 | The complete poetical writings of J. G. Holland |  |
319
JACOB HURD'S CHILD.
I.
Who breaketh his fast so early,
While yet he can count the stars?
And whose are the footsteps trailing through
The dew to the pasture-bars?
While yet he can count the stars?
And whose are the footsteps trailing through
The dew to the pasture-bars?
He snaffleth his white-eyed gelding,
He mounteth the saddle-tree;
And out from the skirts of Ipswich town
All grimly rideth he.
He mounteth the saddle-tree;
And out from the skirts of Ipswich town
All grimly rideth he.
Out from the town at sunrise,
His stubborn fields untilled,
Rideth Jacob Hurd for a day and a night
To see three witches killed.
His stubborn fields untilled,
Rideth Jacob Hurd for a day and a night
To see three witches killed.
For Hurd is a stalwart Christian
Whom Satan hath ne'er enticed;
He believeth in God and His holy word,
And he hateth Antichrist.
Whom Satan hath ne'er enticed;
He believeth in God and His holy word,
And he hateth Antichrist.
The devil in awe he holdeth,
And God with an equal fear;
And little of Gospel and much of Law
Make up his creed severe.
And God with an equal fear;
And little of Gospel and much of Law
Make up his creed severe.
320
With a burning zeal for his Master,
He fighteth with Death and Hell;
And when a witch is brought to the rope,
It pleaseth old Jacob well.
He fighteth with Death and Hell;
And when a witch is brought to the rope,
It pleaseth old Jacob well.
So out of the town at sunrise,
His stubborn fields untilled,
He rideth forth for a day and a night
To see three witches killed.
His stubborn fields untilled,
He rideth forth for a day and a night
To see three witches killed.
He glanceth backward at Ipswich,
Then leaneth low to pray,
For he knoweth that in the wilderness
The savage haunts the way.
Then leaneth low to pray,
For he knoweth that in the wilderness
The savage haunts the way.
Look for thy last, old Jacob!
And pray, though thy prayer be vain;
Thy errand hath not the smile of God;
Thou comest not again!
And pray, though thy prayer be vain;
Thy errand hath not the smile of God;
Thou comest not again!
II.
It is four o'clock of the evening,
And, dressed in her hodden gray,
Old Jacob's wife is humming a tune,
For the goodman is away.
And, dressed in her hodden gray,
Old Jacob's wife is humming a tune,
For the goodman is away.
And forth from their distant cabins
(None see them so soon as she),
The women who hold old Hurd in fear
Are coming to drink her tea.
(None see them so soon as she),
The women who hold old Hurd in fear
Are coming to drink her tea.
There's the pretty wife of Dunster,
With Goffe's, from the meadow farm,
And the Sparhawke girls, with goodwife Gill,
And the Glovers, arm in arm.
With Goffe's, from the meadow farm,
And the Sparhawke girls, with goodwife Gill,
And the Glovers, arm in arm.
321
There is Peter Flynt's young widow,
And her sister, in Lon'on brown,
And Miriam Winship: oh, sweet and wise
Is the school-ma'am of the town!
And her sister, in Lon'on brown,
And Miriam Winship: oh, sweet and wise
Is the school-ma'am of the town!
And the heart of the goodwife, waiting
The coming of friendly feet,
Is smitten through by an olden pang
That is bitter at once, and sweet.
The coming of friendly feet,
Is smitten through by an olden pang
That is bitter at once, and sweet.
For the school-ma'am once taught him letters—
The wonderful boy who died,
And who took from her motherly bosom all
Its solace and its pride;—
The wonderful boy who died,
And who took from her motherly bosom all
Its solace and its pride;—
And Miriam's coming would surely
Bring to her heart the joy
Of speaking, with none to make afraid,
About her perished boy.
Bring to her heart the joy
Of speaking, with none to make afraid,
About her perished boy.
(For Jacob held hard to silence,
Though he was more than sad,
And would not speak of their cruel loss
With the mother of the lad.)
Though he was more than sad,
And would not speak of their cruel loss
With the mother of the lad.)
She meeteth them at her door-way
With a greeting of hand to hand,
But she kisseth Miriam on her cheek,
And the women understand.
With a greeting of hand to hand,
But she kisseth Miriam on her cheek,
And the women understand.
III.
It is six o'clock of the evening,
And, grouped at the table rude,
The women have bent their heads to say
Their word of gratitude.
And, grouped at the table rude,
The women have bent their heads to say
Their word of gratitude.
322
Now the tea and the feast are passing,
While they gossip of home affairs—
Of the deacon's cattle in the pound,
Or a sick child up for prayers;—
While they gossip of home affairs—
Of the deacon's cattle in the pound,
Or a sick child up for prayers;—
Of a work of grace in the village,
And the devil's work abroad,
And the mischievous witches soon to go
To the judgment bar of God.
And the devil's work abroad,
And the mischievous witches soon to go
To the judgment bar of God.
But Miriam speaketh a sentence
That winneth the ears of all,
When she turneth her eyes on goodwife Hurd,
And biddeth her talk of Paul.
That winneth the ears of all,
When she turneth her eyes on goodwife Hurd,
And biddeth her talk of Paul.
Tears fill the eyes of the mother,
And the kindly women list:
“The lips,” said she, “should be good and wise
That an angel's lips have kissed;
And the kindly women list:
“The lips,” said she, “should be good and wise
That an angel's lips have kissed;
“But in truth my lips are neither;
For God, by the hand of pain,
Sent a gift that my soul misunderstood,
And he took it back again.
For God, by the hand of pain,
Sent a gift that my soul misunderstood,
And he took it back again.
“For Jacob and I had prayed him
That who should be born of me
Should be sanctified at his birth, and strong
In the power of prophecy.
That who should be born of me
Should be sanctified at his birth, and strong
In the power of prophecy.
“And the prayer was sweetly answered,
But the prophet, all unguessed,
Grew weary of our clumsy ways,
And entered into rest.
But the prophet, all unguessed,
Grew weary of our clumsy ways,
And entered into rest.
323
“It was better that he left us,
For Jacob could not know,
That a child's sweet story was not a lie
To be punished by a blow.
For Jacob could not know,
That a child's sweet story was not a lie
To be punished by a blow.
“For he was not made like others,
His thoughts were weird and wild;
And Jacob at last believed, in truth,
That a devil possessed the child.
His thoughts were weird and wild;
And Jacob at last believed, in truth,
That a devil possessed the child.
“With the birds that gathered about him,
He prattled for hours and hours;
He sang to the spider upon his web,
And the bees in the hearts of flowers.
He prattled for hours and hours;
He sang to the spider upon his web,
And the bees in the hearts of flowers.
“He carried a curious wisdom;
And many were the times
When he sat in the sun the livelong day,
And sang to himself in rhymes.
And many were the times
When he sat in the sun the livelong day,
And sang to himself in rhymes.
“And he told such marvelous stories
Of what he heard in the air,—
Of the talk of the birds, and the songs of the sea,—
That we were in despair.
Of what he heard in the air,—
Of the talk of the birds, and the songs of the sea,—
That we were in despair.
“And Jacob exclaimed: ‘God help us!
For how is a man to know
Whether a poet comes down from heaven,
Or climbs from the world below?’
For how is a man to know
Whether a poet comes down from heaven,
Or climbs from the world below?’
“One day, in the early autumn,
When pigeons were in the woods,
And out in the stubble the stripéd quail
Were leading their pretty broods;
When pigeons were in the woods,
And out in the stubble the stripéd quail
Were leading their pretty broods;
324
“When the partridge drummed in the distance,
And the squirrel barked from the oak,
And forth from the smoky hill-side came
The woodman's lazy stroke,
And the squirrel barked from the oak,
And forth from the smoky hill-side came
The woodman's lazy stroke,
“He went away toward the forest,
And I saw his face no more
Till, flushed by the red of the setting sun,
He stood in the cabin door.
And I saw his face no more
Till, flushed by the red of the setting sun,
He stood in the cabin door.
“‘Now where hast thou been?’ said Jacob.
‘I have been on my horse,’ said he;
And Jacob grew pale, and shook like a leaf
As he took the lad on his knee.
‘I have been on my horse,’ said he;
And Jacob grew pale, and shook like a leaf
As he took the lad on his knee.
“‘What horse hast thou ridden?’ said Jacob.
‘I have ridden my own,’ he said—
‘My golden horse with a silver tail,
And a mane of silver thread.
‘I have ridden my own,’ he said—
‘My golden horse with a silver tail,
And a mane of silver thread.
