 | The Poetical Works of Sydney Dobell |  |
SCENE XII.
The Study.Balder, at his writing-table.
Balder.
The great array is marshalled; on the right
Freedom, Truth, Justice, Mercy, Love, and Peace
Captained by Genius, stand under the broad
Standard of day held by the east and west
With sanguine hands and high.
Freedom, Truth, Justice, Mercy, Love, and Peace
Captained by Genius, stand under the broad
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With sanguine hands and high.
In horrid rank
Sinister, front to hostile front opposed
Beneath a banner dark as if black winds
Of chaos rose in tempest and did blow
The billowy verge of everlasting night
O'er the celestial border, glare the host
That follow the blind Power whose headless beast
Some evil god directs. Above his crest
Driven in the inevitable storm behind,
Like lambent flames of darkness licking far
The middle air, his terrible ensign
Roars to the coming war.
Sinister, front to hostile front opposed
Beneath a banner dark as if black winds
Of chaos rose in tempest and did blow
The billowy verge of everlasting night
O'er the celestial border, glare the host
That follow the blind Power whose headless beast
Some evil god directs. Above his crest
Driven in the inevitable storm behind,
Like lambent flames of darkness licking far
The middle air, his terrible ensign
Roars to the coming war.
They stand at gaze,
Expecting till the equal voice of Death
Midway between the fierce and serried vans
Give signal of advance. But his great place
Is empty, and the crowded action waits.
Through the door comes the voice of
Amy.Expecting till the equal voice of Death
Midway between the fierce and serried vans
Give signal of advance. But his great place
Is empty, and the crowded action waits.
Amy
(sings).
Up went the jaunty jay,
Bough by bough, bough by bough,
Up went the jaunty jay,
Up the tall tree.
Bough by bough, bough by bough,
Up went the jaunty jay,
Up the tall tree.
Up the tall tree where a happy bird was singing,
By his mossy home was singing,
To his callow brood was singing
In the green tree;
In the tall tree-top, in the merry tree-top,
—Alas, so merry!
In the brave tree-top,
Waving to and fro.
By his mossy home was singing,
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In the green tree;
In the tall tree-top, in the merry tree-top,
—Alas, so merry!
In the brave tree-top,
Waving to and fro.
As a gay gallant up the stairs of pleasure,
By leaps the jaunty jay went up the tree.
Thou knowest, O mother bird! for thou wert by,
O mother-bird, thy young, thy callow young!
When he stood o'er them as one stands at meat,
Did they not lift their heads up as to thee?
And like a fruit he plucked them one by one,
—The jay, the shining jay, the jocund jay;—
In the tall tree-top, in the merry tree-top,
—Alas, so merry!—
In the brave tree-top,
Waving to and fro.
By leaps the jaunty jay went up the tree.
Thou knowest, O mother bird! for thou wert by,
O mother-bird, thy young, thy callow young!
When he stood o'er them as one stands at meat,
Did they not lift their heads up as to thee?
And like a fruit he plucked them one by one,
—The jay, the shining jay, the jocund jay;—
In the tall tree-top, in the merry tree-top,
—Alas, so merry!—
In the brave tree-top,
Waving to and fro.
Like a gay gallant from a ruined maiden,
The painted jay came smirking down the tree.
Oh bird, oh crying bird, oh mother bird,
Oh childless bird, could I not die for thee?
Yes, I could die for thee!
The painted jay came smirking down the tree.
Oh bird, oh crying bird, oh mother bird,
Oh childless bird, could I not die for thee?
Yes, I could die for thee!
| The Poetical Works of Sydney Dobell | |