3The best of blades to yet be drawn –
Ah, sweet seraphim, fly! –
Fell upon the angels' wings
And drew their Lordship nigh.
The men gazed on with curious eyes –
How cherubim do fall! –
As pairs of wings crashed through the stars,
Aflame against that wall.
Those angels struck the bitter Earth –
Such beauty in those thrones! –
Whilst Earth gave out a whimpered cry
At cracking their sweet bones.
As men drew nigh to touch those stars –
Those blessed dominions' crowns! –
They found an evil in their good;
An evil without bounds.
Thus did men approach their fate –
What virtues have endured! –
To love and hate their only God,
And just as Him, their Lord.
But there the fall did not meet ends –
The powers fell with pride! –
As Earth collapsed below those souls
Unto a hellish wide.
There they fell with anguished spite –
Fine principalities! –
Unto the flame to be their home
For all eternities.
And as the folk of Earth gazed down –
Aloft, ye archangels! –
They shouted shouts of deep regret
Into that traitors' hole.
As the hole closed o'er the flames –
Ah, sweet angels, fly! –
A single tear of men fell down
To reclaim when they die.