Richard Burton - Song of Earth's Meaning lyrics

"What does it matter," you say, "When the wilderness lies tame to the hand of man? It can last but a day, It is part of the primordial plan For the best of mortal endeavour to pa** away." Nay, not so. Man must conquer, the soul of him win, Leash the lightning, burrow the plumbless sea, Level the mountains, make him a place within Dank-aired mines, build him cities where he Shall walk alert and free Nor trample on want and woe. 'Tis the spirit of man to fight For the ultimate prizes, won By the sweat of his brow, the light That is in him; by star and sun, To plant and plan and die in the quest, Till the tortured world, by east and west, Yield him a largess of tilth and joy and rest. Haggard, beat-down, beset By a myriad opposing things, He shall labour in faith, to get The glory that gives him wings; To see the desert bloom like the rose, And the crooked paths made straight, The miracle wrought in the face of foes That menace him, soon and late. Since something deep within him dares, and his deep heart knows. 'Tis the romance of daedal days In this latest birth of Time, And better than all the lays Of legends that ring in rhyme; 'Tis the victor-song sublime Of the pigmy that first began Up toward the stars to climb, When he quoth to himself, "I can!" He cannot but live his life Pricked by this wonder-thought: To use the hammer and knife, Till out of the stress is wrought, Out of the sorrow and strife, A world a-smile in an after age; Even as God in his counsels sage, Struck from the chaos our heritage. Then hail to the master work, To the romance of matter, hail! Never a chance to shirk, Never the will to fail, Till the planet, conquered and cleansed, shall shine As fire, and swing to the song divine Of the cosmic choir, - brother, your song and mine!