John Milton

O dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark! total eclipse,
Without all hope of day.

O dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark! total eclipse,
Without all hope of day.

If this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,
And earth's base built on stubble.

If this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,
And earth's base built on stubble.

For smiles from reason flow
To brute deny'd, and are of love the food.

For smiles from reason flow
To brute deny'd, and are of love the food.

And now the herald lark
Left his ground-nest, high tow'ring to descry
The morn's approach, and greet read more

And now the herald lark
Left his ground-nest, high tow'ring to descry
The morn's approach, and greet her with his song.

So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse
Met ever, and to shameful silence brought,
Yet gives not o'er read more

So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse
Met ever, and to shameful silence brought,
Yet gives not o'er though desperate of success.