In That Year, One Five Two Five

Back then they said
In a folk chant—
Who does not die
In the first year,

And does not drown
In the next year,
And is not crushed
In the third year,

Can claim a real
Gift of charmed life.
Why did they sing
Such dark things then?

They feared the world
Was at its end—
The world just took
Each one of them.