 | The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics |  |
165
THE KNELL OF THE MONARCHIES.
A sound borne from afar,
A solemn and ghostly sound;
Like a mighty bell that tolleth the knell
Of a king by fate discrowned.
A solemn and ghostly sound;
Like a mighty bell that tolleth the knell
Of a king by fate discrowned.
It tolleth ever and aye,—
Both night and day it tolleth;
Nor space nor time can stay its chime,
Still on and on it rolleth.
Both night and day it tolleth;
Nor space nor time can stay its chime,
Still on and on it rolleth.
On, o'er the city streets,
On, over meadow and lea;
O'er the forest wide, o'er the green hill-side,
On, on. o'er the sweeping sea!
On, over meadow and lea;
O'er the forest wide, o'er the green hill-side,
On, on. o'er the sweeping sea!
And whoso heareth the sound,
Doth hear as it were the roar
Of waves that leap from a fathomless deep,
And break on a shingly shore.
Doth hear as it were the roar
Of waves that leap from a fathomless deep,
And break on a shingly shore.
166
Doth hear as it were the rush
Of a multitudinous throng,
The tramp of feet o'er the stony street,
And the voice of savage song.
Of a multitudinous throng,
The tramp of feet o'er the stony street,
And the voice of savage song.
All discords blent in one,
Shouts, murmurs, shrieks, and groans,
And a cry of wail, that telleth a tale
Of shaken and shattered thrones.
Shouts, murmurs, shrieks, and groans,
And a cry of wail, that telleth a tale
Of shaken and shattered thrones.
It tolleth for aye, that bell,
And some grow faint and pale,
As it rolleth in, with ominous din,
As they list its ghostly tale.
And some grow faint and pale,
As it rolleth in, with ominous din,
As they list its ghostly tale.
But some start up in joy,
With fiery flashing eyes,
That see from the night a glorious light,
And a mighty hope arise.
With fiery flashing eyes,
That see from the night a glorious light,
And a mighty hope arise.
A light long quenched in cloud,
A hope long nursed in vain;
The bright sun-rise of their liberties
O'er the despot's broken chain.
A hope long nursed in vain;
The bright sun-rise of their liberties
O'er the despot's broken chain.
167
O thou, of the sealëd scroll,
O Future, 'tis thine to shew,
If the hope or fear be meetest here,
The joy, or eke the woe.
O Future, 'tis thine to shew,
If the hope or fear be meetest here,
The joy, or eke the woe.
One task, meanwhile, is ours—
To wait; full sure to see
God's light illume the rayless gloom,
Make clear the mystery;
To wait; full sure to see
God's light illume the rayless gloom,
Make clear the mystery;
Full sure, oh, ghostly bell,
Despite thy boding tones,
His stedfast will controlleth still
This wreck of crowns and thrones.
Despite thy boding tones,
His stedfast will controlleth still
This wreck of crowns and thrones.
| The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics | |