As greeting follows greeting,
‘So kind of you to come,’
And meeting follows meeting
With Tweedledee and dum;

As strategies grow reckless
And computations fail,
And Dürer-like, the necklace
Of money eats it tail;

As tortoise-steps breed fury,
As up-and-comers sneer,
I lurch from judge—to jury,
On lettuce leaves of fear;

An inner voice, half-grieving,
‘What more have you to give—
So old, so past believing?
I Gave you life—now Live!’