In a circle they seemed to advance;

The poor and the rich, and the young and the old,—

But the grave-clothes impeded the dance:

And as no person thought about modesty there,

They flung off their garments, and stripped themselves bare,

And a shroud lay on each heap of mould.

They kicked up their heels, and they rattled their bones,

And the horrible din that they made

Went clickety-clackety—just like the tones

Of a castanet noisily played.