THE LAY OF THE SINGER'S FALL

by: Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953)

SINGER was born in a land of gold,

In the time of the long ago

And the good fairies gathered from heath and wold

With gracious gifts to bestow.

They gave him the grace of Mirth and Song,

They crowned him with Health and Joy

And love for the Right and hate for the Wrong

They instilled in the soul of the boy;

But when they were gone, through the open door

The Devil of Doubt crept in,

And he breathed his poison in every pore

Of the sleeping infant's skin,

And in impish glee, said "Remember me

For I shall abide for aye with thee

From the very first moment thine eyes shall see

And know the meaning of sin."

 

The singer became a man and he fought

With the might of his pen and hand

To show for evil the cure long sought,

And spread Truth over the land;

Till the Devil mockingly said, "In sooth

'Tis a sorry ideal you ride,

For the truth of truths is there is no truth!"

--And the faith of the singer died--

 

And the singer was sad and he turned to Love

And the arms of his ladye faire,

He sang of her eyes as the stars above

He sang of -- and kissed -- her hair;

Till the Devil whispered, "I fondly trust

This is folly and nought beside,

For the greatest of loves is merely lust!"

--And the heart of the singer died--

 

So the singer turned from the world's mad strife

And he walked in the paths untrod,

And thrilled to the dream of a future life

As he prayed to the most high God;

Till the Devil murmured with sneering breath,

"What think you the blind skies hide?

There is nothing sure after death but death!"

--And the soul of the singer died--

 

And the lips of the singer were flecked with red

And torn with a bitter cry,

"When Truth and Love and God are dead

It is time, full time, to die!"

And the Devil in triumph chuckled low,

"There is always suicide,

It's the only logical thing I know."

--And the life of the singer died.

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