Classic Poem

CAPUTVIII

Decent burgesses have often
Smelt offensively, while perfume
Has been shed by royal lackeys —
Ambergris and lavender.

There are virgin souls among us
Who indulge in soaps the vilest,
Whereas vice may be anointed
With the fragrant oil of roses.

Wherefore, gentle reader, sneer not
If the hole of Atta Troll
Be in no way reminiscent
Of the spices of Arabia.

Linger with me, gentle reader,
In that air of heavy odours,
While our hero offers counsel
To his son as from a cloud: —

" Child, my child, the latest offshoot
Of my life, toward my muzzle
Lean thy single ear, attentive
To my earnest words and solemn!

" To the human mode of thinking
Never yield assent: 'twill ruin
Soul and body; for among them
Not a man is worth the name.

" Even the Germans, once the noblest:
The descendants of Tuisco,
And our own primeval cousins:
For the worse have altered sadly.

" They are creedless now and godless;
They are atheistic ranters —
Child, my child, avoid the errors
Both of Feuerbach and Bauer!

" Be no atheistic, monstrous
Bear-abortion, the Creator
With irreverence regarding —
'Twas a God who made the world.

" Sun and moon in heaven above us,
Stars and planets — tailed and tailless —
One and all reflect the radiance
Of the everlasting power;

" While, below, both land and ocean
Are the echo of His glory;
Every creature sings the praises
Of His majesty divine.

" Even the silver louse, the smallest,
On the bearded holy pilgrim,
Shares the mortal, earthly sojourn:
The eternal paean hymns!

" In yon shining star-pavilion,
On a golden throne exalted,
World-controlling and majestic,
Sits a Polar Bear colossal.

" And His coat is fair and spotless,
White and gleaming; and His forehead
Wears a diamond crown that sparkles
To the utmost ends of heaven.

" On His face, serene, harmonious,
Rest the silent deeds of thought;
At a signal from His sceptre
All the spheres resounding sing.

" At His feet in lowly worship
Sit the sainted bears who meekly
On the earth endured, upholding
In their paws the martyr's palm.

" First the one and then the other,
As the Holy Spirit moves them,
Leaping up in jubilation,
Joins the sacred dance, adoring:

" Dance divine, where grace effulgent
Renders talent quite superfluous;
Where the soul for very rapture
From the skin is fain to leap.

" Oh shall I, unworthy Troll,
Share the joys of the redemption,
Far to realms of bliss translated
From these mean and earthly sorrows?

" In the star-pavilion yonder,
Heaven-drunken shall I also
With the palm and with the halo
Dance in awe before the Throne? "