 | Specimens of American poetry |  |
RICHARD ALSOP.
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ECHO NO. I.
On Tuesday last great Sol, with piercing eye,
Pursued his journey through the vaulted sky,
And in his car effulgent roll'd his way
Four hours beyond the burning zone of day;
When lo! a cloud, o'ershadowing all the plain,
From countless pores perspired a liquid rain,
While from its cracks the lightnings made a peep,
And chit-chat thunders rock'd our fears asleep.
But soon the vapory fog dispersed in air,
And left the azure blue-eyed concave bare:
Even the last drop of hope, which dripping skies
Gave for a moment to our straining eyes,
Like Boston rum, from heaven's junk bottles broke,
Lost all the corks, and vanish'd into smoke.
Pursued his journey through the vaulted sky,
And in his car effulgent roll'd his way
Four hours beyond the burning zone of day;
When lo! a cloud, o'ershadowing all the plain,
From countless pores perspired a liquid rain,
While from its cracks the lightnings made a peep,
And chit-chat thunders rock'd our fears asleep.
But soon the vapory fog dispersed in air,
And left the azure blue-eyed concave bare:
Even the last drop of hope, which dripping skies
Gave for a moment to our straining eyes,
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Lost all the corks, and vanish'd into smoke.
But swift from worlds unknown, a fresh supply
Of vapor dimm'd the great horizon's eye;
The crazy clouds, by shifting zephyrs driven,
Wafted their courses through the high-arch'd heaven,
Till piled aloft in one stupendous heap,
The seen and unseen worlds grew dark, and nature 'gan to weep.
Attendant lightnings stream'd their tails afar,
And social thunders waked ethereal war,
From dark deep pockets brought their treasured store,
Embattled elements increased the roar—
Red crinkling fires expended all their force,
And tumbling rumblings steer'd their headlong course.
Those guarded frames by thunder poles secured,
Though wrapp'd in sheets of flame, those sheets endured;
O'er their broad roofs the fiery torrents roll'd,
And every shingle seem'd of burning gold.
Majestic thunders, with disploding roar,
And sudden crashing, bounced along the shore,
Till, lost in other lands, the whispering sound
Fled from our ears and fainted on the ground.
Rain's house on high its window sashes oped,
And out the cataract impetuous hopp'd,
While the grand scene by far more grand appear'd,
With lightnings never seen and thunders never heard.
Of vapor dimm'd the great horizon's eye;
The crazy clouds, by shifting zephyrs driven,
Wafted their courses through the high-arch'd heaven,
Till piled aloft in one stupendous heap,
The seen and unseen worlds grew dark, and nature 'gan to weep.
Attendant lightnings stream'd their tails afar,
And social thunders waked ethereal war,
From dark deep pockets brought their treasured store,
Embattled elements increased the roar—
Red crinkling fires expended all their force,
And tumbling rumblings steer'd their headlong course.
Those guarded frames by thunder poles secured,
Though wrapp'd in sheets of flame, those sheets endured;
O'er their broad roofs the fiery torrents roll'd,
And every shingle seem'd of burning gold.
Majestic thunders, with disploding roar,
And sudden crashing, bounced along the shore,
Till, lost in other lands, the whispering sound
Fled from our ears and fainted on the ground.
Rain's house on high its window sashes oped,
And out the cataract impetuous hopp'd,
While the grand scene by far more grand appear'd,
With lightnings never seen and thunders never heard.
More salutary showers have not been known,
To wash dame Nature's dirty homespun gown—
For several weeks the good old Joan's been seen,
With filth bespatter'd like a lazy quean.
The husbandman fast travelling to despair,
Laid down his hoe and took his rocking chair:
While his fat wife, the well and cistern dried,
Her mop grown useless, hung it up and cried.
To wash dame Nature's dirty homespun gown—
For several weeks the good old Joan's been seen,
With filth bespatter'd like a lazy quean.
The husbandman fast travelling to despair,
Laid down his hoe and took his rocking chair:
While his fat wife, the well and cistern dried,
Her mop grown useless, hung it up and cried.
