Cyclops' Eye

Machines and men frothing in a black bowl
At the crossroads of the world, and the howl
Of men and machines struck at my face like a claw,
And there was a nauseous rending of wood and steel—
and a sagging jaw!

And I cried, “Let me go!
I have seen. I know!”—
And heard, “Not so.”
And I looked and saw a jungle mocking
The leopard lozenged with gold who had sprung
Into a barrel’s spit—
And I fell down with it;
And I heard-a trigger click like a death’s hand clocking
The second, and I was flung
On the trumpets of assault unlocking
The lion’s lung;
And I saw the beauty of the lioness rocking
Behind green coals, bitterly blocking
The last yard to her young;
And I saw the panther when there is no help
Rolling a blind gaze on her whelp
And licking it with her tongue;
And I saw the bengal tiger charted black,
With the blonde lightning on his back
Shot down and stripped, or slung
Over a shoulder, or in the track
Of his long plunge and lone attack
Left for dung!

And I cried, “For the love of Christ, enough!”
And the wry
Silence came like a cuff
On the soul, and I shook with the rebuff ;
And the Cyclops’ Eye in my heart glowed:
And I saw a ship in a shouldering sea
Strain at her strength,
And suddenly shudder through all her length,
And spark her doom through the sky ;
And I heard the metallic cry:
“Women and children first! Stand by!”
And I saw the life-boats lowered—and smeared
Flat as you smear a fly;
And I saw some quick little fellow who feared
Shot down gurgling in his beard;
And I saw the decks cleared;
And I saw them try again and try
Again, but the seas were running high;
And I saw a-plenty jump—and die;
And I heard the ship’s orchestra strike up brave
Brass—and the ship went down with her load
Of people and bottles and plates, leaving the wave
In that place
To receive again, assail, overwhelm, erase.

And I heard the murmuring of all the surfs on all the
beaches of the world
Boom in the ear’s hollow cave, and I cried
“Tet me loose now! I have seen how men and ships
in their pride
Have gone down and died;
I have heard their drums and seen their colors curled
Under like shells—and then heard nothing beside,
Seen nothing but water divide
Decently and close once more and abide.” . . .
And there was a chuckling and my heart’s Eye was
turned
In on itself and eyed
Dirty corners there that burned
With many a horned lust, livid spots
That reeked of purple and flesh-pots,
Stamped with the hooves and chariots
Of the Assyrian treachery ;
And on the wall a Hand that traced
In the dust and webs the words
“Thus Belshazzar was effaced—
Though not his accusation!” . . . And
All at once a clamour of birds
Filled my heart like a hand
Filling a hole or like a ghost’s
Form flowing through a room:
And I heard a sound like doom
Moving, and I knew the Host’s
Breath: “Behold your puny boasts
With the worm in his lodge!
Salute your garrison of hawks !”—

And I could not stir,
I could not stir. .
The Voice resumed: ‘“Place-coveter,
Apparel-coveter, look upon
The hawk-thoughts of your garrison!
You that see and hear so plain
Others in their pride and pain,
What is it that lets you kiss
The ikon of your cowardice?
Think you to escape the fault
By exalting me, exalt
Your own forehead, salve your soul
With my myrrh and aureole?
You have looked and you have seen
Man the tool of his machine;
Heard the valves and pistons groan
Mute, and leave their lord—alone
With his feeble blood and bone;
You have stared into your heart
And found your brother’s counterpart:
For every stain on his head
You shall bleed as he has bled,
And the dead shall bury the dead ;
Now I go—but I release
Your heart to a desperate peace! ...
And I felt that He was gone
By a gust along the stone
Of my dream; felt Him fled
By a gust upon my head.
Then I wept: my hot tears
Burned my eyes awake; my ears
Heard the shouting in the street
Where the men and motors meet;
And my eyes followed the tall
Blur of light from window-frame to wall—
And that was all.