 | Longfellow's boyhood poems |  |
41
JEPTHAH'S DAUGHTER
Daughters of Mizpeh!—weep for those
Who fade from earth in beauty's prime!—
For her o'er whom in youth shall close
The voiceless sepulchre of time!—
Alas!—that this sad voice ere long
Shall sigh among the chords of death:
That none shall hear my nuptial song
And Heaven so soon recall my breath.
Who fade from earth in beauty's prime!—
For her o'er whom in youth shall close
The voiceless sepulchre of time!—
Alas!—that this sad voice ere long
Shall sigh among the chords of death:
That none shall hear my nuptial song
And Heaven so soon recall my breath.
Great God! why sleeps the gifted tongue,
At whose command in heaven stood still
The Moon, o'er Ajalon that hung,
The Sun, that shone on Gibeon's hill!—
Could not the hand, that freed our race
From Ammon's dark idolatries,
Have turn'd in shame the warrior's face,
And I not bled in sacrifice!—
At whose command in heaven stood still
The Moon, o'er Ajalon that hung,
The Sun, that shone on Gibeon's hill!—
Could not the hand, that freed our race
From Ammon's dark idolatries,
Have turn'd in shame the warrior's face,
And I not bled in sacrifice!—
Fountain of light!—from whom is caught
The glow that cheers death's gloomy vale,
From whom descends the heaven-born thought,
That breathes in song from lips grown pale;
Father of life!—on trembling wings
My wounded spirit flies to thee!—
I hear the sound of angels' strings,—
Their harps in heavenly musick see!—
The glow that cheers death's gloomy vale,
From whom descends the heaven-born thought,
That breathes in song from lips grown pale;
Father of life!—on trembling wings
My wounded spirit flies to thee!—
I hear the sound of angels' strings,—
Their harps in heavenly musick see!—
Thou that from Tubia
came,—for whom,
Broken in everything but love,—
The child of sorrow seeks the tomb,
Whilst Heaven receives the soul above,—
O—turn not from thy sacred vow,
Nor faint beneath the chastening rod!—
In death before thy face I bow,—
In death approach the throne of God.
Broken in everything but love,—
The child of sorrow seeks the tomb,
Whilst Heaven receives the soul above,—
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Nor faint beneath the chastening rod!—
In death before thy face I bow,—
In death approach the throne of God.
Daughters of Mizpeh weep!—the sigh
Of mountain winds around is heard,
And with a mournful song flits by,
On storm-drench'd wing the trembling bird;
But I,—poor dove of heaven,—full soon
Shall rest in death's eternal sleep:—
And oft beneath the silent moon
O'er me shall Israel's daughters weep.
Of mountain winds around is heard,
And with a mournful song flits by,
On storm-drench'd wing the trembling bird;
But I,—poor dove of heaven,—full soon
Shall rest in death's eternal sleep:—
And oft beneath the silent moon
O'er me shall Israel's daughters weep.
H.
September 22, 1824.
| Longfellow's boyhood poems | |