A Legend of Gold
Lucifer craved one boon of God
After his fall, as his own to hold;
So He gave him a mite in heaven’s sight,
But lo! the gift that He gave was—Gold.
And Lucifer wrought with the rugged ore
Till he fashioned it wondrous fair, and then
He set a price on the precious store,
And the price was the blood and tears of men.
Blood and tears! and the price was paid;
Blood was nothing, and tears were free;
And Lucifer smiled at the fools and said:
“Surely your souls should belong to me!”
So he offered the earth with its golden heart,
And the seas with their fleets from pole to pole;
And they looked with lust on the world-wide mart,
And said in their hearts,—“It is worth the soul!”
And kings were they, and they ruled right well;
Gorgeously sped their sovereign day...
But Lucifer hath their souls in Hell,
And their gold and their empires—where are they?