Classic Poem

SWEDEN .

The star that glittered on thy natal day,
Illumed thy path and taught thee to succeed;
It led thy legions on, impetuous Swede,
O'er Polish snows to conquer and to slay.

It followed thee unto that gloomy way,
Where Norse and Goth made the dark Neva bleed,
And where the Russian sceptre, like a reed,
Was snapped in Narva's desolating fray.

But northern mists then veiled it from thy sight;
Thou didst not see the Czar's advancing hordes;
Giant! before thou couldst turn back to smite,
With riot of cannon and with clash of swords,
Thy great star, glittering in the Norway night,
Fell with a shudder in the frozen fjords!