Dead Chimes
Where the night smouldered,
Heaped, stone on stone,
They watched together,
Gods overthrown.
In the black desert,
With smoke for a shroud,
The wounds of their dumbness
Throbbed out, aloud.
One with the throbbing
Of the wounds of Time,
They spoke together;
They that once did chime.
" I was that strong one,
That joyous lord
Over these valleys,
Where morning poured!
To our high places
My voice over-fills,
There lifted their faces,
All the young hills!
" I was their tidings;
I, their Great Bell,
Gave them God's greeting,
Through Gabriel."
" At the bidding of Mary,
With my sweet sound,
I blessed the rapt meadows
Kneeling around; —
Now battle-ground,
Now battle-ground!
" With the voice of my pity
Poured forth as wine,
I folded my City:
It was all mine,
— Mine!
" Here in my bosom,
Dove and bright dove
Nested them, under
The word of my love."
" And they and their making, the mighty men and skilled;
Men to dream dreams, and arise then, and build; —
Are they all parted? As the sunk sands?
And the mothering women, who spun with their bands?
Women wise-hearted?
Women, that knew
Well to weave twinings; the scarlet of hue,
Purple, and silver and blue?
" They and their building; and their precious things:
Carven and glorious, with multitude of wings!
Woods sweet of savor, and golden overlaid;
Windows as dayshine for wonder, that they made.
These to be plunder,
And a shattered spoil: —
Incense of their burning, and sanctuary oil,
Treasure of their toil!" —
" Strong men at length,
That swung us to our towers,
Glad men of strength,
They were all ours,
Ours! ...
Then, nave and spire,
Joy climbed and came.
Then, choir on choir,
Song burst as fire,
Song poured as flame!"
" And I, that called,
Full of God's breath,
Words that He saith,
Shall I be thralled
To iron death?"
" I that made glad
The hills round about, —
Shall the tongue of my glory
Now be plucked out? —
That said All Hail !
In the one Name,
Be so betrayed? —
Molten, and made
Some tool of shame?"
Where the night smouldered,
Heaped stone on stone,
These spoke together,
Exiles, alone:
Throbbing, even so;
They that one time,
Long while ago,
... Did chime.
Heaped, stone on stone,
They watched together,
Gods overthrown.
In the black desert,
With smoke for a shroud,
The wounds of their dumbness
Throbbed out, aloud.
One with the throbbing
Of the wounds of Time,
They spoke together;
They that once did chime.
" I was that strong one,
That joyous lord
Over these valleys,
Where morning poured!
To our high places
My voice over-fills,
There lifted their faces,
All the young hills!
" I was their tidings;
I, their Great Bell,
Gave them God's greeting,
Through Gabriel."
" At the bidding of Mary,
With my sweet sound,
I blessed the rapt meadows
Kneeling around; —
Now battle-ground,
Now battle-ground!
" With the voice of my pity
Poured forth as wine,
I folded my City:
It was all mine,
— Mine!
" Here in my bosom,
Dove and bright dove
Nested them, under
The word of my love."
" And they and their making, the mighty men and skilled;
Men to dream dreams, and arise then, and build; —
Are they all parted? As the sunk sands?
And the mothering women, who spun with their bands?
Women wise-hearted?
Women, that knew
Well to weave twinings; the scarlet of hue,
Purple, and silver and blue?
" They and their building; and their precious things:
Carven and glorious, with multitude of wings!
Woods sweet of savor, and golden overlaid;
Windows as dayshine for wonder, that they made.
These to be plunder,
And a shattered spoil: —
Incense of their burning, and sanctuary oil,
Treasure of their toil!" —
" Strong men at length,
That swung us to our towers,
Glad men of strength,
They were all ours,
Ours! ...
Then, nave and spire,
Joy climbed and came.
Then, choir on choir,
Song burst as fire,
Song poured as flame!"
" And I, that called,
Full of God's breath,
Words that He saith,
Shall I be thralled
To iron death?"
" I that made glad
The hills round about, —
Shall the tongue of my glory
Now be plucked out? —
That said All Hail !
In the one Name,
Be so betrayed? —
Molten, and made
Some tool of shame?"
Where the night smouldered,
Heaped stone on stone,
These spoke together,
Exiles, alone:
Throbbing, even so;
They that one time,
Long while ago,
... Did chime.
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.