Twenty-nine

This who would take over the earth
And shape it to their will
Never, I notice, succeed.

The earth is like a vessel so sacred
That at the mere approach of the profane
It is marred
And when they reach out their fingers it is gone.

For a time in the world some force themselves ahead
And some are left behind,
For a time in the world some make a great noise
And some are held silent,
For a time in the world some are puffed fat
And some are kept hungry,
For a time in the world some push aboard
And some are tipped out.

At no time in the world will a person who is sane
Over-reach themselves,
Over-spend themselves,
Over-rate themselves.