The Lemmings
Once in a hundred years the Lemmings come Westward, in search of food, over the snow; Westward until the salt sea drowns them dumb; Westward, till all are drowned, those Lemmings go. Once, it is thought, there was a westward land Now drowned where there was food for those starved things, And memory of the place has burnt its brand In the little brains of all the Lemming Kings. Perhaps, long since, there was a land beyond Westward from death, some city, some calm place Where one could taste God's quiet and be fond With the little beauty of a human face; But now the land is drowned. Yet we still press Westward, in search, to death, to nothingness.
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"Once in a hundred years the Lemmings come..."
This evocative piece by John Masefield, titled "The Lemmings", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...