A deep enigma is the soul of man.

His conscious life obeys the Inconscient’s rule,

His need of joy is learned in sorrow’s school;

His heart is a chaos and an empyrean.

His subtle ignorance borrows Wisdom’s plan;

His mind is the Infinite’s sharp and narrow tool.

He wades through mud to reach the Wonderful,

And does what Matter must or Spirit can.

All powers in his living’s soil take root

Hoping to grow and dominate the earth.

This little creature mind that would be great

Is Nature’s fool and Godhead’s struggling birth,

A demigod and a demon and a brute,

The slave and the creator of his fate.