Thomas Hardy - Before Life and After lyrics

  A time there was—as one may guess And as, indeed, earth's testimonies tell -   Before the birth of consciousness,    When all went well.   None suffered sickness, love, or loss, None knew regret, starved hope, or heart-burnings;   None cared whatever crash or cross    Brought wrack to things.   If something ceased, no tongue bewailed, If something winced and waned, no heart was wrung;   If brightness dimmed, and dark prevailed,    No sense was stung.   But the disease of feeling germed, And primal rightness took the tinct of wrong;   Ere nescience shall be reaffirmed    How long, how long?