Two rainbows fair that Iris brought along,
Pick'd from the choicest of her color'd throng;
The first born deck'd in pristine hues of light,
In all its native glories glowing bright,
The next adorn'd with less refulgent rays,
But borrowing lustre from its brother's blaze;
Shone a bright reflex of those colors gay
That deck'd with light creation's primal day,
When infant Nature lisp'd her earliest notes,
And younker Adam crept in petticoats:
And to the people to reflection given,
“The sons of Boston, the elect of heaven,”
Presented Mercy's angel smiling fair,
Irradiate splendors frizzled in his hair,
Uncorking demi-johns, and pouring down
Heaven's liquid blessings on the gaping town.
N. B. At Cambridge town, the selfsame day,Pick'd from the choicest of her color'd throng;
The first born deck'd in pristine hues of light,
In all its native glories glowing bright,
The next adorn'd with less refulgent rays,
But borrowing lustre from its brother's blaze;
Shone a bright reflex of those colors gay
That deck'd with light creation's primal day,
When infant Nature lisp'd her earliest notes,
And younker Adam crept in petticoats:
And to the people to reflection given,
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Presented Mercy's angel smiling fair,
Irradiate splendors frizzled in his hair,
Uncorking demi-johns, and pouring down
Heaven's liquid blessings on the gaping town.
A barn was burnt well fill'd with hay.
Some say the lightning turn'd it red,
Some say the thunder struck it dead,
Some say it made the cattle stare,
And some it kill'd an aged mare;
But we expect the truth to learn,
From Mr Wythe, who own'd the barn.
In order that this piece may be understood, the newspaper paragraph which furnished the occasion for it is here subjoined.
“On Tuesday last, about four o'clock, P. M. came on a smart shower of rain, attended with lightning and thunder, no ways remarkable. The clouds soon dissipated, and the appearance of the azure vault, left trivial hopes of further needful supplies from the uncorked bottles of heaven. In a few moments the horizon was again overshadowed, and an almost impenetrable gloom mantled the face of the skies. The wind frequently shifting from one point to another, wafted the clouds in various directions, until at last they united in one common centre and shrouded the visible globe in thick darkness. The attendant lightning, with the accompanying thunder, brought forth from the treasures that embattled elements to awful conflict, were extremely vivid, and amazing loud. Those buildings that were defended by electric rods, appeared to be wrapped in sheets of livid flame, and a flood of the pure fire rolled its burning torrents down them with alarming violence. The majestic roar of disploding thunders, now bursting with a sudden crash, and now wasting the rumbling Echo of their sounds in other lands, added indescribable grandeur to the sublime scene. The windows of the upper regions appeared as thrown wide open, and the trembling cataract poured impetuous down. More salutary showers, and more needed, have not been experienced this summer. Several previous weeks had exhibited a melancholy sight: the verdure of fields was nearly destroyed; and the patient husbandman almost experienced despair. Two beautiful rainbows, the one existing in its native glories, and the other a splendid reflection of primitive colors, closed the magnificent picture, and presented to the contemplative mind, the angel of mercy, clothed with the brilliance of this irradiated arch, and dispensing felicity to assembled worlds. It is not unnatural to expect that the thunder storm would be attended with some damage. We hear a barn belonging to Mr Wythe of Cambridge caught fire from the lightning, which entirely consumed the same, together with several tons of hay, &c.”
VERSES TO THE SHEARWATER—ON THE MORNING AFTER A STORM AT SEA.
Whence with morn's first blush of light
Com'st thou thus to greet mine eye,
Whilst the furious storm of night
Hovers yet around the sky?
Com'st thou thus to greet mine eye,
Whilst the furious storm of night
Hovers yet around the sky?
On the fiery tossing wave,
Calmly cradled dost thou sleep,
When the midnight tempests rave,
Lonely wanderer of the deep?
Calmly cradled dost thou sleep,
When the midnight tempests rave,
Lonely wanderer of the deep?
