Winter Words, Op. 52: 8. Before Life and After

Lyrics

A time there was—as one may guess And as, indeed, earth's testimonies tell— Before the birth of consciousness When all went well None suffered sickness, love, or loss None knew regret, starved hope, or heart-burnings; None cared whatever crash or cross Brought wrack to things If something ceased, no tongue bewailed If something winced and waned, no heart was wrung; If brightnеss dimmed, and dark prevailed No sеnse was stung But the disease of feeling germed And primal rightness took the tinct of wrong: Ere nescience shall be reaffirmed How long, how long?