StoryTitle("caps", "Death the Leveller ") ?>
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The glories of our blood and state ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Are shadows, not substantial things; ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "There is no armour against Fate; ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Death lays his icy hand on kings: ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "Sceptre and Crown", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "Must tumble down, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And in the dust be equal made ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "With the poor crookéd scythe and spade. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Some men with swords may reap the field, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And plant fresh laurels where they kill:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But their strong nerves at last must yield; ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "They tame but one another still: ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "Early or late ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "They stoop to fate, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And must give up their murmuring breath", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "When they, pale captives, creep to death. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The garlands wither on your brow, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Then boast no more your mighty deeds! ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Upon Death's purple altar now ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "See where the victor-victim bleeds.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "Your heads must come ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L5", "", "To the cold tomb: ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Only the actions of the just ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.", "") ?>
Poet("James Shirley", "1596-1666") ?>
PoemEnd() ?>