I GREW spiritually fat living off the souls of men. If I saw a soul that was strong I wounded its pride and devoured its strength. The shelters of friendship knew my cunning, For where I could steal a friend I did so. And wherever I could enlarge my power By undermining ambition, I did so, Thus to make smooth my own. And to triumph over other souls, Just to assert and prove my superior strength, Was with me a delight, The keen exhilaration of soul gymnastics. Devouring souls, I should have lived forever. But their undigested remains bred in me a deadly nephritis, With fear, restlessness, sinking spirits, Hatred, suspicion, vision disturbed. I collapsed at last with a shriek. Remember the acorn; It does not devour other acorns. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 34. FAIRY LAND by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) PSALM 8. DOMINE DOMINUS by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE THE THUD OF THE CLODS by JULIA E. BRUMFIELD ON THE BATTLE OF SHERIFFMUIR by ROBERT BURNS THE AUTHOR'S EARNEST CRY AND PRAYER by ROBERT BURNS TO ROBERT GRAHAM OF FINTRY by ROBERT BURNS SONGS OF THE SEA CHILDREN: 70 by BLISS CARMAN |