 | Romance and revery |  |
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AMBITION.
A night-wind moved and moaned by fits,
Wandering the field of Austerlitz.
Wandering the field of Austerlitz.
At peace above its mounds of slain,
Heaven wove with stars her shining skein.
Heaven wove with stars her shining skein.
Beside his tent, austere as stone,
Napoleon stood and mused alone.
Napoleon stood and mused alone.
His eyes (an eagle's in their light)
Roamed the vast vistas of the night.
Roamed the vast vistas of the night.
That hour was born within his breast
The Titan's anguish of unrest.
The Titan's anguish of unrest.
He felt his spirit tower, aspire,
With insolence of new desire.
With insolence of new desire.
All victories he had won o'er men
Seemed slight and immaterial then.
Seemed slight and immaterial then.
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He craved in many another land
Conquest a millionfold more grand;
Conquest a millionfold more grand;
He thrilled with all the strange distress
Of superhuman selfishness;
Of superhuman selfishness;
And while his vision rose and sought
Those throngs of stars, he thought this thought:
Those throngs of stars, he thought this thought:
“In every orb of these I mark
That pierce with fire the dome of dark,
That pierce with fire the dome of dark,
“In every world that beams afar,
In each distinguishable star,
In each distinguishable star,
“I long to reach, as at this hour,
My glory and plenitude of power!—
My glory and plenitude of power!—
“To live through time till time be done,
Imperially Napoleon!”
Imperially Napoleon!”
Paris, 1884.
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