“‘He came to me in the pasture,
And he knelt for me to mount;
And his saddle and bridle were blazing with
More jewels than I could count.
And he knelt for me to mount;
And his saddle and bridle were blazing with
More jewels than I could count.
“‘And he bore me like the lightning,
Over sea and over land,
And he coursed the shore, or mounted the air,
Or stopped at my command.
Over sea and over land,
And he coursed the shore, or mounted the air,
Or stopped at my command.
“‘I have seen the windy ocean,
And flown above its waves,
And I've seen the great leviathan
Playing within its caves.
And flown above its waves,
And I've seen the great leviathan
Playing within its caves.
325
“‘I have ridden through old England,
Over hills and over dells,
I have cantered through the London streets,
And heard the London bells.
Over hills and over dells,
I have cantered through the London streets,
And heard the London bells.
“‘I have been to the holy places,
And knelt and prayed in them,
And fed my golden horse with bread
In the streets of Jerusalem.
And knelt and prayed in them,
And fed my golden horse with bread
In the streets of Jerusalem.
“‘I have ridden by mighty rivers,
From the mountains to the sea;
And hark!’ said he, ‘for my golden horse
Is whinnying low for me!’
From the mountains to the sea;
And hark!’ said he, ‘for my golden horse
Is whinnying low for me!’
“‘Get down!’ said Jacob, fiercely;
“‘Thou knowest thou hast lied;
Surely the devil possesseth thee!’
And he smote him from his side.
“‘Thou knowest thou hast lied;
Surely the devil possesseth thee!’
And he smote him from his side.
“The sweet romancer staggered
Into my waiting arms,
And I kissed his cheeks without a fear
Of Satan or his charms.
Into my waiting arms,
And I kissed his cheeks without a fear
Of Satan or his charms.
“That night he lay in a fever,
And raved of his golden horse;
And Jacob sat and watched by him,
In a helpless, dumb remorse.
And raved of his golden horse;
And Jacob sat and watched by him,
In a helpless, dumb remorse.
“But my soul was in rebellion,
For how could a child of prayer,
With the love of his mother in his heart,
Be taken in such a snare?
For how could a child of prayer,
With the love of his mother in his heart,
Be taken in such a snare?
326
“‘Thou believest that Mother Sewall
Rideth a broom,’ said I;
‘But thy darling talks of his golden horse,
And thou smitest him for a lie.
Rideth a broom,’ said I;
‘But thy darling talks of his golden horse,
And thou smitest him for a lie.
“‘And I think, of the two, thou sinnest
Against thy God the most;
For I judge thou chargest the Evil One
With the work of the Holy Ghost!’
Against thy God the most;
For I judge thou chargest the Evil One
With the work of the Holy Ghost!’
“But I begged my husband's pardon,
For he was sore distraught;
And would never leave the darling's bed,
Though often I besought.
For he was sore distraught;
And would never leave the darling's bed,
Though often I besought.
“Long days and nights thereafter,
In his dream the sweet lad lay,
But his fancy was on its journeying,
And always far away.
In his dream the sweet lad lay,
But his fancy was on its journeying,
And always far away.
“And he spoke of wondrous countries
Through which his journey led,
On his golden horse with the silver tail,
And the mane of silver thread.
Through which his journey led,
On his golden horse with the silver tail,
And the mane of silver thread.
“Till Jacob and I believed him,
And would not have marveled much
Had the golden creature revealed himself
To our credulous sight and touch.
And would not have marveled much
Had the golden creature revealed himself
To our credulous sight and touch.
“But weaker he grew and weaker,
Until there came in his eye
A look so weary and worn, we knew
Our little boy would die.
Until there came in his eye
A look so weary and worn, we knew
Our little boy would die.
327
“One still and cloudy midnight
He woke and gazed around,
And said that he heard his golden horse
Pawing the pasture-ground.
He woke and gazed around,
And said that he heard his golden horse
Pawing the pasture-ground.
“I think 'twas a bolt of thunder
Shot by a distant shower,
That shook the earth and the window-sash
In the last throe of its power.
Shot by a distant shower,
That shook the earth and the window-sash
In the last throe of its power.
