The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan In Two Volumes. With a Portrait |
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The Bridge of Ghosts. |
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The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan | ||
III. The Bridge of Ghosts.
Their feet have passed the frozen Deep
Whose waves in silence roll,
And now they reach that ocean black
Which beats the inmost pole.
Whose waves in silence roll,
And now they reach that ocean black
Which beats the inmost pole.
Before them, on the northern sky
Rose-red and far withdrawn,
Mingled with meteors of the night,
Gleam golden dews of dawn;
Rose-red and far withdrawn,
482
Gleam golden dews of dawn;
And cast across that liquid sea
Which surges black below,
They see the pathway of the gods,
A many-colour'd Bow.
Which surges black below,
They see the pathway of the gods,
A many-colour'd Bow.
[There comes from off its heights a wind
That blows for endless time,
As swift as light, as keen as frost,
It strikes down souls that climb.]
That blows for endless time,
As swift as light, as keen as frost,
It strikes down souls that climb.]
‘O brother, place thy hand in mine,’
The gentle Balder said;
The rayless waters roar'd beneath,
The Bridge flash'd overhead.
The gentle Balder said;
The rayless waters roar'd beneath,
The Bridge flash'd overhead.
Then hand in hand against the wind
They falter'd upward slow,
On stairs of crimson and of gold
Climbing the wondrous Bow.
They falter'd upward slow,
On stairs of crimson and of gold
Climbing the wondrous Bow.
Like a great rainbow of the earth
It rose with faint hues seven,
And thro' the purple of the arch
Glimmer'd the lights of heaven.
It rose with faint hues seven,
And thro' the purple of the arch
Glimmer'd the lights of heaven.
When they had reach'd the midmost height,
In air they stood so high,
To one beneath they would have seem'd
As stars upon the sky.
In air they stood so high,
To one beneath they would have seem'd
As stars upon the sky.
The white Christ cried, ‘What lonely light
Burns yonder ruby red?’
‘The mansion of the sun-god Fryer
Stands yonder,’ Balder said.
Burns yonder ruby red?’
‘The mansion of the sun-god Fryer
Stands yonder,’ Balder said.
‘There ranged in rows with cold hands crost
The slain in silence lie,
The face of each ablaze like brass
Against the burning sky.’
The slain in silence lie,
The face of each ablaze like brass
Against the burning sky.’
Far under, as they linger'd there,
The dark deep waters roll'd;
Beyond, the polar mountains flash'd
With gleams of fiery gold.
The dark deep waters roll'd;
Beyond, the polar mountains flash'd
With gleams of fiery gold.
Upon the shores rose hills of ice
Hewn as in marble white,
Inlaid with opal and with pearl
And crown'd with chrysolite.
Hewn as in marble white,
Inlaid with opal and with pearl
And crown'd with chrysolite.
From stair to stair the brethren trod,
And Death crawl'd close behind,
And ever as they walk'd, the Bridge
Shook wavering in the wind.
And Death crawl'd close behind,
And ever as they walk'd, the Bridge
Shook wavering in the wind.
And lo! they seem'd as meteor shapes,
White-robed and shod with flame;
And to them out of the cold north
A threatening murmur came.
White-robed and shod with flame;
And to them out of the cold north
A threatening murmur came.
Down in the sullen sea below
Now ghostly faces clomb,
Uplooking with wild eyes to theirs
And waving hands of foam!
Now ghostly faces clomb,
Uplooking with wild eyes to theirs
And waving hands of foam!
So o'er the mighty Bow they moved
Snow-vestured and star-crown'd,
And Death behind them like a shade
Follow'd without a sound.
Snow-vestured and star-crown'd,
And Death behind them like a shade
Follow'd without a sound.
But as they reach'd the shores and stood,—
The bright Bridge at their back,—
The gods gazed out from the cold north
And shriek'd, and all grew black!
The bright Bridge at their back,—
The gods gazed out from the cold north
And shriek'd, and all grew black!
Deep thunders shook the darken'd heaven,
Wild lightning flash'd and fled,
The frozen shores of ice and snow
Trembled beneath their tread.
Wild lightning flash'd and fled,
The frozen shores of ice and snow
Trembled beneath their tread.
Round the ice-mountains of the pole
Dense smokes of tempest rose,
And from their lairs swift whirlwinds leapt
Wrapt round with drifting snows.
Dense smokes of tempest rose,
And from their lairs swift whirlwinds leapt
Wrapt round with drifting snows.
‘O Brother, hold me by the hand,
For lo! the hour is nigh;—
I see the shadows of the gods,
Yonder upon the sky!’
For lo! the hour is nigh;—
I see the shadows of the gods,
Yonder upon the sky!’
The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan | ||