 | Romance and revery |  |
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THE YOUNG SAMSON.
In Zorah dwells no youth like him,
So fleet of step, so firm of limb.
So fleet of step, so firm of limb.
His long gold hair is bright as dawn;
His throat is like a stag's for brawn.
His throat is like a stag's for brawn.
He lets the winds blow east and west
On the brown thews of his bared breast.
On the brown thews of his bared breast.
With artless fancies, boyish hopes,
He roams the cool Judæan slopes.
He roams the cool Judæan slopes.
At doors of tents, when he has passed
Where swarthy idlers moved or massed,
Where swarthy idlers moved or massed,
The murmured words his ears have won
That praised him as Manoah's son.
That praised him as Manoah's son.
A babe whose birth, ere yet it fell,
The Lord of Israel did foretell,
The Lord of Israel did foretell,
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By sending down, in mighty grace,
The angel with the star-like face!
The angel with the star-like face!
Grim soldiers, that across their wine
Growl curses at the Philistine,
Growl curses at the Philistine,
Will soften, if he come by chance,
The eyes where lurk the wolfish glance,
The eyes where lurk the wolfish glance,
And mutter low, with smile or nod:
“'T is he—the Nazarite to God!” ...
“'T is he—the Nazarite to God!” ...
But day by day the careless child
Will wander far, will wander wild.
Will wander far, will wander wild.
He does not dream what webs of doom
Are weaving on the future's loom!
Are weaving on the future's loom!
He only feels that life is fair
As heaven's unsullied arch of air;
As heaven's unsullied arch of air;
He only knows the peace intense
That broods o'er boundless innocence! ...
That broods o'er boundless innocence! ...
Yet sometimes he will shrink and cower
With wonder at his own strange power.
With wonder at his own strange power.
For once a vast loose rock had rolled
Where grazed a shepherd's frightened fold,
Where grazed a shepherd's frightened fold,
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And he with one hand caught it up,
And tossed it like an acorn's cup!
And tossed it like an acorn's cup!
And once, half tired, against an oak
He leaned, when lo! its huge frame broke!
He leaned, when lo! its huge frame broke!
And gayly, once, a stone he threw
That pierced the clouds, and died from view!
That pierced the clouds, and died from view!
| Romance and revery | |