Original - Duke Divinity School

An Instrument I take, which not exceeds
A yard in length, such as men frequent use
To make the fatal Chasm to inclose
Frail Mortals dead, inshrined in Coffin black.
To this I add another Instrument
Black, dismal, gaping wide, a Subtle Height.
With these I low descend into the Earth
where my amaz’d Eyes do strait behold
Strange, hideous monsters, crawling on six legs,
With disproportioned Head, and branched Thighs,
And useless Wings, and Bellies ting’d with Blue!
In spite of these I dig my monstrous load.
Reluctant, often humming drowsy tune,
And sometimes in more lively 134 Notes, I wot [???]
And merry strains I bid old Care avaunt
When done, my Spade across my Shoulder slung,
With writhen neck, and countenance nothing blith,
I bear the tawny Spoil: For should my foot,
Should my unwary foot once chance to slide
Down goes the ill-poised Load — With stupid Eyes
and Heart o’ercome with Grief, I see my Vast
My ponderous Labor leveled with the Dust!
So, as deluded Malabarians sing,
An ancient monster, an unwieldy Serpent,
Upholds the stedfast Pillars of the Earth.
But should he chance to quit his surest hold
It’s Pillars break, it’s warring elements
134 First wrote “merry,” then crosses out and writes “lively.”
84