My soul is a stiff pageant, man by man,

My soul is a stiff pageant, man by man,

Of some Egyptian art than Egypt older,

Found in some tomb whose rite no guess can scan,

Where all things else to coloured dust did moulder.

Whate'er its sense may mean, its age is twin

To that of priesthoods whose feet stood near God,

When knowledge was so great that 'twas a sin

And man's mere soul too man for its abode.

But when I ask what means that pageant I

And would look at it suddenly, I lose

The sense I had of seeing it, nor can try

Again to look, nor hath my memory a use

That seems recalling, save that it recalls

An emptiness of having seen those walls.

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