 | [Poems by Dwight in] American poems, selected and original |  |
1.
Part I.
Daniel, Chap. I.
Beneath the dawn, o'er Babel's fruitful plain,
In proud effulgence mov'd the conquering train.
Full on the sun's broad beam their buckler's ray
Streak'd the glad fields, and gave a mimic day.
With spiry splendor varying standards glow'd;
In pomp sublime majestic chieftains rode;
The silver clarions gave a solemn sound,
And cars unnumber'd, thundering shook the ground.
In proud effulgence mov'd the conquering train.
Full on the sun's broad beam their buckler's ray
Streak'd the glad fields, and gave a mimic day.
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In pomp sublime majestic chieftains rode;
The silver clarions gave a solemn sound,
And cars unnumber'd, thundering shook the ground.
There Judah's spoils in proud display were borne;
There purple vesture mock'd the rising morn;
There sacred vessels, rich from Ophir's mine,
Beam'd their strong light, and imag'd art divine;
There mov'd the prince, the queen, the lord, the sage,
And hapless captive throngs of every age.
There purple vesture mock'd the rising morn;
There sacred vessels, rich from Ophir's mine,
Beam'd their strong light, and imag'd art divine;
There mov'd the prince, the queen, the lord, the sage,
And hapless captive throngs of every age.
High-thron'd, the monarch from his golden car,
Survey'd the trophies of successful war.
Majestic, tall, the mighty hero rose,
Born to command, and dreadful to his foes:
His lofty limbs, enrob'd in rich attire
Of steel, and gold, were circled round with fire:
His pride, his soul, expanded at the sight,
And his glad eye-balls warm'd with living light.
Survey'd the trophies of successful war.
Majestic, tall, the mighty hero rose,
Born to command, and dreadful to his foes:
His lofty limbs, enrob'd in rich attire
Of steel, and gold, were circled round with fire:
His pride, his soul, expanded at the sight,
And his glad eye-balls warm'd with living light.
As o'er the captive train he cast his eyes,
And heard, unmov'd, their mingled groans and cries,
Four youths, companions, silent pass'd along,
By form distinguish'd from the vulgar throng.
Fair o'er them trembled beauty's purple flame;
Their eyes, as angels', cast a sunny beam;
Sublime their port; serene their solemn look;
By fear unaw'd, by heaviest woes unbroke;
To ills superior; earth and time above;
But touch'd with kindred woe, and yearning love.
The monarch gaz'd.—His fierce and hardy mind
Then first with sweet and tender thoughts refin'd;
He felt each nerve with strange emotion thrill,
And down each cheek new tears in silence steal.
No more the host, no more the spoils appear'd;
No more the trump's inspiring voice was heard;
Fix'd as he gaz'd, to soft compassion won,
The pomp was buried, and the triumph gone.
And heard, unmov'd, their mingled groans and cries,
Four youths, companions, silent pass'd along,
By form distinguish'd from the vulgar throng.
Fair o'er them trembled beauty's purple flame;
Their eyes, as angels', cast a sunny beam;
Sublime their port; serene their solemn look;
By fear unaw'd, by heaviest woes unbroke;
To ills superior; earth and time above;
But touch'd with kindred woe, and yearning love.
The monarch gaz'd.—His fierce and hardy mind
Then first with sweet and tender thoughts refin'd;
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And down each cheek new tears in silence steal.
No more the host, no more the spoils appear'd;
No more the trump's inspiring voice was heard;
Fix'd as he gaz'd, to soft compassion won,
The pomp was buried, and the triumph gone.
To Arioch then, his favor'd, faithful slave,
The turning prince his sovereign pleasure gave:
“Seest thou, my Arioch, those bright, youthful forms;
“What grace surrounds them, and what beauty warms!
“With what fair pride, magnificently great,
“They move superior to their humble fate!
“For arms, for empire, not for bondage made,
“They win my soul, and claim imperial aid.
“Go then, my Arioch, go, their steps pursue;
“With gentle sympathy their souls subdue;
“Their monarch's favour to their hearts ensure;
“Win them from grief; disrobe their rags impure;
“Their course immediate to the palace bend;
“Let faithful Ashpenaz their steps attend;
“Superior far to all in every grace,
“Among the chosen youths appoint the place.”
The turning prince his sovereign pleasure gave:
“Seest thou, my Arioch, those bright, youthful forms;
“What grace surrounds them, and what beauty warms!
“With what fair pride, magnificently great,
“They move superior to their humble fate!
“For arms, for empire, not for bondage made,
“They win my soul, and claim imperial aid.