Or from some rude isle afar,
Castled 'mid the roaring waste,
With the beams of morning's star,
On lightning pinion dost thou haste?
Castled 'mid the roaring waste,
With the beams of morning's star,
On lightning pinion dost thou haste?
In thy mottled plumage drest,
Light thou skimm'st the ocean o'er,
Sporting round the breaker's crest
Exulting in the tempest's roar.
Light thou skimm'st the ocean o'er,
Sporting round the breaker's crest
Exulting in the tempest's roar.
O'er the vast-rolling watry way
While our trembling bark is borne,
And joyful peers the lamp of day,
Lighting up the brow of morn;
While our trembling bark is borne,
And joyful peers the lamp of day,
Lighting up the brow of morn;
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As through yon cloud its struggling beams
Around a partial lustre shed,
And mark at fits with golden gleams
The mountain billow's surging head;
Around a partial lustre shed,
And mark at fits with golden gleams
The mountain billow's surging head;
Whilst the long lines of foamy white,
At distance o'er the expanse so blue,
As domes and castles spiring bright,
Commingling, rise on fancy's view—
At distance o'er the expanse so blue,
As domes and castles spiring bright,
Commingling, rise on fancy's view—
From wave to wave swift skimming light,
Now near, and now at distance found,
Thy airy form, in ceaseless flight,
Cheers the lone dreariness around.
Now near, and now at distance found,
Thy airy form, in ceaseless flight,
Cheers the lone dreariness around.
Through the vessel's storm-rent sides,
When the rushing billows rave;
And with fierce gigantic strides,
Death terrific walks the wave,
When the rushing billows rave;
And with fierce gigantic strides,
Death terrific walks the wave,
Still on hovering pinion near,
Thou pursuest thy sportive way;
Still uncheck'd by aught of fear,
Calmly seek'st thy finny prey.
Thou pursuest thy sportive way;
Still uncheck'd by aught of fear,
Calmly seek'st thy finny prey.
Far from earth's remotest trace,
What impels thee thus to roam?
What hast thou to mark the place
When thou seek'st thy distant home?
What impels thee thus to roam?
What hast thou to mark the place
When thou seek'st thy distant home?
Without star or magnet's aid,
Thou thy faithful course dost keep;
Sportive still, still undismay'd,
Lonely wanderer of the deep!
Thou thy faithful course dost keep;
Sportive still, still undismay'd,
Lonely wanderer of the deep!
THE INCANTATION OF ULFO.
FROM THE CONQUEST OF SCANDINAVIA.
Forth from his camp the dire enchanter stray'd,
'Mid the weird horrors of the midnight shade,
Till a lone dell his wandering footsteps found,
Fenced with rough cliffs, with mournful cypress crown'd;
There stayed his course: with stern, terrific look,
Thrice waved on high, his magic wand he shook;
And thrice he raised the wild funereal yell,
That calls the spirits from th' abyss of hell.
When, shrilly answering to the yell afar,
Borne on the winds, three female forms appear;
Dire as the hag who, 'mid the dreams of night,
Pursues the fever'd hectic's trembling flight.
With gestures strange, approach the haggard band,
And nigh the wizard take their silent stand.
Near, in a rock, adown whose rugged side
The lonely waters of the desert glide,
O'ergrown with brambles, oped an ample cave,
Drear as the gloomy mansions of the grave.
Within, the screech-owl made her mournful home,
And birds obscene that hover round the tomb;
Dark, from the moss-grown top, together clung,
Ill-omen'd bats, in torpid clusters, hung;
And o'er the bottom, with dank leaves bestrow'd,
Crept the black adder, and the bloated toad.
Thither the magic throng repair'd, to form
Their spells obscure, and weave the unhallow'd charm.
Muttering dire words, thrice strode the wizard round;
Thrice, with his potent wand, he smote the ground;
Deep groans ensued; on wings of circling flame,
Slow-rising from beneath, a cauldron came;
Blue gleam'd the fires amid the shades of night,
And o'er the cavern shot a livid light.
