God lay dead in heaven; br Angels sang the hymn of the end; br Purple winds went moaning, br Their wings drip-dripping br With blood br That fell upon the earth. br It, groaning thing, br Turned black and sank. br Then from the far caverns br Of dead sins br Came monsters, livid with desire. br They fought, br Wrangled over the world, br A morsel. br But of all sadness this was sad -- br A woman's arms tried to shield br The head of a sleeping man br From the jaws of the final beast.