 | Three hours ; or, the vigil of love : and other poems |  |
11.
Once a holy man was set
Watching where the witches met!
Open Bible, naked sword,—
And three candles on the board,—
There the godly man was set
Watching where the witches met;
Knowing well his dreadful doom,
Should they drive him from the room.
Watching where the witches met!
Open Bible, naked sword,—
And three candles on the board,—
There the godly man was set
Watching where the witches met;
Knowing well his dreadful doom,
Should they drive him from the room.
The candles three were burning bright,
The sword was flashing back the light,
As it struck the deep midnight;
While the holy Book he read,
And all was still as are the dead.
Suddenly there came a roar
Like breakers on a rocky shore,
When the ocean's thundering boom
Knells the mariner to his tomb!
The good man felt the struggling strife,
As the ship went down with its load of life!
His seat was shaken by the roar,
And upward seemed to rise the floor!
While round and round, as eddies hurl,
The room and table seemed to whirl!
Yet still the holy Book read he,
And prayed for those who sail the sea.
The sword was flashing back the light,
As it struck the deep midnight;
While the holy Book he read,
And all was still as are the dead.
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Like breakers on a rocky shore,
When the ocean's thundering boom
Knells the mariner to his tomb!
The good man felt the struggling strife,
As the ship went down with its load of life!
His seat was shaken by the roar,
And upward seemed to rise the floor!
While round and round, as eddies hurl,
The room and table seemed to whirl!
Yet still the holy Book read he,
And prayed for those who sail the sea.
Then came a shrieking, wild and high,
As when flames are bursting nigh,
And their blood has stained the sky!
“Fly! fly! fly!” in a strangling cry,
Was hoarsely rattled on his ear—
While the crackling flames came near!
And still the holy Book read he,
And prayed for those where fires might be.
As when flames are bursting nigh,
And their blood has stained the sky!
“Fly! fly! fly!” in a strangling cry,
Was hoarsely rattled on his ear—
While the crackling flames came near!
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And prayed for those where fires might be.
And then appeared a sight of dread;
The roof was opened above his head—
He saw, in the far-off, dusky view,
A bloody hand—and an arm—come through!
The Lady seemed to see them too.
The roof was opened above his head—
He saw, in the far-off, dusky view,
A bloody hand—and an arm—come through!
The Lady seemed to see them too.
Downward, pointing towards his head,
That long, bare arm, and hand blood-red,
Came slowly, like a thought of dread!
That long, bare arm, and hand blood-red,
Came slowly, like a thought of dread!
The Lady seemed to see them come—
That arm of might, and hand of doom—
Slowly coming!—coming!—come!
That arm of might, and hand of doom—
Slowly coming!—coming!—come!
Ah, the sword is in his hand!
Man of God, be valiant now;
In the name of Jesus, stand—
Strike! strike the blow!
'T is done;—the chill of death came o'er her,
The bloody hand seems rolled before her!
Man of God, be valiant now;
In the name of Jesus, stand—
Strike! strike the blow!
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The bloody hand seems rolled before her!
| Three hours ; or, the vigil of love : and other poems | |