 | Rhymes of our planet |  |
II
The mountain city, fair Jerusalem,
Was crouching 'neath a black and stormy sky;
The madly charging squadrons of the storm
Made war between the hills of Palestine;
The dark-faced clouds were skulking to and fro,
Like ghosts in black, predicting pain and death.
Was crouching 'neath a black and stormy sky;
The madly charging squadrons of the storm
Made war between the hills of Palestine;
The dark-faced clouds were skulking to and fro,
Like ghosts in black, predicting pain and death.
The narrow streets were made to river-beds;
The sheltering walls themselves for shelter prayed;
The Temple crouched beneath the liquid weight,
And seemed to hide its stone phylacteries,
And, sinner-like, to shrink away from Heaven;
And now and then there fell a noon-day flash,
From giant flames whose kindling was a cloud,
That seemed to set the very floods afire;
And soon a lengthened peal, as if the sky
Were crushed to atoms by the stroke of God.
The sheltering walls themselves for shelter prayed;
The Temple crouched beneath the liquid weight,
And seemed to hide its stone phylacteries,
And, sinner-like, to shrink away from Heaven;
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From giant flames whose kindling was a cloud,
That seemed to set the very floods afire;
And soon a lengthened peal, as if the sky
Were crushed to atoms by the stroke of God.
Within a dainty room, whose every wall
Was but a mirror of its owner's thought,
Whose colors, folds, and attitudes, and tints,
Were silent whispers of a perfect taste,
Where e'en the softly perfumed air was thrilled
With emanations from a star-born soul,
Our maiden sat, unfrightened at the storm,
Her hands tight clasped, as if to those of God.
Was but a mirror of its owner's thought,
Whose colors, folds, and attitudes, and tints,
Were silent whispers of a perfect taste,
Where e'en the softly perfumed air was thrilled
With emanations from a star-born soul,
Our maiden sat, unfrightened at the storm,
Her hands tight clasped, as if to those of God.
A servant came, her face a pall of fear,
A dingy packet in her fingers grasped:
“A rough, fierce-looking, strange, and drenched old man,
With but a desert blanket for his garb,”
She murmured, “brought this letter here for you,
And said, “Expect me in to-morrow's storm,
Bound for the sweetness of my desert home.
These lines will breed an answer; give it me,”
Then he was gone as if into the earth.
She whom the storm had never once appalled,
Now trembled as she broke the seal, and read:
A dingy packet in her fingers grasped:
“A rough, fierce-looking, strange, and drenched old man,
With but a desert blanket for his garb,”
She murmured, “brought this letter here for you,
And said, “Expect me in to-morrow's storm,
Bound for the sweetness of my desert home.
These lines will breed an answer; give it me,”
Then he was gone as if into the earth.
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Now trembled as she broke the seal, and read:
“Sweet one, of whom I every hour have mused,
Whose sacred name is like a golden strand
Throughout the texture of my every thought,
I greet you.
Whose sacred name is like a golden strand
Throughout the texture of my every thought,
I greet you.
“O that I to-day could bow
My troubled head beneath your soothing hand,
And tell you all my startled eyes have seen—
My ears have heard—my quickened heart has felt!
My troubled head beneath your soothing hand,
And tell you all my startled eyes have seen—
My ears have heard—my quickened heart has felt!
“And first I beg, sweet solace of my life,
That you will seek the mother of the man
We stoned to death a few long weeks ago;
Give her scant days the sunshine of your smile,
And guard her life from every want and care.
I will repay.
That you will seek the mother of the man
We stoned to death a few long weeks ago;
Give her scant days the sunshine of your smile,
And guard her life from every want and care.
I will repay.
“You know how brave I was,
When going forth upon a safe campaign
To vindicate the majesty of God.
Though something whispered, ‘There be grander deeds
Than riding well protected to the hunt
Of men and women who will not resist
Or even fly!’
When going forth upon a safe campaign
To vindicate the majesty of God.
Though something whispered, ‘There be grander deeds
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Of men and women who will not resist
Or even fly!’
“We went our haughty way,
Amid the clang of Jewish battle-hymns,
And often songs that Israel would have scorned.
We talked about the glory of the times
When Joshua vaulted conquering through the land;
But oft I found myself in waves of thought
My troubled mind was striving hard to breast;
And oft I rode dejected and alone;
And when we camped at night, my spirit roved
Without a tether, up and down the earth,
And through the past and future; oft in fear
I called aloud your name; but you were gone.
