The World did say to me, "My bread thou shalt not eat,I have no place for thee In house nor field nor street.
"I have on land nor sea For thee nor home nor bread;I scarce can give to thee A grave when thou art dead."
"O crazy World," said I, "What is it thou canst give,Which wanting, I must die, Or having, I shall live?
"When thou thy all hast spent, And all thy harvests cease,I still have nutriment That groweth by decrease.
"Thy streets will pass away, Thy towers of steel be rust,Thy heights to plains decay, Thyself be wandering dust.
"But I go ever on, I mount from prime to prime,From an eternal throne I govern Chance and Time.
"Then, crazy World," said I, "What is it thou canst give,Which wanting, I must die, Or having, I shall live?"
