Page:Queen Moo's talisman; the fall of the Maya empire (IA queenmoostalisma00leplrich).djvu/33

 In contest fierce, for mastery thus strove

The elements, as luckless Mu they drove,

With Death to battle, down in yawning hell;

By all her gods forsaken, doomed she fell!"

"In blind despair, brother 'gainst brother fought;

For feeble minds to frenzy soon were brought.

Upon their knees men grovelled in the mud;

In vain from crashing wall, from flame and flood,

A shelter sought, demented they, with fear;

And many a pleading eye met maniac leer.

Fond mothers left their babes and raving fled;

Thus fast and faster unto death all sped.

Men ran distracted; climbed the stalwart trees,

By earthquake rocked like craft on stormy seas.

Cast off, they rushed to find in caverns deep

A refuge safe; nor into those might creep;

For when they drew anear, with thunderous sound

The cavern mouths closed up as heaved the ground.

In cities rich and great the house-tops swarmed

With frantic men, by fear to brutes transformed.

Around, the blackened, angry waters surged

Till dwellings rocked, and melting soon were merged,

Engulfed in dark abyss with writhing woe,

All swiftly spent in one last awful throe!"

"The temples of the gods, the halls of state,

Quick fell, but failed Lord Homen's greed to sate.