The Poetical Works of John Payne Definitive Edition in Two Volumes |
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| XIII. | XIII.THE ROSES OF SOLOMON. |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Payne |  |
XIII.THE ROSES OF SOLOMON.
SOLOMON of ancient story
Of the Lord had roses seven,
Roses of the morning-glory,
Dropping with the dews of heaven.
Of the Lord had roses seven,
Roses of the morning-glory,
Dropping with the dews of heaven.
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Angels plucked them in the garden
Of the city high and golden,
Ere the dews had time to harden,
That within their cups were holden,
Of the city high and golden,
Ere the dews had time to harden,
That within their cups were holden,
Into jewels for the adorning
Of the Cherubim immortal,
Of the Chamberlains of Morning,
Of the Seraphs of the Portal.
Of the Cherubim immortal,
Of the Chamberlains of Morning,
Of the Seraphs of the Portal.
Flowers from a celestial far land,
With the breath of blessing o'er them,
Woven, gathered in a garland,
Still for benison he bore them.
With the breath of blessing o'er them,
Woven, gathered in a garland,
Still for benison he bore them.
From the chrysoberyl ceiling
Of his chair of state suspended,
All the air with fragrance filling,
Bright with blossom never ended,
Of his chair of state suspended,
All the air with fragrance filling,
Bright with blossom never ended,
Hung the heaven-descended flowers,
Each its proper boon of blessing,
Each its own enchanted powers
By the grace of God possessing.
Each its proper boon of blessing,
Each its own enchanted powers
By the grace of God possessing.
Kingship this and domination
Gave of all the worldly spaces,
Over every land and nation,
Over all the tribes and races.
Gave of all the worldly spaces,
Over every land and nation,
Over all the tribes and races.
That the dark world's sons and daughters
Bent to, spirits earthy, airy,
Angels of the fires and waters,
Demon, seraph, afrit, fairy.
Bent to, spirits earthy, airy,
Angels of the fires and waters,
Demon, seraph, afrit, fairy.
Empire this which never dieth
Gave o'er all with life and motion,
All that creepeth, fareth, flieth
In the earth and air and ocean.
Gave o'er all with life and motion,
All that creepeth, fareth, flieth
In the earth and air and ocean.
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That command of all the courses
Gave of land and sea and heaven,
Winds and waters, flames and forces,
Sun and moon and planets seven.
Gave of land and sea and heaven,
Winds and waters, flames and forces,
Sun and moon and planets seven.
This o'er soulless things had power,
All that sees not, speaks not, hears not,
Stone and metal, herb and flower,
Everything that stands and stirs not.
All that sees not, speaks not, hears not,
Stone and metal, herb and flower,
Everything that stands and stirs not.
That continuance eternal
Gave and life that never faded,
Youth renewing, sempervernal,
Age and death fore'er evaded.
Gave and life that never faded,
Youth renewing, sempervernal,
Age and death fore'er evaded.
Sapience the last celestial
Gave and power all hearts of reading,
Wit t solve all doubts terrestrial,
Wisdom for all worldly needing.
Gave and power all hearts of reading,
Wit t solve all doubts terrestrial,
Wisdom for all worldly needing.
With these talismans provided,
Angel-armied, Naiad-navied,
Wisdom-warranted, God-guided,
Who was like the son of David?
Angel-armied, Naiad-navied,
Wisdom-warranted, God-guided,
Who was like the son of David?
All his nights with love he meted,
All his days with war and kingcraft,
On the breezes fared and fleeted,
From the birds caught song- and wingcraft;
All his days with war and kingcraft,
On the breezes fared and fleeted,
From the birds caught song- and wingcraft;
Moulded Israel to his measure,
Swayed all Syria, lowlands, highlands,
Swept the Indian seas for treasure,
Levied tribute from the islands;
Swayed all Syria, lowlands, highlands,
Swept the Indian seas for treasure,
Levied tribute from the islands;
Filled earth's faces with his armies,
With his navies oared the ocean;
Made Judæa, vi et armis,
Laughing as the land of Goshen;
With his navies oared the ocean;
Made Judæa, vi et armis,
Laughing as the land of Goshen;
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Ceiled his palaces with cedar,
Garnered pearls and gems for money,
Dan to Gilead, Gath to Kedar,
Made the realm run milk and honey.
Garnered pearls and gems for money,
Dan to Gilead, Gath to Kedar,
Made the realm run milk and honey.
Never monarch was that flourished
As did he: with power and praises
Fed to fulness, pleasure-nourished,
Glorious in all men's gazes,
As did he: with power and praises
Fed to fulness, pleasure-nourished,
Glorious in all men's gazes,
In Jerusalem high-builded,
Over all the land prevailing,
Mid his graven halls and gilded,
Lapt in love and fame unfailing,
Over all the land prevailing,
Mid his graven halls and gilded,
Lapt in love and fame unfailing,
Life on his commandments waiting,
All its rocky places levelled,
Nothing lacking, nothing bating,
Many a year he reigned and revelled:
All its rocky places levelled,
Nothing lacking, nothing bating,
Many a year he reigned and revelled:
Till at last, with sweetness sated,
Tired of thrones and dominations,
Turned he to the things God hated,
Followed on abominations;
Tired of thrones and dominations,
Turned he to the things God hated,
Followed on abominations;
Worshipped Ishtar, Moloch, Tanit,
Sought Canopus and Orion,
Bowed to stock and stone and planet,
Quite forgot the God of Zion.
Sought Canopus and Orion,
Bowed to stock and stone and planet,
Quite forgot the God of Zion.
Then did Jahveh rise and blast him,
Beggared him of gifts and graces,
From his chair of kingship cast him,
Throned an afrit in his places.
Beggared him of gifts and graces,
From his chair of kingship cast him,
Throned an afrit in his places.
Virtue all forsook the roses;
Withered weeds, from heaven banished,
For the Paradisal closes
Languishing, they pined and vanished.
Withered weeds, from heaven banished,
For the Paradisal closes
Languishing, they pined and vanished.
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What of David's son remained is?
All his greatness, all his glory,
How he revelled, how he reigned, is
Nothing now but idle story.
All his greatness, all his glory,
How he revelled, how he reigned, is
Nothing now but idle story.
| The Poetical Works of John Payne | |