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Hymn to Breaking Strain Lyrics by Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar

The Undertaker’s Horse

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The careful text-books measure - Let all who build beware!
The load, the shock, the pressure material can bear
So, when the buckled girder lets down the grinding span
The blame of loss, or murder, is laid upon the man
Not on the Steel - the Man!
But, in our daily dealing with stone and steel, we find
The Gods have no such feeling of justice toward mankind
To no set gauge they make us, for no laid course prepare -
In time they overtake us with loads we cannot bear:
Too merciless to bear
The prudent text-books give it in tables at the end -
The stress that shears a rivet, or makes a tie-bar bend -
What traffic wrecks macadam - what concrete should endure -
But we, poor Sons of Adam, have no such literature
To warn us or make sure!
We hold all Earth to plunder - all Time and Space as well -
Too wonder-stale to wonder at each new miracle;
Till in the mid-illusion of Godhood 'neath our hand
Falls multiple confusion on all we did or planned -
The mighty works we planned
We only in Creation - how much luckier the bridge and rail! -
Abide the twin-damnation, to fail and know we fail
Yet we - by which sole token we know we once were Gods -
Take shame in being broken, however great the odds -
The Burden or the Odds
Oh, veiled and secret Power, whose paths we seek in vain
Be with us in our hour of overthrow and pain
That we - by which sure token we know Thy ways are true -
In spite of being broken, or because of being broken
Rise up and build anew
Stand up and build anew!
Credits
Leslie Fish

Leslie Fish

Julia Ecklar

Julia Ecklar

About “Hymn to Breaking Strain” by Leslie Fish

Read the complete lyrics to "Hymn to Breaking Strain" by Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar from the album "The Undertaker’s Horse". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country, Filk, Folk.

"Hymn to Breaking Strain" is performed by Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar. from the album "The Undertaker’s Horse" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Hymn to Breaking Strain", explore more songs by Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Hymn to Breaking Strain" is credited to Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Hymn to Breaking Strain" appears on "The Undertaker’s Horse".

Visit the Leslie Fish, Julia Ecklar artist page at /artist/leslie-fish for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.