The Spalpeen

Looking on the rounded sky
From the Hill of Vision, I
Saw him striding here and there
Sowing seeds upon the air,
And he told the name of these,
Days and Years and Centuries.

Then a seed to me he threw
Saying, ‘tis a gift of you,
The best of all the seeds that be
This is the seed of mystery,
And its name is Death but no
Other tree can blossom so.

It will top the clouds and run
Branches up into the sun:
Fruit and leaf and branch and stem
Will grow far too high for them,
The immortals, who will cry
We are tired and cannot die.

“ Fear of the Gods” will be its name,
it will cover up their fame;
and beneath its shade will go
mighty mortals to and fro
who will die and live and be
eager through eternity.

James Stephens The Hill of Visions
Maunsel and Company Ltd, 1912