Thewhileamongtheverdantleavesmineeyes
Iriveted, asheiswonttodo
Whowasteshislifepursuinglittlebirds,
MymorethanFathersaiduntome: "Son,
Comenow; becausethetimethatisordainedus
Moreusefullyshouldbeapportionedout."
Iturnedmyfaceandnolesssoonmysteps
UntotheSages, whowerespeakingso
Theymadethegoingofnocosttome;
Andlo! wereheardasongandalament,
"Labiamea, Domine," infashion
Suchthatdelightanddolenceitbroughtforth.
"OmysweetFather, whatisthisIhear?"
BeganI; andheanswered: "Shadesthatgo
Perhapstheknotunloosingoftheirdebt."
Inthesamewaythatthoughtfulpilgrimsdo,
Who, unknownpeopleontheroado'ertaking,
Turnthemselvesroundtothem, anddonotstop,
Eventhus, behinduswithaswiftermotion
Comingandpassingonward, gazeduponus
Acrowdofspiritssilentanddevout.
Eachinhiseyeswasdarkandcavernous,
Pallidinface, andsoemaciate
Thatfromthebonestheskindidshapeitself.
Idonotthinkthatsotomerestrind
CouldErisichthonhavebeenwitheredup
Byfamine, whenmostfearhehadofit.
ThinkingwithinmyselfIsaid: "Behold,
ThisisthefolkwholostJerusalem,
WhenMarymadeapreyofherownson."
Theirsocketswerelikeringswithoutthegems;
Whoeverinthefaceofmenreads 'omo'
Mightwellinthesehaverecognisedthe 'm.'
Whowouldbelievetheodourofanapple,
Begettinglonging, couldconsumethemso,
Andthatofwater, withoutknowinghow?
Istillwaswonderingwhatsofamishedthem,
Fortheoccasionnotyetmanifest
Oftheiremaciationandsadsqualor;
Andlo! fromoutthehollowofhishead
