 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
Way of the dead, where all day-labours cease;
Is thís we living tread, with troubled hearts.
We go down, tó be guests of griesly Death;
In Hels tremendous House, befóre our deaths.
Seemed full of whíspers, each new horrid place:
Phantasms flit forth, before our fearful steps.
Is thís we living tread, with troubled hearts.
We go down, tó be guests of griesly Death;
In Hels tremendous House, befóre our deaths.
Seemed full of whíspers, each new horrid place:
Phantasms flit forth, before our fearful steps.
Reached tó that gallerys ending, derne and still;
That seemed iron closure, óf Eternal Tomb:
Revealed was fateful door of massy stone.
There was, my weed fell off me of itself.
Whence I, recording precept of the Muse;
Anointed wíth that Temple-chrism my flesh:
And did-on Orphic garment of Worlds Grave.
That seemed iron closure, óf Eternal Tomb:
Revealed was fateful door of massy stone.
There was, my weed fell off me of itself.
Whence I, recording precept of the Muse;
Anointed wíth that Temple-chrism my flesh:
And did-on Orphic garment of Worlds Grave.
Thus shrouded, like to clay-cold corse, I knocked;
With that was in mine hand, the Muses staff,
(As Mansoul bade,) thríce, on that squalid port:
And fearful echoed, living noise in Hel!
And rumbled dread in Region derne, far off.
With that was in mine hand, the Muses staff,
(As Mansoul bade,) thríce, on that squalid port:
And fearful echoed, living noise in Hel!
And rumbled dread in Region derne, far off.
Reeled on its pivots, thát ports rusty mass:
And Hé who, as ít had néver been removed,
Now slowly it revolved, regardeth us!
35
Now slowly it revolved, regardeth us!
Loath charnel-breath smóte, smother of the grave,
On our lives' sense: an horror of endless vast
Darkness of Únder-Earth, shrouded, compassed us.
On our lives' sense: an horror of endless vast
Darkness of Únder-Earth, shrouded, compassed us.
A griesly fleshless hand laid on the lock;
That hollow-jowled dread Portent of a wight,
Spake; Your Intent? There enters here no flesh;
Herein no líves-way lieth. And narrowly he ús,
Grim Spectre, Porter of Hels horrid House,
Upon this part; (wherein besides, 't is said,
Be other many doors, and fearful deep
Descending paths, of spirits deceased;) hath eyed.
That hollow-jowled dread Portent of a wight,
Spake; Your Intent? There enters here no flesh;
Herein no líves-way lieth. And narrowly he ús,
Grim Spectre, Porter of Hels horrid House,
Upon this part; (wherein besides, 't is said,
Be other many doors, and fearful deep
Descending paths, of spirits deceased;) hath eyed.
Might hárdly I utterance frame of faltering lips.
Responding to that Doorward, then I said:
We Wisdom seek, whereas it may be sought.
And might we, in recompense of just Heavens best gift;
Unto ús men, Speech and Understanding Mind,
As diver, groping neath gross waters' weight,
On seas dark ground, the while with-holding breath;
Bring, were it but an emmets burden up,
Of very Sooth, to day and living light!
That phantom Porter prónounced, ghostly, Pass!
Responding to that Doorward, then I said:
We Wisdom seek, whereas it may be sought.
And might we, in recompense of just Heavens best gift;
Unto ús men, Speech and Understanding Mind,
As diver, groping neath gross waters' weight,
On seas dark ground, the while with-holding breath;
Bring, were it but an emmets burden up,
Of very Sooth, to day and living light!
36
Deaths iron-strong cragged Gate, our feet have passed.
We tread in, on grave-dust. Great silent weight
Is fallen on ús of an Eternal Night!
The footfall made of óur entrancéd flesh,
None echoing sound; passed now beyond Worlds noise.
Save for our torches flickering gleam; and that
Shines but as fathoms breadth before our steps;
Lightless lies all Dead Underworld from henceforth.
We tread in, on grave-dust. Great silent weight
Is fallen on ús of an Eternal Night!
The footfall made of óur entrancéd flesh,
None echoing sound; passed now beyond Worlds noise.
Save for our torches flickering gleam; and that
Shines but as fathoms breadth before our steps;
Lightless lies all Dead Underworld from henceforth.
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |