When I was a fighting-man, the kettle-drums they beat, The people…

When I was a fighting-man, the kettle-drums they beat,
The people scattered gold-dust before my horses feet;
But now I am a great king, the people hound my track
With poison in my wine-cup, and daggers at my back.

Sourced, “The Phoenix on the Sword
” (1932)

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