The Lords of Life

The lords of life, the lords of life,-

I saw them pass,

In their own guise,

Like and unlike,

Portly and grim,

Use and Surprise,

Surface and Dream,

Succession swift, and spectral Wrong,

Temperament without a tongue,

And the inventor of the game

Omnipresent without name;-

Some to see, some to be guessed,

They marched from east to west:

Little man, least of all,

Among the legs of his guardians tall,

Walked about with puzzled look:-

Him by the hand dear nature took;

Dearest nature, strong and kind,

Whispered, 'Darling, never mind!

Tomorrow they will wear another face,

The founder thou! these are thy race!'