 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
Was later in my trance;
When Suns great eye flamed, Lamp of all the Earth,
With withering heat, o'er that sere idle dust:
I heard, hoarse murmuring tumult, as of Sea
Deeps long-maned wave-rows, beating boisterous;
And rushing billows, like to raging scour,
Of ravening wolves; wide whelming on sea-cliffs.
And creaking-winged mews' clamour, cleping loud,
O'er long fore-shore: and gazing thitherward viewed,
The uncóuth appearance óf Huge Wight, like-shaped;
But passing human nature manifold.
Whose substance was not flesh: but thence ascend,
Seemed like strange reeling steep ínfolding cloud.
When Suns great eye flamed, Lamp of all the Earth,
With withering heat, o'er that sere idle dust:
I heard, hoarse murmuring tumult, as of Sea
Deeps long-maned wave-rows, beating boisterous;
And rushing billows, like to raging scour,
Of ravening wolves; wide whelming on sea-cliffs.
And creaking-winged mews' clamour, cleping loud,
O'er long fore-shore: and gazing thitherward viewed,
The uncóuth appearance óf Huge Wight, like-shaped;
But passing human nature manifold.
Whose substance was not flesh: but thence ascend,
Seemed like strange reeling steep ínfolding cloud.
Of human souls such multitude He comprised;
As clustered blebs, some greater and some less:
We see in scudding floc, in day of storm,
Of glistering spume; on some tempestuous strand.
As clustered blebs, some greater and some less:
We see in scudding floc, in day of storm,
7
With more than human voice, great Mansoul cried:
For This was He, and cited Heavenly Powers.
Might not winds breath, of áll the Earth suffice;
For mortals' sighs, of Worlds long ages past;
And that which now hath course.
For This was He, and cited Heavenly Powers.
Might not winds breath, of áll the Earth suffice;
For mortals' sighs, of Worlds long ages past;
And that which now hath course.
Beat thick my heart,
And me misgave, as still I wondering gazed;
When letting down his feet, as sea-fowl doth;
He seemed to light, on brow of yonder cliff:
Where standing, whilst wind-gusts spersed his main voice;
He impleaded heaven!
And me misgave, as still I wondering gazed;
When letting down his feet, as sea-fowl doth;
He seemed to light, on brow of yonder cliff:
Where standing, whilst wind-gusts spersed his main voice;
He impleaded heaven!
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |