 | The Emperor's Vigil, and The Waves And The War |  |
13
III. The Arrival.
On the Baltic deep the sun went down,
And reddened its sounding floor,
And the shadows came like a gathering frown
From the hills of the Swedish shore.
And reddened its sounding floor,
And the shadows came like a gathering frown
From the hills of the Swedish shore.
The plains of Muscovy far away
Grew pale with a ghastly white;
On the Western lands was the light of day,
But over the East was night.
Grew pale with a ghastly white;
On the Western lands was the light of day,
But over the East was night.
And where the twilight and golden gleam
Commingle, a mighty shape—
Still as a shadow, dim as a dream—
Comes gliding around the cape.
Commingle, a mighty shape—
Still as a shadow, dim as a dream—
Comes gliding around the cape.
14
Another yet, and in long array
The ships of the Sea-Queen sweep,
As though the mountains, loosed from the bay,
Floated out on the open deep.
The ships of the Sea-Queen sweep,
As though the mountains, loosed from the bay,
Floated out on the open deep.
The touch of a child can stay their course,
Yet nought can their might withstand,—
Type of a wise free people's force,
So docile, and yet so grand.
Yet nought can their might withstand,—
Type of a wise free people's force,
So docile, and yet so grand.
They swayed with the lightest wave that broke,
They swung at the slightest breath;
Yet an empire's heart's in their ribs of oak,
And the strength of the Titan, Death!
They swung at the slightest breath;
Yet an empire's heart's in their ribs of oak,
And the strength of the Titan, Death!
To the coast of Muscovy slow they stood,
Where ocean and sky combine;
And as clouds with storms of the morrow brood,
Settle down in a long dark line.
Where ocean and sky combine;
And as clouds with storms of the morrow brood,
Settle down in a long dark line.
15
Oh! then was a stir in that region vast,—
A noise of a realm's affright;
And the millions dull, 'neath a level cast,
Clamoured up in their soulless night.
A noise of a realm's affright;
And the millions dull, 'neath a level cast,
Clamoured up in their soulless night.
Do they dream of a day that in glory comes?
Of a morn that is mounting higher,
When Freedom speaks through the roll of drums,
And walks in a shroud of fire?
Of a morn that is mounting higher,
When Freedom speaks through the roll of drums,
And walks in a shroud of fire?
On Muscovy's plains the sun shall rise
And herald a day more bright:
They are but dark with a curse that dies,
And shall wake to a deathless light.
And herald a day more bright:
They are but dark with a curse that dies,
And shall wake to a deathless light.
For knowledge sublime from the West shall come,
As it came from the East of yore;
A child that brought pearls of great price from home,
Returning to render back more.
As it came from the East of yore;
A child that brought pearls of great price from home,
Returning to render back more.
| The Emperor's Vigil, and The Waves And The War | |