Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/120

I stayed the sun at noon to tell
  My way across the waste of it;
I read the storm before it fell
  And made the better haste of it.

Afar, I hailed the land at night—
  The towers I built had heard of me—
And, ere my rocket reached its height,
  Had flashed my Love the word of me.

Earth sold her chosen men of strength
 (They lived and strove and died for me)
To drive my road a nation's length,
  And toss the miles aside for me.

I snatched their toil to serve my needs—
  Too slow their fleetest flew for me.
I tired twenty smoking steeds,
  And bade them bait a new for me.

I sent the Lightnings forth to see
  Where hour by hour She waited me.
Among ten million one was She,
  And surely all men hated me!

Dawn ran to meet me at my goal—
  Ah, day no tongue shall tell again!
And little folk of little soul
  Rose up to buy and sell again!