Classic Poem

INTRODUCTION TO A DRAMA (1821).

ANIMALI PARLANTI .

 1 Raven . Look above thee, brother;—Look!
  Crow . Cousin, quit the wizard's book.
Leave the adder to die alone:
Study no more the thunder-stone:
Quit the hemlock's seething must;
And Hell's black volcame dust.
 1 Rav. Look above thee,—in the air!
  Crow . Ho, ho! Is it not a vision rare?
 2 Rav. They hover, and hover,
Now under, now over
The cloud which is growing warm
With the kindling light of the coming storm.
  Crow . Hark, i' the air!
 1 Rav. And the earth!
 2 Rav. Ah, ha! she starts at an evil birth.
She heaves, she heaves,
And the shaking leaves
Grow parch'd, and the wind a sad music weaves.
  Crow . Look! One has shot down like a star.
 2 Rav. But the other is soaring far,
Like a Spirit that seeks the sun,
When his errand below, in the dust, is done.
 1 Monkey . Mark the raven: note the rook!
What do they with the Devil's book?
 2 Mon. Stupid wretches!
 1 Mon. And the crow?
What should such lumps of feathers know?
They 're fit for nought,
In my poor thought,
But to trick out a funeral raree-show.
 2 Mon. Peace, son; they are but birds, you know:
They can't distinguish right from wrong.
 1 Mon. I 'll teach 'em to subtract ere long.
 2 Mon. We 'll try, some day, what can be done.
In the meantime, 'tis fit, my son,
We from them get whate'er we can:
And much we may do,
If we mind our cue,
For a monkey is much on a par with man:
There 's a difference—
  Parrot . Ho! I shall crack my side.
 2 Mon. Tho' few see 't, till we sit side by side.
On the one hand, a man has a longer nose,
And struts in clean linen, wherever he goes;
But what has he like to the monkey's tail? —
  Par. Ho, ho!—Ho, ho!
 2 Mon. Then he has'nt such grace,
Nor so fine a face:
These things must be thrown in the opposite scale.
  Owls . Hur-ruh!—Hur-ruh!
  Vulture . The tyrant Tempest is coming!
He strives to hold his breath:
But I smell him, and hear him humming
The beautiful terrible tune of Death.
  Starling . Death!—Death!
  Snake . He is creeping amongst the leaves:
He ruffles the moss and flowers:
He is cunning; but who deceives
The snake in her watchful hours?
  Dove . He cometh: yet I must stay;
For my lover will come, who is far away
In the distant showers.
  Nightingale . And nothing shall force me fly;
For hither I came to die
In the dark pine bowers.
  Rat . Dost hear 'em clatter? Let's run, let's run:
The ruin (I feel it) has just begun.
Save yourselves, brothers, and stay for none.
The sky is clothed in rain;
The clouds are big with thunder:
And the hills all shake with a spasm pain;
For Spirits, above and under,
Are shouting,—from steep to steep,
All over the airy deep;
And thorough the caves and veins,
Where Mammon the monarch reigns;
And witches are calling
From wood to wood;
And comets are falling
In swamp and flood!
  Owls . Hur-ruh!—Hur-ruh!
  A Voice . Make way!
And welcome the Spirit that floats this way:
Do ye hear, my slaves?
  Snake . O Master gray!
Thy servants are listening: they obey.
He comes! He comes! Rejoice, Rejoice!
Great Forest, with all thy voice!
 1 Voice . He comes!
The Master of mind and breath;
The Ghost that unlocketh the door of Death;
Who turneth the hinge of the coffin down;
Who laugheth at bauble and tinsel crown;
Who opens the lid,
And shows what 's hid,
Whether 't be king or lowly clown.
 2 Voice . He comes!
Arise, and shake off your tears,
Ashes and Oaks of a thousand years!
All Trees who have name, from Pine to Palm,
Be quick and strip off your sunset calm.
He comes,—with the evening pale;
Arise! and bid the Magician hail!
 3 Voice . He comes!
Elements sleeping, awake again!
Shout with your voices of wind and rain!
And Thou in the cloud
Alive and loud,
Come forth on the back of the Hurricane!
Thunder and Tempest and Lightning pale,
Leap from your caverns and cry—‘A LL H AIL !’