Sacra Poesis :: :: University of Virginia Library

“Walls have ears”—'tis said or sung,
Why then can't they have a tongue?
Common sense indeed may tell me—
What?—the very thing befel me.
I stood before old Caldicot,
And gaz'd there, till my senses got
Film'd with dreaming phantasy,
Days of old, and times gone by.
'Twas a thousand years ago,
(Some one came, and told me so,)
Clad in mail, alive again,
There were Harold, and his men;
And where now dark ivy went
O'er the crumbling battlement,
Many an archer, staunch and true,
His yew bow to the shafthead drew,
Many a spear and buckler shone
Burnish'd in the summer sun:

Many a baron bold was there,—
Many a trumpet rent the air,—
Steeds neigh'd shrill, and heard afar
Rav'd the brazen voice of war;
Caldicot rejoic'd to see
The gathering of chivalry,
Yet saw soon the youngest fall,—
Caldicot surviv'd them all.

That dream is o'er,—and chang'd the scene,
I gaz'd on others that had been;
Days of joyous revelry,
Songs and jests, and mirth, and glee.
What a goodly sight was there,
Gentle knights and ladyes faire;
Pleasure reign'd the livelong day,
Yet—Caldicot, O where are they?
Thou hast seen them faint and fall,—
Caldicot surviv'd them all.

Swift before my wondering eyes
Other scenes of old arise:
Many a knight, and blooming bride,
Flitted by in youthful pride:

Many a victim saw I bleed
By midnight's foul and bloody deed:
Oft I heard the harper's song
Mid the revel loud and long,—
Oft I heard the captive's moan,
Rotting in his dungeon lone.
Generations liv'd their day,
Scarcely liv'd—and pass'd away;
Ages ever came and fled,
They liv'd and laugh'd, and—and are dead!
Hark! a voice upon mine ear
Pours the moral deep and clear:

“All are dead”—the solemn sound
Linger'd still, and echoed round—
“All are dead,—and thou must die,
“The careless clod must on thee lie:
“Think, be wise, repent—to-day:
“Mortals may not dare delay.
“Ruin as I am, thou must
“Die before me,—dust to dust:
“Look then, mortal, upon me,
“Caldicot shall outlive thee.”

“Nay,” said I, “ye crumbling towers;
“Fading are yon summer flowers,
“E'en thy firmly buttress'd wall,
“Undermin'd by time,—must fall;—
“All things mortal live and die,
“But immortal still am I!
“Caldicots a thousand may
“Brave old time for many a day,
“Yet I shall outlive them all,
“See them spring, and stand, and fall,
“For undying, still am I,
“Still to be,—eternally!”