1 I am a slave, both dumb and blind, 2 Upon a journey dread; 3 The iron hills lie far behind, 4 The seas of mist ahead. 5 Amid a mighty caravan 6 I toil a sombre track, 7 The strangest road since time began, 8 Where no foot turneth back. 9 Here rosy youth at morning's prime 10 And weary man at noon 11 Are crooked shapes at eventime 12 Beneath the haggard moon. 13 Faint elfin songs from out the past 14 Of some lost sunset land 15 Haunt this grim pageant drifting, vast, 16 Across the trackless sand. 17 And often for some nightward wind 18 We stay a space and hark, 19 Then leave the sunset lands behind, 20 And plunge into the dark. 21 Somewhere, somewhere, far on in front, 22 There strides a lonely man 23 Who is all strength, who bears the brunt, 24 The battle and the ban. 25 I know not of his face or form, 26 His voice or battle-scars, 27 Or how he fronts the haunted storm 28 Beneath the wintry stars; 29 I know not of his wisdom great 30 That leads this sightless host 31 Beyond the barren hills of fate 32 Unto some kindlier coast. 33 But often 'mid the eerie black 34 Through this sad caravan 35 A strange, sweet thrill is whispered back, 36 Borne on from man to man. 37 A strange, glad joy that fills the night 38 Like some far marriage horn, 39 Till every heart is filled with light 40 Of some belated morn. 41 The way is long, and rough the road, 42 And bitter the night, and dread, 43 And each poor slave is but a goad 44 To lash the one ahead. 45 Evil the foes that lie in wait 46 To slay us in the pass, 47 Bloody the slaughter at the gate, 48 And bleak the wild morass; 49 And I am but a shriveled thing 50 Beneath the midnight sky; 51 A wasted, wan remembering 52 Of days long wandered by. 53 And yet I lift my sightless face 54 Toward the eerie light, 55 And tread the lonely way we trace 56 Across the haunted night.