Water and fire succeed
The town, the pasture and the weed.
Water and fire deride
The sacrifice that we denied.
Water and fire shall rot
The marred foundations we forgot,
Of sanctuary and choir.
This is the death of water and fire.

In purple gown the priests process
Toward seven lamplights flaring
Pressed between ample holiness
and dreadful lack of mortal daring
What am I, one mutely asks
Even as he sings,
"Wakened by the solemn warning,
let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies."