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Not exactly a happy ending.

But, as it will be in the future, it was at the birth of man ... there are only four things certain since social progress began...

From the vantage point of the year after The Great War, Kipling laid-out the next century for us.

I rewrote it some. With apologies to Kipling. ◾AS I PASS through my incarnations before each age and race, ◾And I proffer my Prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place. ◾Peering through my fragile fingers I would watch them flourish and fall, ◾As the Gods of the Copybook Headings, anticipate them all. ◾We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn ◾That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire certainly burns: ◾While we found them lacking in Uplift, in Vision and Breadth of Mind, ◾We left them to teach Gorillas; while we struck out to find Mankind. ◾We expand as their Spirit listed; They never altered their pace, ◾Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place, ◾They always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come; ◾Their tribe had conquered endless icefields, while the lights were out in Rome. ◾With the Hopes that our World is built on they were ever out of touch, ◾As they denied the Moon was Stilton; they denied that she was Dutch; ◾While they denied the Wishes Horses; they denied a Pig had Wings; ◾The Gods of the Market Place purchased every unproductive thing. ◾When the Cambrian mounts divided, They promised persistant peace. ◾Swearing, if we would leave our weapons, that the tribal wars would cease. ◾But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us to our foe, ◾The Gods of the Copybook Headings: "Keep the Devil you know." ◾On the first Feminian Sandstones; they promised the Fuller Life ◾(Which starts by loving our neighbour and not by us loving his wife) ◾Until our women had no children and the men lost faith and breath, ◾Said the Gods of the Copybook Headings "The Wage of Sin is Death." ◾In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised stuff for all, ◾By robbing selected Peter to provide for collective Paul; ◾Although we had our money plenty; nothing could our money buy, ◾Said the Gods of the Copybook Headings; "If you don't work you die." ◾The Gods of the Market Place tumbled, while their wizards now withdrew ◾The stubborn hearts of haughty humbled, and believed it now be true ◾That All that Glitters is not Gold; however Two and Two make Four ◾The Gods of the Copybook Headings would explain it all once more. ◾As they fortold it to the future, starting with the birth of Man ◾That our nature would keep us steady since the Progress has began. ◾The Dog returneth to his Vomit; as the Sow goes to her Mire, ◾As the bandaged Fool's finger burnt itself inside the Fire; ◾When our Society is finished, and the brave new world begins ◾And all our men are paid for living and no Man must pay for sin, ◾And as surely the Water wet us; and as surely the Fire burns, ◾The Gods of the Copybook Headings with their slaughter now return!

It’s a fantastic poem. The Metre is a bit choppy. I tried to fix it, it flows much better now and I think some of the rather weak lines are stronger now.