'Mid the weird horrors of the midnight shade,
Till a lone dell his wandering footsteps found,
Fenced with rough cliffs, with mournful cypress crown'd;
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Thrice waved on high, his magic wand he shook;
And thrice he raised the wild funereal yell,
That calls the spirits from th' abyss of hell.
When, shrilly answering to the yell afar,
Borne on the winds, three female forms appear;
Dire as the hag who, 'mid the dreams of night,
Pursues the fever'd hectic's trembling flight.
With gestures strange, approach the haggard band,
And nigh the wizard take their silent stand.
Near, in a rock, adown whose rugged side
The lonely waters of the desert glide,
O'ergrown with brambles, oped an ample cave,
Drear as the gloomy mansions of the grave.
Within, the screech-owl made her mournful home,
And birds obscene that hover round the tomb;
Dark, from the moss-grown top, together clung,
Ill-omen'd bats, in torpid clusters, hung;
And o'er the bottom, with dank leaves bestrow'd,
Crept the black adder, and the bloated toad.
Thither the magic throng repair'd, to form
Their spells obscure, and weave the unhallow'd charm.
Muttering dire words, thrice strode the wizard round;
Thrice, with his potent wand, he smote the ground;
Deep groans ensued; on wings of circling flame,
Slow-rising from beneath, a cauldron came;
Blue gleam'd the fires amid the shades of night,
And o'er the cavern shot a livid light.
Now oped a horrid scene: all black with blood,
Th' infernal band, prepared for slaughter, stood.
Two beauteous babes, by griffons borne away,
While lock'd in sleep the hapless mothers lay,
Whose smiles the frozen breast to love might warm,
And e'en the unsparing wolf to pity charm,
The hags unveil'd; and sportive as they play'd,
Deep in their hearts embrued the murderous blade;
Their dying pangs with smile malignant view'd,
And life's last ebbings in the sanguine flood.
Now, mix'd with various herbs of magic power,
In the dark cauldron glows the purple gore:
The night-shade dire, whose baleful branches wave,
In glooms of horror o'er the murderer's grave;
The manchineel, alluring to the eye,
Where, veil'd in beauty, deadliest poisons lie;
The far-famed Indian herb, of power to move
The foes of nature to unite in love,
The serpent race to infant mildness charm,
And the fierce tiger of his rage disarm,—
Known to the tribes that range the trackless wood
Where mad Antonio heaves the headlong flood;—
The monster plant that blasts Tartaria's heath;
And Upas fatal as the stroke of death:
Boil'd the black mass, the associate fiends advance,
And round the cauldron form the magic dance.
Three times around, in mystic maze they trod,
With hideous gesture, and terrific nod;
While Runic rhymes, and words that freeze the soul,
From their blue lips, in tones of horror, roll.
The wizard raised his voice, the cavern round,
Wild shuddering, trembled at the fearful sound;
In mute attention stood the haggard throng,
As thus he woke th' incantatory song.
Th' infernal band, prepared for slaughter, stood.
Two beauteous babes, by griffons borne away,
While lock'd in sleep the hapless mothers lay,
Whose smiles the frozen breast to love might warm,
And e'en the unsparing wolf to pity charm,
The hags unveil'd; and sportive as they play'd,
Deep in their hearts embrued the murderous blade;
Their dying pangs with smile malignant view'd,
And life's last ebbings in the sanguine flood.
Now, mix'd with various herbs of magic power,
In the dark cauldron glows the purple gore:
The night-shade dire, whose baleful branches wave,
In glooms of horror o'er the murderer's grave;
The manchineel, alluring to the eye,
Where, veil'd in beauty, deadliest poisons lie;
The far-famed Indian herb, of power to move
The foes of nature to unite in love,
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And the fierce tiger of his rage disarm,—
Known to the tribes that range the trackless wood
Where mad Antonio heaves the headlong flood;—
The monster plant that blasts Tartaria's heath;
And Upas fatal as the stroke of death:
Boil'd the black mass, the associate fiends advance,
And round the cauldron form the magic dance.