“And I think it was the lightning,
That cheated our straining eyes;
But it seemed as if a beauteous horse
Entered in golden guise,
That cheated our straining eyes;
But it seemed as if a beauteous horse
Entered in golden guise,
“Breathing a flame from his nostrils,
And pausing by the bed;
When the child sprang up with a cry of joy,
And sank on his pillow, dead.
And pausing by the bed;
When the child sprang up with a cry of joy,
And sank on his pillow, dead.
“And then, on the second morning,
We bore him to the grave,—
The child that we were unfit to keep,
And had no power to save.
We bore him to the grave,—
The child that we were unfit to keep,
And had no power to save.
“But in the long procession,
No eyes but ours could see
The wondrous figure we beheld
Leading the company.
No eyes but ours could see
The wondrous figure we beheld
Leading the company.
“For following hard the neighbors
Who bore the precious corse,
Rode little Paul right gallantly
Upon his golden horse.
Who bore the precious corse,
Rode little Paul right gallantly
Upon his golden horse.
328
“I saw him just as plainly
As e'er I saw a flame;
And he nodded to me with a smile,
And Jacob saw the same.”
As e'er I saw a flame;
And he nodded to me with a smile,
And Jacob saw the same.”
IV.
The story and feast are ended,
And forth from the open door,
With eyelids wide and faces flushed,
The guests of the evening pour.
And forth from the open door,
With eyelids wide and faces flushed,
The guests of the evening pour.
The sun in the west is setting,
And bathing each farm and fold
With the lifted dust of the village ways
In an atmosphere of gold.
And bathing each farm and fold
With the lifted dust of the village ways
In an atmosphere of gold.
Now what is that in the distance
Which catches each gazing eye?
'Tis a flurry of dust that travels fast,
Like a whirlwind from the sky!
Which catches each gazing eye?
'Tis a flurry of dust that travels fast,
Like a whirlwind from the sky!
Nearer it comes, and nearer,
Till all the gazers know
That a horse is running without a man
Behind the saddle-bow!
Till all the gazers know
That a horse is running without a man
Behind the saddle-bow!
He courses along the highway
That leads across the plain,
And they hear the beat of his heavy feet
As he rushes down the lane.
That leads across the plain,
And they hear the beat of his heavy feet
As he rushes down the lane.
And, leaning on Miriam Winship,
A cry in her frightened breath,
The goodwife Hurd knows well that the horse
Is the messenger of death;
A cry in her frightened breath,
The goodwife Hurd knows well that the horse
Is the messenger of death;
329
And that somewhere among the shadows
Her husband lies apart,
With the scalp-lock riven from his head
And an arrow in his heart.
Her husband lies apart,
With the scalp-lock riven from his head
And an arrow in his heart.
And the women scream in wonder,
For all can plainly see
That a little lad with a smiling face
Bestrides the saddle-tree.
For all can plainly see
That a little lad with a smiling face
Bestrides the saddle-tree.
He tosses a kiss to his mother,
He tenderly bows to all,
And they know that their eyes behold indeed,
The spirit of little Paul.
He tenderly bows to all,
And they know that their eyes behold indeed,
The spirit of little Paul.
The horse flies by the cottage,
And into his pasture home,
Yellow and bright in the sunset gold,
And spotted with silver foam.
And into his pasture home,
Yellow and bright in the sunset gold,
And spotted with silver foam.
And the women hasten homeward,
Among the dropping dews,
To tell of the marvels they have seen,
And to bear the heavy news.
Among the dropping dews,
To tell of the marvels they have seen,
And to bear the heavy news.
But Miriam passeth inward,
Her hand in goodwife Hurd's,
And readeth there, for her comforting,
The Bible's gracious words.
Her hand in goodwife Hurd's,
And readeth there, for her comforting,
The Bible's gracious words.
Then reverently she kneeleth
And uttereth a prayer,
That the childless and the widowed one
May have the Father's care.
And uttereth a prayer,
That the childless and the widowed one
May have the Father's care.
330
But ere her prayer she endeth,
With fervent voice she saith:
“Oh punish not our blundering more
With chastisement of death!
With fervent voice she saith:
“Oh punish not our blundering more
With chastisement of death!
“But when thou sendest poets
To such dull folk as we,
Inspire our blind and doubting eyes
To know them when we see!”
To such dull folk as we,
Inspire our blind and doubting eyes
To know them when we see!”
| The complete poetical writings of J. G. Holland | |