Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/259

 He, single-handed, met and slew

Magicians, Armies, Ogres, Kings.

He lonely 'mid his doubting crew—

"In all the loneliness of wings"—

He fed the flame, he filled the springs,

He locked the ranks, he launched the van

Straight at the grinning Teeth of Things.

"Once on a time there was a Man."

The peace of shocked Foundations flew

Before his ribald questionings.

He broke the Oracles in two,

And bared the paltry wires and strings.

He headed desert wanderings;

He led his soul, his cause, his clan

A little from the ruck of Things.

"Once on a time there was a Man."

Thrones, Powers, Dominions block the view

With episodes and underlings—

The meek historian deems them true

Nor heeds the song that Clio sings—

The simple central truth that stings

The mob to boo, the priest to ban;

Things never yet created things—

"Once on a time there was a Man."

A bolt is fallen from the blue.

A wakened realm full circle swings

Where Dothan's dreamer dreams anew

Of vast and farborne harvestings;

And unto him an Empire clings

That grips the purpose of his plan.

My Lords, how think you of these things?

Once—in our time—is there a Man?