This grand triumphal march of victory
Became the saddest journey of my life!
Amid the clang of Jewish battle-hymns,
And often songs that Israel would have scorned.
We talked about the glory of the times
When Joshua vaulted conquering through the land;
But oft I found myself in waves of thought
My troubled mind was striving hard to breast;
And oft I rode dejected and alone;
And when we camped at night, my spirit roved
Without a tether, up and down the earth,
And through the past and future; oft in fear
I called aloud your name; but you were gone.
This grand triumphal march of victory
Became the saddest journey of my life!
“Now near the Garden City of the North,
Just when we first beheld its spires and domes,
Whose jewelry flashed in the mid-day sun,
There swept on us a blinding wave of light—
A billow that resisted all defence—
More luminous than ever yet I saw,
As does the sun-fire dim the glowworm's lamp;
My body found a lodgement in the dust;
I somehow knew that grieved, indignant Heaven
Had struck me down; and blinded, weak, and prone,
But resolute to suffer and endure,
I lay and waited what might hap to me.
Just when we first beheld its spires and domes,
Whose jewelry flashed in the mid-day sun,
There swept on us a blinding wave of light—
A billow that resisted all defence—
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As does the sun-fire dim the glowworm's lamp;
My body found a lodgement in the dust;
I somehow knew that grieved, indignant Heaven
Had struck me down; and blinded, weak, and prone,
But resolute to suffer and endure,
I lay and waited what might hap to me.
“Then there came walking o'er the surging waves
Of my sad heart, the One they crucified,
But thirty moons ago. I cannot say
I saw Him with my eyes—yet many times
As well as if I saw Him with my eyes
I knew Him as the King they crucified!
He did not trample on me, but instead
Looked down at me with sad and streaming eye,
As one would at an erring brother loved,
And asked me why I persecuted Him.
And then my heart knelt to Him, and I said
‘King, I surrender; tell me what to do.’
Of my sad heart, the One they crucified,
But thirty moons ago. I cannot say
I saw Him with my eyes—yet many times
As well as if I saw Him with my eyes
I knew Him as the King they crucified!
He did not trample on me, but instead
Looked down at me with sad and streaming eye,
As one would at an erring brother loved,
And asked me why I persecuted Him.
And then my heart knelt to Him, and I said
‘King, I surrender; tell me what to do.’
“He sent me, humbled, blinded, to His friends—
The ones I came to kill; and they reached out
And took me to their hearts, and succored me;
And nursed me back to health and light once more.
The ones I came to kill; and they reached out
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And nursed me back to health and light once more.
“And then I sought the desert-land; and here,
Beneath the cloud-ceiled roofing of the sky,
With barren rocks and mountains for my walls,
Became a hermit; and throughout the day
I pray to God that He will pardon me
For all the grievous sins that I have done.
Beneath the cloud-ceiled roofing of the sky,
With barren rocks and mountains for my walls,
Became a hermit; and throughout the day
I pray to God that He will pardon me
For all the grievous sins that I have done.
“But when night falls, I creep into a cave,
And sleep amid the stillness; then there sweep
Along the crystal highways of the air
Angels by thousands; and they sing such songs,
So full of peace, good-will, and love to men,
That tears of joy come streaming down my cheeks.
And at their head is still my wounded Prince,
Who whispers words of comfort in my ear.
Oh, I could stay forever, dearest one,
If but my peace and joy were shared by you—
Could you but be my sweetest angel guest!
And sleep amid the stillness; then there sweep
Along the crystal highways of the air
Angels by thousands; and they sing such songs,
So full of peace, good-will, and love to men,
That tears of joy come streaming down my cheeks.
And at their head is still my wounded Prince,
Who whispers words of comfort in my ear.
Oh, I could stay forever, dearest one,
If but my peace and joy were shared by you—
Could you but be my sweetest angel guest!
“But Christ last night came, not with words of peace,
But with a sword; and, trumpet like, He spoke
And called to me, ‘To arms! the time has come
When you must hasten forth into the world,
And fight my battles with the enemy,
And strive with men to place their hearts with me.
You will be thrown in prison, chained, and scourged,
And suffer many a loathsome death for me;
So, are you strong enough to take the toil?’
