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 brightness dimmed, and dark prevailed,                  No sense 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?