“Go then, my Arioch, go, their steps pursue;
“With gentle sympathy their souls subdue;
“Their monarch's favour to their hearts ensure;
“Win them from grief; disrobe their rags impure;
“Their course immediate to the palace bend;
“Let faithful Ashpenaz their steps attend;
“Superior far to all in every grace,
“Among the chosen youths appoint the place.”
The monarch spake. The faithful chief obey'd,
And to the palace strait the youths convey'd.
There Ashpenaz, the eunuch's prince, receiv'd,
To hope restor'd them, and from want reliev'd.
Cheer'd with kind words, their every wish obey'd,
And thus, with soft and tender accent, said:—
And to the palace strait the youths convey'd.
There Ashpenaz, the eunuch's prince, receiv'd,
To hope restor'd them, and from want reliev'd.
Cheer'd with kind words, their every wish obey'd,
And thus, with soft and tender accent, said:—
“All-lovely youths! attir'd with every grace,
‘The best, and brightest, of your hapless race,
‘Think not, from war's dire scenes, the Assyrian mind,
‘To love impervious, or to misery blind.
‘Even the great prince, our mighty realm who sways,
‘Train'd in fierce wars, and nurs'd in bloody ways,
‘Though proudly borne on Conquest's lofty wings,
‘Lord of a world, and king of countless kings,
‘Yet bade me kindly every want supply,
‘No hope extinguish, and no joy deny.
‘The best, and brightest, of your hapless race,
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‘To love impervious, or to misery blind.
‘Even the great prince, our mighty realm who sways,
‘Train'd in fierce wars, and nurs'd in bloody ways,
‘Though proudly borne on Conquest's lofty wings,
‘Lord of a world, and king of countless kings,
‘Yet bade me kindly every want supply,
‘No hope extinguish, and no joy deny.
‘By his command, on kingly dainties fed,
‘Serv'd by his slaves, and in his palace bred,
‘In every art, in every mystery train'd,
‘By lords approv'd, by royal love sustain'd.
‘Your lives, in peace serene, shall glide away,
‘New joys returning with returning day.
‘Serv'd by his slaves, and in his palace bred,
‘In every art, in every mystery train'd,
‘By lords approv'd, by royal love sustain'd.
‘Your lives, in peace serene, shall glide away,
‘New joys returning with returning day.
‘For me, my bosom, not of stubborn steel,
‘Well knows to love, and long has learn'd to feel.
‘Your woes, O Youths, your nation's fate severe,
‘Pierce my sad soul, and prompt the tender tear.
‘Each gentle act, that marks a parent's hand,
‘From faithful Ashpenaz assur'd command;
‘From earliest years, to youths a constant guide,
‘'Tis joy to bless them, and to serve is pride.”
‘Well knows to love, and long has learn'd to feel.
‘Your woes, O Youths, your nation's fate severe,
‘Pierce my sad soul, and prompt the tender tear.
‘Each gentle act, that marks a parent's hand,
‘From faithful Ashpenaz assur'd command;
‘From earliest years, to youths a constant guide,
‘'Tis joy to bless them, and to serve is pride.”
Thus spoke the prince. With meek, but solemn grace,
The elder youth return'd this sad address:
‘O Prince of Eunuchs, soothing friend of woe!
‘Thy gentle solace bids our sorrows flow:
‘With love, with gratitude, our bosoms burn,
‘But, pierc'd with grief, our hapless nation mourn.
‘For ah! her sons, of every good forlorn,
‘Waste with dire want, or shrink from piercing scorn;
‘Or rage, in slaughter bids them weltering roll;
‘Or gloomy slavery blasts the wither'd soul;
‘Her childless mothers spread the reeking ground;
‘Her babes, unpitied, glut the hungry hound;
‘Levell'd in dust, her heaven-built Temple lies,
‘And SALEM's smoking ruins fill the skies.
‘More dread these splendors shew the fearful doom,
‘As day more deeply shades the darksome tomb:
‘Then, mid all joys, permit our hearts to mourn,
‘Nor think thy goodness meets a base return.”
The elder youth return'd this sad address:
‘O Prince of Eunuchs, soothing friend of woe!
‘Thy gentle solace bids our sorrows flow:
‘With love, with gratitude, our bosoms burn,
‘But, pierc'd with grief, our hapless nation mourn.
‘For ah! her sons, of every good forlorn,
‘Waste with dire want, or shrink from piercing scorn;
37
‘Or gloomy slavery blasts the wither'd soul;
‘Her childless mothers spread the reeking ground;
‘Her babes, unpitied, glut the hungry hound;
‘Levell'd in dust, her heaven-built Temple lies,
‘And SALEM's smoking ruins fill the skies.
