I know not whither, willy-nilly blowing.

What, without asking, hither hurried whence?

And, without asking, whither hurried hence!

   Another and another Cup to drown

The Memory of this Impertinence!

Up from Earth’s Centre through the Seventh Gate

I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate,

   And many Knots unravel’d by the Road;

But not the Knot of Human Death and Fate.

There was a Door to which I found no Key:

There was a Veil past which I could not see:

   Some little Talk awhile of ME and THEE

There seem’d—and then no more of THEE and ME.

Then to the rolling Heav’n itself I cried,

Asking, “What Lamp had Destiny to guide

   Her little Children stumbling in the Dark?”

And—“A blind Understanding!” Heav’n replied.

Then to this earthen Bowl did I adjourn

My Lip the secret Well of Life to learn:

   And Lip to Lip it murmur’d—“While you live

Drink!—for once dead you never shall return.”

I think the Vessel, that with fugitive

Articulation answer’d, once did live,

   And