Three times around, in mystic maze they trod,
With hideous gesture, and terrific nod;
While Runic rhymes, and words that freeze the soul,
From their blue lips, in tones of horror, roll.
The wizard raised his voice, the cavern round,
Wild shuddering, trembled at the fearful sound;
In mute attention stood the haggard throng,
As thus he woke th' incantatory song.
From the dreary realms below,
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear!
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear!
Dreadful Power! whose awful form
Blackens in the midnight storm;
Glares athwart the lurid skies,
While the sheeted lightning flies;
When the thunder awful roars;
When the earthquake rocks the shores;
Mounted on the wings of air,
Thou rulest the elemental war.
When famine brings her sickly train;
When battle strews the carnaged plain;
When pestilence her venom'd wand
Waves o'er the desolated land;
Rush the ocean's whelming tides
O'er the foundering vessel's sides;
Then ascends thy voice on high;
Then is heard thy funeral cry;
Then, in horror, dost thou rise
On th' expiring wretch's eyes.
Blackens in the midnight storm;
Glares athwart the lurid skies,
While the sheeted lightning flies;
When the thunder awful roars;
When the earthquake rocks the shores;
Mounted on the wings of air,
Thou rulest the elemental war.
When famine brings her sickly train;
When battle strews the carnaged plain;
When pestilence her venom'd wand
Waves o'er the desolated land;
Rush the ocean's whelming tides
O'er the foundering vessel's sides;
Then ascends thy voice on high;
Then is heard thy funeral cry;
Then, in horror, dost thou rise
On th' expiring wretch's eyes.
From the dreary realms below,
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear!
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear!
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Goddess! whose terrific sway
Nastrond's realms of guilt obey;
Where, amid impervious gloom,
Sullen frowns the serpent dome;
Roll'd beneath th' envenom'd tide,
Where the sons of sorrow 'bide;
Thee, the mighty demon host;
Thee, the giants of the frost;
Thee, the genii tribes adore;
Fenris owns thy sovereign power:
And th' imperial prince of fire,
Surtur, trembles at thine ire.
Thine, the victor's pride to mar;
Thine, to turn the scale of war;
Chiefs and princes at thy call,
From their spheres of glory fall;
Empires are in ruin hurl'd;
Desolation blasts the world
Nastrond's realms of guilt obey;
Where, amid impervious gloom,
Sullen frowns the serpent dome;
Roll'd beneath th' envenom'd tide,
Where the sons of sorrow 'bide;
Thee, the mighty demon host;
Thee, the giants of the frost;
Thee, the genii tribes adore;
Fenris owns thy sovereign power:
And th' imperial prince of fire,
Surtur, trembles at thine ire.
Thine, the victor's pride to mar;
Thine, to turn the scale of war;
Chiefs and princes at thy call,
From their spheres of glory fall;
Empires are in ruin hurl'd;
Desolation blasts the world
From the dreary realms below,
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela, hear
Queen of terror, queen of death!
Thee, we summon from beneath.
From the deep infernal shade;
From the mansion of the dead;
Niflheim's black, funereal dome:
Hither rise, and hither come!
By the potent Runic rhyme,
Awful, mystic, and sublime;
By the streams that roar below;
By the sable fount of wo;
By the burning gulf of pain,
Muspel's home, and Surtur's reign;
By the day when, o'er the world,
Wild confusion shall be hurl'd,
Rymer mount his fiery car,
Giants, genii, rush to war,
To vengeance move the prince of fire,
And heaven, and earth, in flames expire
Thee, we summon from beneath.
From the deep infernal shade;
From the mansion of the dead;
Niflheim's black, funereal dome:
Hither rise, and hither come!
By the potent Runic rhyme,
Awful, mystic, and sublime;
By the streams that roar below;
By the sable fount of wo;
By the burning gulf of pain,
Muspel's home, and Surtur's reign;
By the day when, o'er the world,
Wild confusion shall be hurl'd,
Rymer mount his fiery car,
Giants, genii, rush to war,
To vengeance move the prince of fire,
And heaven, and earth, in flames expire
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From the dreary realms below,
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela! hear.
