 | Scenes from Scripture with Other Poems |  |
100
RETRIBUTION.
“And when he had opened the Fifth Seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God; and for the testimony which they held.
“And they cried with a loud voice; saying, How long, O Lord, holy and
true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the
earth?
“And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said
unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”—
Apocalypse vi, 9.
There are murmurs on the deep,
There are murmurs on the Heaven.
Though the world still sleeps its sleep,
Though no prophet-sign is given,
Earth that final storm shall feel;
'Tis a storm of man and steel.
There are murmurs on the Heaven.
Though the world still sleeps its sleep,
Though no prophet-sign is given,
Earth that final storm shall feel;
'Tis a storm of man and steel.
101
Tribes are in their forests now,
Idly hunting wolf and deer,
Tribes are crouching in their snow,
O'er their wild and wintry cheer;
Destined yet to swell the roar,
When the tempest-rain is gore.
Idly hunting wolf and deer,
Tribes are crouching in their snow,
O'er their wild and wintry cheer;
Destined yet to swell the roar,
When the tempest-rain is gore.
Guilt of old has stained the world,
Carnage pour its purple tide,
But the bolt, in mercy hurled,
Quivered o'er the spot, and died.
When the judgment-fires shall fall,
Woe to each, and woe to all.
Carnage pour its purple tide,
But the bolt, in mercy hurled,
Quivered o'er the spot, and died.
When the judgment-fires shall fall,
Woe to each, and woe to all.
Man has shed man's blood for toys,
Love and hatred, fame and gold;
Now, a mightier wrath destroys.
Earth in cureless crime grows old.
Past destruction shall be tame
To the rushing of that flame.
Love and hatred, fame and gold;
Now, a mightier wrath destroys.
Earth in cureless crime grows old.
Past destruction shall be tame
To the rushing of that flame.
102
When the clouds of vengeance break,
Folly shall be on the wise,
Frenzy shall be on the weak,
Kingdom against kingdom rise.
Earth, one maddened mighty horde,
All, the kingdom of the sword.
Folly shall be on the wise,
Frenzy shall be on the weak,
Kingdom against kingdom rise.
Earth, one maddened mighty horde,
All, the kingdom of the sword.
Then, the Martyrs' solemn cry,
That a thousand years has rung,
Where their robes of crimson lie,
Round the “Golden Altar” flung.
(Saviour, listen to thine own!)
Shall be answered from the Throne.
That a thousand years has rung,
Where their robes of crimson lie,
Round the “Golden Altar” flung.
(Saviour, listen to thine own!)
Shall be answered from the Throne.
Yet shall Rome her conscience lull,
Till the wine is at the brim.
Hark the Storm! her ear is dull;
Gleams the flash, her eye is dim.
Heaven above, and Earth below,
Arm them for the final Woe!
Till the wine is at the brim.
Hark the Storm! her ear is dull;
Gleams the flash, her eye is dim.
Heaven above, and Earth below,
Arm them for the final Woe!
103
Still shall Faith be sternly tried,
Still the dungeon shall be filled,
Dying as their brethren died,
Still God's servants “shall be killed.”
From the chain, the scaffold's floor,
Sons of Glory! ye shall soar.
Still the dungeon shall be filled,
Dying as their brethren died,
Still God's servants “shall be killed.”
From the chain, the scaffold's floor,
Sons of Glory! ye shall soar.
Then, unhewn by mortal hands,
From the Mount shall roll the Stone;
Then Earth's sceptres shall be wands,
War shall sweep from zone to zone,
Earth shall see, once more, a Flood;
But, its billows shall be—blood!
From the Mount shall roll the Stone;
Then Earth's sceptres shall be wands,
War shall sweep from zone to zone,
Earth shall see, once more, a Flood;
But, its billows shall be—blood!
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