Here I lie in the ground;
The worms glide out and in;
No lightest whisper of sound,
After a life-long din.
The worms glide out and in;
They are fruitful and multiply;
After a life-long din,
I watch them quietly.
They are fruitful and multiply,
My body dwindles the while;
I watch them quietly;
I can scarce forbear a smile.
My body dwindles the while,
I shall soon be a skeleton;
I can scarce forbear a smile
They have had such glorious fun.
I shall soon be a skeleton,
The worms are wriggling away;
They have had such glorious fun,
They will fertilise my clay.
The worms are wriggling away,
They are what I have been,
They will fertilise my clay.
The grass will grow more green.
They are what I have been.
I shall change, but what of that?
The grass will grow more green,
The parson's sheep grow fat.
I shall change, but what of that?
All flesh is grass, one says,
The parson's sheep grow fat,
The parson grows in grace.
All flesh is grass, one says,
Grass becomes flesh, one knows,
The parson grows in grace;
I am the grace he grows.
Grass becomes flesh, one knows,
He grows like a bull of Bashan.
I am the grace he grows;
I startle his congregation.