‘More dread these splendors shew the fearful doom,
‘As day more deeply shades the darksome tomb:
‘Then, mid all joys, permit our hearts to mourn,
‘Nor think thy goodness meets a base return.”
He spoke. The prince, to chambers proud and fair,
Led the sad youths, and sooth'd their rising care,
Their graceful forms in splendid garments dress'd,
And kindly cheer'd their troubled minds to rest.
Led the sad youths, and sooth'd their rising care,
Their graceful forms in splendid garments dress'd,
And kindly cheer'd their troubled minds to rest.
As now all-fragrant spread the rich repast,
Cates of all climes, and wines of every taste;
Deep cares revolving in his troubled breast,
His chosen friends the elder youth address'd:—
Cates of all climes, and wines of every taste;
Deep cares revolving in his troubled breast,
His chosen friends the elder youth address'd:—
“O youths, refin'd in fierce affliction's flame,
‘Like gold, refulgent with undrossy beam!
‘Now new alarms your virtuous minds assail,
‘New dangers tempt, and untried foes prevail.
‘As icy rocks, by winter beat in vain,
‘Yeild to mild suns, and melt in vernal rain,
‘So the firm heart, no cruelty could move,
‘May lose each virtue in the beams of love.
‘Those cates, compos'd of all things rich and rare,
‘Cull'd with nice art, and dress'd with skilful care,
‘From truth's fair path our footsteps softly charm,
‘Our prayers enfeeble, and our faith disarm.
‘To purest food the sacred law confin'd,
‘The taste luxurious, and the wandering mind.
‘Fix'd be our hearts its high behests to obey,
‘Nor let vain banquets lure our feet astray.
‘From humble pulse serenest peace shall spring,
‘Health nerve the limbs, and lift the mental wing;
‘The soul, the form, with health and beauty bloom,
‘And heaven complacent grant a milder doom.”
‘Like gold, refulgent with undrossy beam!
‘Now new alarms your virtuous minds assail,
‘New dangers tempt, and untried foes prevail.
‘As icy rocks, by winter beat in vain,
‘Yeild to mild suns, and melt in vernal rain,
‘So the firm heart, no cruelty could move,
‘May lose each virtue in the beams of love.
‘Those cates, compos'd of all things rich and rare,
‘Cull'd with nice art, and dress'd with skilful care,
‘From truth's fair path our footsteps softly charm,
‘Our prayers enfeeble, and our faith disarm.
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‘The taste luxurious, and the wandering mind.
‘Fix'd be our hearts its high behests to obey,
‘Nor let vain banquets lure our feet astray.
‘From humble pulse serenest peace shall spring,
‘Health nerve the limbs, and lift the mental wing;
‘The soul, the form, with health and beauty bloom,
‘And heaven complacent grant a milder doom.”
Thus spoke the youth. With smiles of pure delight,
In duty's path the assenting friends unite,
To heaven the feast, the roving wish resign'd,
And gain'd the banquet of the obedient mind.
In duty's path the assenting friends unite,
To heaven the feast, the roving wish resign'd,
And gain'd the banquet of the obedient mind.
The courteous prince, by soft intreaties led,
Indulg'd their prayer, and gave the humble bread.
Heaven bless'd its sons.—As mid the inferior grove,
Four beauteous pines ascend the clouds above,
Mid heats, and droughts, and storms, and frost, and snow,
Through the full year with living verdure grow,
O'er every wood, with pride majestic, reign,
And wave exulting round the adjacent plain:
In port, in stature, thus, with thoughts sublime,
And worth, superior to the assaults of time,
Their gentle manners, great beyond disguise,
Friendly to man, and faithful to the skies,
The favour'd captives grew, and learn'd to soar
Through all the mysteries of Chaldean lore;
Learn'd how the stars in solemn splendor roll;
How countless realms compose one mighty whole;
What arts, what mazes, through the system run;
How hosts are marshall'd, and how fields are won.
Indulg'd their prayer, and gave the humble bread.
Heaven bless'd its sons.—As mid the inferior grove,
Four beauteous pines ascend the clouds above,
Mid heats, and droughts, and storms, and frost, and snow,
Through the full year with living verdure grow,
O'er every wood, with pride majestic, reign,
And wave exulting round the adjacent plain:
In port, in stature, thus, with thoughts sublime,
And worth, superior to the assaults of time,
Their gentle manners, great beyond disguise,
Friendly to man, and faithful to the skies,
The favour'd captives grew, and learn'd to soar
Through all the mysteries of Chaldean lore;
Learn'd how the stars in solemn splendor roll;
How countless realms compose one mighty whole;
What arts, what mazes, through the system run;
How hosts are marshall'd, and how fields are won.
| [Poems by Dwight in] American poems, selected and original | |