Ever reeking from the vales of earth Ascends to us life's fevered surge,
Wealth's excess, the rage of dearth,Smoke of death meals on the gallow's verge;
Greed without end, imprisoned air; Murderers' hands, usurers' hands, hands of prayer;
Exhales in fœtid breath the human swarn. Whipped on by fear and lust, blood raw,
blood warm, Breathing blessedness and savage heats, Eating itself and spewing what it eats, Hatching war and lovely art, Decking out with idiot craze Bawdy houses while they blaze, Through the childish fair-time mart Weltering to its own decay In the glare of pleasure's way, Rising for each newborn and then Sinking for each to dust again.

But we above you ever more residing In the ether's star translumined ice
Know not day nor night nor time's dividing, Wear nor age nor sex for our device.
All your sins and anguish self-affrighting, Your murders and lascivious delighting
Are to us but as a show Like the suns that circling go, Changing not our day for night;
On your frenzied life we spy, And refresh ourselves thereafter
With the stars in order fleeing; Our breath is winter; in our sight
Fawns the dragon of the sky; Cool and unchanging is our eternal being,
Cool and star bright is our eternal laughter.