The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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| I. |
| II. | II. THE LAST STAR |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
138
II. THE LAST STAR
The thought of God had flowed for years past numbering
Into the facts of time.
Through age on age God watched, with gaze unslumbering,
Sorrow and sin and crime.
Into the facts of time.
Through age on age God watched, with gaze unslumbering,
Sorrow and sin and crime.
God watched the grief that follows first love's rapture:
From his great throne in space
He watched maybe some city's blood-stained capture,
Or death-throes of a race.
From his great throne in space
He watched maybe some city's blood-stained capture,
Or death-throes of a race.
He saw the dead beneath his white moons lying;
He heard gaunt lions roar:
He heard the groans and curses of the dying;
He heard ships strike the shore.
He heard gaunt lions roar:
He heard the groans and curses of the dying;
He heard ships strike the shore.
He marked the doom that weighs down all creation;
He saw love change to shame:
He saw death sweep the stars with devastation;
He saw hell's leaping flame.
He saw love change to shame:
He saw death sweep the stars with devastation;
He saw hell's leaping flame.
139
He saw love's bloom forsake each woman's features,
As old in turn they grew:
He saw disease waste millions of his creatures:
He saw the leper's hue.
As old in turn they grew:
He saw disease waste millions of his creatures:
He saw the leper's hue.
He saw faith seize its victims and devour them;
He saw mad hatred rage:
He saw pure women strive, man's lusts deflower them,
From darkling age to age.
He saw mad hatred rage:
He saw pure women strive, man's lusts deflower them,
From darkling age to age.
He sent his Sons. To star on star he sent them,
Love's messengers sublime.
Mad unbelief rose, armed to circumvent them:
Death conquered them, and time.
Love's messengers sublime.
Mad unbelief rose, armed to circumvent them:
Death conquered them, and time.
He sent his eldest Son to one doomed city:
But him the people slew.
Man steeled his heart against Christ's tender pity,
And so man's sorrow grew.
But him the people slew.
Man steeled his heart against Christ's tender pity,
And so man's sorrow grew.
Ever the same! As Christ was born of Mary,
So other Christs were born.
Their various fates in one point did not vary;
Each Christ was crowned with thorn.
So other Christs were born.
Their various fates in one point did not vary;
Each Christ was crowned with thorn.
140
If in nought else the vast star-hosts resemble
Each other, all alike
Smote their own Christs with hands that did not tremble,
And lifted spears to strike.
Each other, all alike
Smote their own Christs with hands that did not tremble,
And lifted spears to strike.
Wherever genius, born of God and woman,
Flashed on a world's dim way,
Its fellow-beings strove with hate inhuman
To quench the genius-ray.
Flashed on a world's dim way,
Its fellow-beings strove with hate inhuman
To quench the genius-ray.
Wherever God appeared, in seer or poet,
Satan appeared as well.
God's hand, revealing heaven, disclosed below it
The yawning gulfs of hell.
Satan appeared as well.
God's hand, revealing heaven, disclosed below it
The yawning gulfs of hell.
God pondered long.—Then his resolve was taken.
The heavens in darkness deep
He wrapped. The voice that bade the first star waken
Said to the last star: “Sleep.”
The heavens in darkness deep
He wrapped. The voice that bade the first star waken
Said to the last star: “Sleep.”
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |