certain countries and areas may depend on years since posthumous publication, rather than years since the author's death. Translations or editions published later may be copyrighted.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1936, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 88 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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