Classic Poem

First to speak
Was one, the last who lapsed from pure estate.

Be this the god ye serve? — The god ye sware
That we should this day see? — Our god, said they.

And are we bound to adore him who have passed
Through your mysterious rules and on us ta'en
His worship by the oath of fire?

Ye are,
In tones of hate replied the spirit chief,
By whom that wise one told of, late, was lost —
There standing as the hierophant of hell; —
Behold, ye are before him — bow the knee.

And the vast monster smiled; on every face,
A hot and lurid smile — like the red light
Which hovereth o'er the earthquake yet unborn,
Though quick. Oh woe!

When all — such answer made
As heretofore recorded — with remorse
Were smitten and repentance, and aside
Turned them to go; — the hierophant exclaimed,
Give to the mighty one his victim due!

Then those destroyers seized the angel youth
Who first recanted his accursed oath,
And cast him at the monster's feet, which cried,
No more of these ignoble victims; hence!
Bring me the royal bride, and I depart.

Soon as these fearful words were heard, lament
And consternation seized the greater half
Of those there present — and most base resolve
Filled up like molten lead the others' hearts.

Which cruel purpose when the sister-queen
Saw — to that living idol, fierce and foul
She knelt, and touched with natural sorrow, him
Besought the child to spare.

Take what, she said,
Take all thou wilt, but leave alone this one —
My sweet and sacred sister. She with me
Once in the happy past, and innocent, lived
A pure perpetual blessing; from her hand
Came boundless bounties; not a word she spake
But seemed a benediction; her bright heart
With lovelight glowed, for ever at the full.
In days of old o'er all the orb she ranged,
And reigned where'er she ranged. All things rejoiced
In her ecstatic advent. By her touch
The thrall a throned prince became; the dead
Dawned into life; o'er all things spread the spell
Of her resplendent presence. That they touched
Her very footsteps gladdened, as the waves
Leap into light and vanish in a smile.
But now — because of deeds thou know'st too well,
Deeds, peradventure, for repentance meet —
Immured, she lives the life of charity
In the still precincts of her holy home,
With many a lovely handmaiden around
In starry palace templed, till the hour
Of our celestial nuptials, as she deems,
If sorrow have not wronged her reason — come,

I, her rebukes of love have ofttimes borne
And scorned, and heaped upon her infamies,
Which she hath thrice forgiven; but let her not
Be out of life abolished, who hath done
Such good, and been so harmless at the worst.

Thou speakest as the she-fool only can —
Retorted then the angry terror; rise!
The very reasons thou dost name for life
Are those wherefore I hate her unto death.
Go! thou thyself shalt bind her to yon rock,
Or I will slay ye both. His tongue then ceased
Its frightful thunder-clang, nor spake he more.

Meanwhile, those basest few who thought to win
The tyrant monster's favour and preserve
Themselves from fatal end — death-threatened now —
Sought out the sorrowing maiden, and disguised
In borrowed robes of cheerful thanksgiving,
Entered the heavenly sanctuary wherein,
At the high altar ministering she stood,
Presaging sorrows soon to be fulfilled;
Predicting woes accomplished while foretold.
These, in mock worship mingling with the rest,
Yea even in mine own presence — for in her
'Midst all these woes, did I sole solace find —
Her, sudden, seized and bound and hurried off
To a lone sea-crag, circled by the sea,
And, for the monster's evening victim, left.

Then vowed I to deliver her from her foes —
And for the rescue armed. The lightning steed,
Which pastures on the air, and is the sign
Of the divine destruction of all worlds, —
The sparkles of whose hoofs, in falling stars,
Struck from the adamantine course of space,
Stream o'er the skies, — in swift and solemn joy,
Came trembling at my call. A lance of light,
A sunbeam tempered in eternal fire,
I in mine hand assumed, and forth we fared.