Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/146

132 "And was broken in turn. Who knows

"How our Lords make strife?

"It is good that the young wheat grows,

"For the bread is Life."

Then, far and near, as the twilight drew,

Hissed up to the scornful dark

Great serpents, blazing, of red and blue,

That rose and faded, and rose anew,

That the Land might wonder and mark.

"To-day is a day of days," they said,

"Make merry, O People all!"

And the Ploughman listened and bowed his head:—

"To-day and to-morrow God's Will," he said,

As he trimmed the lamps on the wall.

"He sendeth us years that are good,

"As He sendeth the dearth.

"He giveth to each man his food,

"Or Her food to the Earth.

"Our Kings and our Queens are afar—

"On their peoples be peace—

"God bringeth the rain to the Bar,

"That our cattle increase."