The Demon of Destiny And Other Poems. By John Galt |
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THE DOOMED.
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 | The Demon of Destiny |  |
77
THE DOOMED.
A FRAGMENT.
What time the orient with the morning glow'd,
A peal of horsemen shook the London road;
They bore a myst'ry,—they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thundering on.
A peal of horsemen shook the London road;
They bore a myst'ry,—they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thundering on.
From tower and battlement, and rampart town,
With armour donn'd, determin'd warriors frown,—
They hear afar the hurrying horsemen come,—
The startling trumpet wakes the rousing drum;
But sternly past the dismal band is gone,
Onward they thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
With armour donn'd, determin'd warriors frown,—
They hear afar the hurrying horsemen come,—
The startling trumpet wakes the rousing drum;
But sternly past the dismal band is gone,
Onward they thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
At abbey gates the monks amazed stood,
And many a nun at convent windows bow'd,
Deeming the myst'ry, as they pray'd for grace,
Some holy thing for a more holy place:
With awe they pray'd; the horsemen heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
And many a nun at convent windows bow'd,
Deeming the myst'ry, as they pray'd for grace,
Some holy thing for a more holy place:
With awe they pray'd; the horsemen heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
Great borough magistrates, burly and proud,
Who awe, with halberdiers, the murmuring crowd—
Honour'd; unhonouring the horsemen pass'd,
Irreverent rushing, as the northern blast;
They bore a myst'ry, they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
Who awe, with halberdiers, the murmuring crowd—
Honour'd; unhonouring the horsemen pass'd,
Irreverent rushing, as the northern blast;
They bore a myst'ry, they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
The pond'rous waggons signal'd from afar,
Dreading the hurricane of horse to mar,
Mov'd from the road—aghast the wainers stood,
They saw the squadrons come, a raging flood;
But while they gaz'd, the furious band was gone,
Onward it thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
Dreading the hurricane of horse to mar,
Mov'd from the road—aghast the wainers stood,
They saw the squadrons come, a raging flood;
78
Onward it thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
At night their lodge in barns afield they found,
And lonely churches, with white tombs around,—
To which at morn, ere matin psalm was sung,
Fresh steeds were brought; on them the horsemen sprung,
And with the myst'ry, they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
And lonely churches, with white tombs around,—
To which at morn, ere matin psalm was sung,
Fresh steeds were brought; on them the horsemen sprung,
And with the myst'ry, they heeded none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
They met the funeral pageant of a peer,
And censer'd fragrancies enveil'd the bier;
“Dust unto dust,” the holy father's sung,—
The widow wept,—“Amen!” the mourners rung,—
They plung'd amidst them, they respected none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
And censer'd fragrancies enveil'd the bier;
“Dust unto dust,” the holy father's sung,—
The widow wept,—“Amen!” the mourners rung,—
They plung'd amidst them, they respected none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
They met the wedding of a happy pair:
The bridegroom carol'd, and the bride was fair,—
A pipe and tabor gladden'd every guest,
And blithe mess John went dancing to the feast;
Heedless as Death, the horsemen answer'd none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
The bridegroom carol'd, and the bride was fair,—
A pipe and tabor gladden'd every guest,
And blithe mess John went dancing to the feast;
Heedless as Death, the horsemen answer'd none,
But onward thunder'd, wordless thund'ring on.
They enter London, all the stars shine bright,
The world is cover'd with the pall of night,—
Up fly the windows, maids and matrons hear
The myst'ry coming, and look out in fear;
Their sires and husbands, helpless, trampl'd, groan
Beneath the horsemen, wordless thund'ring on.
The world is cover'd with the pall of night,—
Up fly the windows, maids and matrons hear
The myst'ry coming, and look out in fear;
Their sires and husbands, helpless, trampl'd, groan
Beneath the horsemen, wordless thund'ring on.
With torch and taper, and the sounding bell,
The host approach'd—a soul for Heaven or Hell
Was then departing; but the presence stood,
The warriors pass'd, in their unrighteous mood;
Gates now unfolded, and they thunder'd in,
Valves clos'd, Heav'n shudder'd at the royal sin.
And when the darkness melted in the air,
The Wallace captive stood unsworded there!
The host approach'd—a soul for Heaven or Hell
Was then departing; but the presence stood,
The warriors pass'd, in their unrighteous mood;
Gates now unfolded, and they thunder'd in,
Valves clos'd, Heav'n shudder'd at the royal sin.
And when the darkness melted in the air,
The Wallace captive stood unsworded there!
| The Demon of Destiny | |