I whispered Him, ‘My days and nights are thine!’
But with a sword; and, trumpet like, He spoke
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When you must hasten forth into the world,
And fight my battles with the enemy,
And strive with men to place their hearts with me.
You will be thrown in prison, chained, and scourged,
And suffer many a loathsome death for me;
So, are you strong enough to take the toil?’
I whispered Him, ‘My days and nights are thine!’
“So, soon my life's employment will begin.
And O, my true one! if your heart can know
And love the Prince I love, what happiness
Will flood my heart, e'en 'midst the woe and pain
That follow one who lifts a humble cause!”
And O, my true one! if your heart can know
And love the Prince I love, what happiness
Will flood my heart, e'en 'midst the woe and pain
That follow one who lifts a humble cause!”
Soon o'er the desert, through the mountain-pass
This answer to the waiting hermit went:
This answer to the waiting hermit went:
“Loved one, still loved—our Great Jehovah knows
That all my heart and soul have followed you;
Would faithful follow you for evermore—
Through sickness and the blackest gates of death,
If only you would serve our father's God.
O strong one! do not let a pang of pain,
A sunstroke 'mid a journey's new fatigue,
A fancied vision, and a troubled dream,
A bit of kindness from a wayward sect
Who subtly plot for favors back again,
Trap you away from roads of rectitude!
Let not that still and treacherous desert-land
Deceive you with its weird and ghostly tongues;
Come back to God, here in His ancient home;
Come back to me! your life shall be as smooth
As love and wealth can serve to render it;
Not in the whirling cataracts of strife,
But sailing on a wide, though placid sea,
Together will we make for splendid ports—
Fling wide the streamers your ambition paints,
Bear blesséd merchandise from man to man,
Then find our sky again beyond the clouds,
Outlive all death, and join the brave and true
Who dwell in our mysterious Fatherland,
Of which we seldom speak, but think so oft!
That all my heart and soul have followed you;
Would faithful follow you for evermore—
Through sickness and the blackest gates of death,
If only you would serve our father's God.
O strong one! do not let a pang of pain,
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A fancied vision, and a troubled dream,
A bit of kindness from a wayward sect
Who subtly plot for favors back again,
Trap you away from roads of rectitude!
Let not that still and treacherous desert-land
Deceive you with its weird and ghostly tongues;
Come back to God, here in His ancient home;
Come back to me! your life shall be as smooth
As love and wealth can serve to render it;
Not in the whirling cataracts of strife,
But sailing on a wide, though placid sea,
Together will we make for splendid ports—
Fling wide the streamers your ambition paints,
Bear blesséd merchandise from man to man,
Then find our sky again beyond the clouds,
Outlive all death, and join the brave and true
Who dwell in our mysterious Fatherland,
Of which we seldom speak, but think so oft!
“But if you still must hold this phantom dream,
And blindly toil in hope that it come true,
We then for evermore must walk apart,
Until the voice of God has bid you wake—
And this new-fallen darkness leaves your eyes.”
And blindly toil in hope that it come true,
We then for evermore must walk apart,
Until the voice of God has bid you wake—
And this new-fallen darkness leaves your eyes.”
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The desert-lodger knew too well the firm
Though bending nature of the maid he loved,
Which yielded in the breeze of common things,
To stand more firmly 'gainst the driving blast,
And cling unflinching to the ancient soil
In which her soul was planted at its birth.
Her, having learned in blindnesses of love,
He studied o'er with eyes of solitude;
He knew the lyric of his life was sung,
And the rough epic measures must begin.
With teeth firm clenched, above a wounded heart,
He whispered to himself, “The word is coined;
Henceforth our honest ways must lie apart!”
And then he knelt, and wept, and prayed for strength.
Though bending nature of the maid he loved,
Which yielded in the breeze of common things,
To stand more firmly 'gainst the driving blast,
And cling unflinching to the ancient soil
In which her soul was planted at its birth.
Her, having learned in blindnesses of love,
He studied o'er with eyes of solitude;
He knew the lyric of his life was sung,
And the rough epic measures must begin.
With teeth firm clenched, above a wounded heart,
He whispered to himself, “The word is coined;
Henceforth our honest ways must lie apart!”
And then he knelt, and wept, and prayed for strength.
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