I SAW two vultures, gray they were and gorged: One on a mosque sat high, asleep he seemed, Claw-stayed within the silver crescent's curve; Not far away, another, gray as he, As full content and somnolent with food, Clutched with instinctive grip the golden cross High on the church an alien creed had built. Yon in the museum mighty Rameses sleeps, For some new childhood swaddled like a babe. Osiris and Jehovah, Allah, Christ, This land hath known, and, in the dawn of time, The brute-god-creature crouching in the sand, Ere Rameses worshipped and ere Seti died. How much of truth to each new faith He gave Who is the very father of all creeds, I know not now—nor shall know. Ever still Past temple, palace, tomb, the great Nile flows, Free and more free of bounty as men learn To use his values. Only this I know. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BROTHERS by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS MEZZO CAMMIN by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE ARMADA; A FRAGMENT by THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY A REQUIEM FOR SOLDIERS LOST IN OCEAN TRANSPORTS by HERMAN MELVILLE ODES II, 10 by QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS LONG LIVE LIFE by JACQUES BARON |