From the dark domains of fear,
From the ghastly seats of wo,
Hear! tremendous Hela! hear.
He ceased—the flames withdrew their magic light,
And, clothed in deeper horrors, frown'd the night.
At once, an awful stillness paused around,
Hush'd were the winds, and mute the tempest's sound,
One deep, portentous calm o'er nature spread,
Nor e'en the aspen's restless foliage play'd;—
Such the dire calm that glooms Caribean shores,
Ere, roused to rage, the fell tornado roars:—
Not long, for lo! from central earth released,
Shrill through the cavern sigh'd a hollow blast;
Wild wails of wo, with shrieks of terror join'd,
In deathful murmurs groan along the wind;
Peal following peal, hoarse bursts the thunder round,
Redoubling echoes swell the dreadful sound;
Flash the blue lightnings in continual blaze;
One sheet of fire the kindling gloom displays;
And o'er the vault, with pale, sulphureous ray,
Pour all the horrors of infernal day.
Now heaved the vale around, the cavern'd rock,
The earth, deep trembling, to its centre shook,
Wide yawn'd the rending floor, and gave to sight
A chasm tremendous as the gates of night.
Slow from the gulf, 'mid lightnings faintly seen,
Rose the dread form of death's terrific queen;
Of wolfish aspect, and with eyes of flame,
Black Jarnvid's witch, her fell attendant, came;
Than whom, no monster roams the dark abodes,
More fear'd by friends, more hated by the gods.
And, clothed in deeper horrors, frown'd the night.
At once, an awful stillness paused around,
Hush'd were the winds, and mute the tempest's sound,
One deep, portentous calm o'er nature spread,
Nor e'en the aspen's restless foliage play'd;—
Such the dire calm that glooms Caribean shores,
Ere, roused to rage, the fell tornado roars:—
Not long, for lo! from central earth released,
Shrill through the cavern sigh'd a hollow blast;
Wild wails of wo, with shrieks of terror join'd,
In deathful murmurs groan along the wind;
Peal following peal, hoarse bursts the thunder round,
Redoubling echoes swell the dreadful sound;
Flash the blue lightnings in continual blaze;
One sheet of fire the kindling gloom displays;
And o'er the vault, with pale, sulphureous ray,
Pour all the horrors of infernal day.
Now heaved the vale around, the cavern'd rock,
The earth, deep trembling, to its centre shook,
Wide yawn'd the rending floor, and gave to sight
A chasm tremendous as the gates of night.
Slow from the gulf, 'mid lightnings faintly seen,
Rose the dread form of death's terrific queen;
Of wolfish aspect, and with eyes of flame,
Black Jarnvid's witch, her fell attendant, came;
Than whom, no monster roams the dark abodes,
More fear'd by friends, more hated by the gods.
More frightful, more deform'd, than fancy's power
Pourtrays the demon of the midnight hour,
In hideous majesty, of various hue,
Part sallow pale, and part a livid blue,
A form gigantic, awful Hela frown'd;
Her towering head with sable serpents crown'd;
Around her waist, in many a volume roll'd,
A crimson adder wreathed his poisonous fold;
And o'er her face, beyond description dread,
A sulphury mist its shrouding mantle spread.
Her voice, the groan of war, the shriek of wo,
When sinks the city whelm'd in gulfs below,
In tones of thunder, o'er the cavern broke,
And nature shudder'd as the demon spoke.
Pourtrays the demon of the midnight hour,
In hideous majesty, of various hue,
Part sallow pale, and part a livid blue,
A form gigantic, awful Hela frown'd;
Her towering head with sable serpents crown'd;
Around her waist, in many a volume roll'd,
A crimson adder wreathed his poisonous fold;
And o'er her face, beyond description dread,
A sulphury mist its shrouding mantle spread.
Her voice, the groan of war, the shriek of wo,
When sinks the city whelm'd in gulfs below,
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And nature shudder'd as the demon spoke.
