There were planets and moon and sun,

And one was the globe we tread."

Then the Spirit that Nullifies,

Men term Death, asked: "How long?" (One fears

God shrugged.) "While I blink my eyes—

Shall we say a billion years?"

* * * * *

The youth on the fable broke,

And scorn in his accents ran:

"What is all this to me? I spoke