"Tiger, Pt. 2" by Giovanni Dania

Tiger, Pt. 2

Tiger, Tiger, dull and ag'd,
Thy former strength foerever cag'd
In arthritic bones and wither'd skin:
Thus the price for deadly sin.

When still young, and strong, and fresh,
Dreadful your teeth which rend all flesh.
But now thou'rt tir'd, haggard, and old,
Once-fiery eyes are black dots gone cold.

And thy Maker, who, in thy youth,
Was known by thy very form, plain truth
Was evident by thine ev'ry move:-
He made by hate, not by love.

Where is He now, who was so present
In thy shape, who by thee was meant
To bring Hell on Earth, where now, that thou
Art grown old,- well, where is He now?

Tiger, Tiger, dull and ag'd,
By thy former virtues the world was stag'd
As a banquet table, where the rage
Which cours'd through thee in some former age?

Approximate date of composition: Summer, 1994