“Presumptuous mortal! that, with mystic strain,
Dost summon Hela from the realms of pain,
What cause thus prompts thee rashly to invade
The deep repose of death's eternal shade?
What, from the abodes of never-ending night,
Calls me, reluctant, to the climes of light?”
Dost summon Hela from the realms of pain,
What cause thus prompts thee rashly to invade
The deep repose of death's eternal shade?
What, from the abodes of never-ending night,
Calls me, reluctant, to the climes of light?”
“Empress supreme! whose wide-extended sway
All nature owns, and earth and hell obey;
The solemn call no trivial wish inspires;
No common cause thy potent aid requires;
The dooms of empires on the issue wait,
And doubtful tremble in the scale of fate.
The glow of morn, on yon extended heath,
Will light the nations to the strife of death.
There Saracinia's sons their force unite
With Scandia's monarch, Woldomir, in fight;
By strength combined, proud Odin to o'erwhelm.
The fierce invader of the Scandian realm;
By Woden favor'd with peculiar grace;
Friend of the gods, and odious to thy race.
Then, in th' impending fight, thy succor lend,
And o'er our host thy arm of strength extend;
The hostile bands, protected by thy foes,
With dangers circle, and with ruin close;
With wild dismay their shrinking ranks pervade;
Whelm their pale numbers in th' eternal shade;
And wing, with certain aim, the missive dart,
Or point the falchion, to the leader's heart.”
All nature owns, and earth and hell obey;
The solemn call no trivial wish inspires;
No common cause thy potent aid requires;
The dooms of empires on the issue wait,
And doubtful tremble in the scale of fate.
The glow of morn, on yon extended heath,
Will light the nations to the strife of death.
There Saracinia's sons their force unite
With Scandia's monarch, Woldomir, in fight;
By strength combined, proud Odin to o'erwhelm.
The fierce invader of the Scandian realm;
By Woden favor'd with peculiar grace;
Friend of the gods, and odious to thy race.
Then, in th' impending fight, thy succor lend,
And o'er our host thy arm of strength extend;
The hostile bands, protected by thy foes,
With dangers circle, and with ruin close;
With wild dismay their shrinking ranks pervade;
Whelm their pale numbers in th' eternal shade;
And wing, with certain aim, the missive dart,
Or point the falchion, to the leader's heart.”
Thus Ulfo spoke—and Hela thus return'd.
“Know, while in primal night creation mourn'd,
The eternal cause, the great, all-ruling mind,
The various term of human life assign'd;
Irrevocably firm, the fix'd intent
No power can vary, and no chance prevent.
Mark'd by the fates, for years of bloody strife,
Rolls the long flood of Odin's varied life;
Nor is it ours the stern decree to thwart
By open violence, or by covert art.
Yet still the power is left us to annoy,
Whom rigid heaven denies us to destroy;
And, though of life secure, the hostile chief,
The wretched victim of severest grief,
Shall mourn his arms disgraced, on yonder plain,
His laurels blasted, and his heroes slain.”
“Know, while in primal night creation mourn'd,
The eternal cause, the great, all-ruling mind,
The various term of human life assign'd;
Irrevocably firm, the fix'd intent
No power can vary, and no chance prevent.
Mark'd by the fates, for years of bloody strife,
Rolls the long flood of Odin's varied life;
Nor is it ours the stern decree to thwart
By open violence, or by covert art.
Yet still the power is left us to annoy,
Whom rigid heaven denies us to destroy;
And, though of life secure, the hostile chief,
The wretched victim of severest grief,
Shall mourn his arms disgraced, on yonder plain,
His laurels blasted, and his heroes slain.”
67
She ceased;—in thunder vanishing from view,
The fiends, the cauldron, and the hags withdrew.
Back to the camp the enchanter sped his way,
Ere, o'er the east, arose the first faint glimpse of day.
The fiends, the cauldron, and the hags withdrew.
Back to the camp the enchanter sped his way,
Ere, o'er the east, arose the first faint glimpse of day.
| Specimens of American poetry | |