The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
A HEATHEN TO HIS IDOL
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 | The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley |  |
130
A HEATHEN TO HIS IDOL
IN TIME OF WAR
At our gates is the stranger arrayed,
And the edge of the spoiler is strong;
If thou save not as dead we are made,
Who give thee no worship or song.
And the edge of the spoiler is strong;
If thou save not as dead we are made,
Who give thee no worship or song.
Before them the harvest is flame,
Behind them its ashes are grey.
Their lords are of terrible name,
Their arrows of resolute way.
Behind them its ashes are grey.
Their lords are of terrible name,
Their arrows of resolute way.
Thou art mighty, then save. Thou art great,
Then shred me this people like sand.
Reach down thro' the darkness of fate,
Rise up with reward in thy hand.
Then shred me this people like sand.
Reach down thro' the darkness of fate,
Rise up with reward in thy hand.
Who knows what disdain they have done?
How they came with a blast, with a cry,
To encamp in the grove of the sun,
To drink at the waters thereby?
How they came with a blast, with a cry,
To encamp in the grove of the sun,
To drink at the waters thereby?
How they gibed as they tightened the girth,
How they scoffed as they hammered the chain!
They are clothed in an insolent mirth;
Thou shalt wipe them away like a stain.
How they scoffed as they hammered the chain!
They are clothed in an insolent mirth;
Thou shalt wipe them away like a stain.
By his tent at the dawning always
The lute-girls assemble, and sing
This pæan of blasphemous praise
To awaken their captain and king.
The lute-girls assemble, and sing
This pæan of blasphemous praise
To awaken their captain and king.
Lithe maidens, the flower of the spoil,
They twitter like cranes in the cool;
Their shoulders are softer than oil,
Their tresses are closer than wool.
They twitter like cranes in the cool;
Their shoulders are softer than oil,
Their tresses are closer than wool.
They are cunning to modulate song;
They are trained in the dance from the teat.
They whirl and are wafted along
On nimble and rhythmical feet.
They are trained in the dance from the teat.
They whirl and are wafted along
On nimble and rhythmical feet.
131
They are tired with gold orbs to their hair.
Their robe edges shine with device.
Their raiment is clearer than air.
In each ear is an earring of price.
Their robe edges shine with device.
Their raiment is clearer than air.
In each ear is an earring of price.
“We will make thee thy throne as the sun,
Thy seed as the infinite stars.
In glory as thou hast begun,
Shall endure the swift path of thy wars.
Thy seed as the infinite stars.
In glory as thou hast begun,
Shall endure the swift path of thy wars.
“Who shall faint with thy voice in his ear,
Who refrain with thy word to arise?
Thou hast shaken a realm with thy spear,
And scattered a host with thine eyes.
Who refrain with thy word to arise?
Thou hast shaken a realm with thy spear,
And scattered a host with thine eyes.
“They prevailed over all men but ours;
Proud were they of face, yet are slain.
They fenced out their inland with towers,
And strengthened the rims of their main.
Proud were they of face, yet are slain.
They fenced out their inland with towers,
And strengthened the rims of their main.
“By the chosen of waves in their sight,
They sought them dry places to dwell.
They burnished the gates of their might,
With iron they girded them well.
They sought them dry places to dwell.
They burnished the gates of their might,
With iron they girded them well.
“Their turrets were crimson afar,
As blood in the way of the sun.
On the crest of their temples a star
Came burning ere day was begun.
As blood in the way of the sun.
On the crest of their temples a star
Came burning ere day was begun.
“They scoffed in their city of light.
They laughed to their idol at ease.
‘Thou hast bound away death from our sight,
Thou hast crowned us with glory and ease.
They laughed to their idol at ease.
‘Thou hast bound away death from our sight,
Thou hast crowned us with glory and ease.
“‘Thou hast filled us with meat to the lips.
Our soul is thine own and secure.
Thou rulest the waves to our ships.
Thou heedest our name shall endure.’
Our soul is thine own and secure.
Thou rulest the waves to our ships.
Thou heedest our name shall endure.’
“So cried they, but he of their trust
Was feeble to turn thee away.
Thou hast broken their root into dust,
And trodden their branch down as clay.
Was feeble to turn thee away.
Thou hast broken their root into dust,
And trodden their branch down as clay.
132
“He sold them their god to a snare.
And now thy war reaches to these,
Who clasp round their Dagon in prayer,
Natheless thou shalt bruise them with ease.
And now thy war reaches to these,
Who clasp round their Dagon in prayer,
Natheless thou shalt bruise them with ease.
“The hoarfrost is keen on the fold.
The furrows are crisp in their clay.
The winds are at peace in the cold
Until the uprising be grey.
The furrows are crisp in their clay.
The winds are at peace in the cold
Until the uprising be grey.
“In slumber's deep toils thou art blest;
Thou art folded and clothed in its grace.
How firm is the strength of thy rest,
How grand the repose in thy face.
Thou art folded and clothed in its grace.
How firm is the strength of thy rest,
How grand the repose in thy face.
“What shadows portentous of fight,
What hurling of foes from the steep,
What fragments, O giant, of night,
Pass thou thy spirit asleep!
What hurling of foes from the steep,
What fragments, O giant, of night,
Pass thou thy spirit asleep!
“Dost thou draw back thy shaft to its head,
Dost thou crash to the charge in thy car,
Dost thou wade in a phalanx of dead,
Dost thou shout in the trample of war?
Dost thou crash to the charge in thy car,
Dost thou wade in a phalanx of dead,
Dost thou shout in the trample of war?
“O mighty, the dawning is near.
Arise to thy glory and reap.
This people shall prove when they hear
One blast of thine onset like sheep.
Arise to thy glory and reap.
This people shall prove when they hear
One blast of thine onset like sheep.
“Ascend in thy raiment of might,
Their battlements melt at thy word.
Arise in thy worship and smite.
Destroy with one sweep of thy sword!”
Their battlements melt at thy word.
Arise in thy worship and smite.
Destroy with one sweep of thy sword!”
To such strain they have chaunted their hate.
Ah, Lord, their lewd boasting reprove.
Keep ward at thy treasury gate.
Shall a weakling thy godhead remove?
Ah, Lord, their lewd boasting reprove.
Keep ward at thy treasury gate.
Shall a weakling thy godhead remove?
Nay, ruler and refuge, contrive,
A network of snares to their feet:
Entangle them. Save us alive.
Rain on them thy curses as sleet.
A network of snares to their feet:
Entangle them. Save us alive.
Rain on them thy curses as sleet.
133
Afflict them with trouble of blood.
Consume them in violent ways.
Let pain be their portion for good.
Exchange for amazement their praise.
Consume them in violent ways.
Let pain be their portion for good.
Exchange for amazement their praise.
Let them parch with no river in sight;
Let them march in a sun-blaze on sands;
Let no dew-fall refresh them at night,
Let them wake, weak as sheep, in our hands;
Let them march in a sun-blaze on sands;
Let no dew-fall refresh them at night,
Let them wake, weak as sheep, in our hands;
That their bleeding may redden our rills;
That no dust of their foot-print remain;
For they boasted, their god of the hills
Could vanquish our god of the plain.
That no dust of their foot-print remain;
For they boasted, their god of the hills
Could vanquish our god of the plain.
| The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley | |