Saturday, February 26, 2022

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

From The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot, Line 25.

There is shadow under this red rock
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

The last line hearkening, presumably to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer burial service.  

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust ; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body of our low estate that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

In turn reflecting the majestic language of the King James Version of Genesis 3:19 where God speaks to Adam.

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

This is the punishment arising from Adam and Eve having eaten the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  

Fear in a handful of dust indeed.

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