Classic Poem

There out of hell the Old One bellows
With bitter outcry and baleful voice
Bewailing his woe: "Whither is fled
The wealth of bliss we should have in heaven?
This the home of darkness dreadfully bound
With fettering bonds of fire. The floor of hell
Is a blaze of flame burning with poison.
Not far is the end when we all together
Must suffer torment, torture and pain,
No longer possessing the splendor of glory
In heaven above, or joy in her high halls.
"Lo! once of old before the face of God
In happier hours we knew heavenly bliss
Singing in glory, where now round Eternal God
The righteous dwell in heaven's high hall
Adoring the Lord with words and works,
While I in this torment must abide in bonds,
Nor hope for a better home, because of my pride. . . .
"I was a holy angel in heaven of old
Dear unto God; knew delight with the Lord,
Great joy with our Maker; this multitude likewise.
But I planned in my heart to hurl from His throne
The Splendor of glory, the Son of God;
To rule over all things with this wretched band
Which I have brought home to hell. Clear was the token
When I was cast down to perdition, deep under earth
To the bottomless pit. I have brought you all
From your native home to a house of bondage.
"Here is no glory of wealth, no wine-hall of the proud,
No worldly joys or angelic, no hope of heaven.
This foul home flames with fire. I am God's foe!
Ever at the doors of hell dragons stand guard
Fierce and flaming. Hope not for help from them!
This terrible home is filled full with horror.
We have nowhere to hide our heads in the gloom of hell,
Or cover ourselves in the depths with shadows of darkness.
Here is the adder's hiss! Here serpents dwell!
Firmly the bonds of pain are fastened upon us.
Fierce are the fiends of hell, dusky and dark.
Day never lightens this gloom nor the glory of God. . . .
"I am so large of limb I may not lie hid
In this wide hall, wounded with my sins.
At times cold and heat in hell are mingled;
At times I can hear the hell-slaves howl,
A wretched race bewailing this realm of pain
Deep under the nesses where naked men
Struggle with serpents. All this windy hall
Is filled with horror. Never shall I know
A happier home, city or stronghold,
Nor ever mine eyes have sight of the gleaming world again.
"Worse is it now for me that ever I knew
The gleaming light of glory with angels on high,
And the harmonies of heaven where hosts of the blessed
Encircle the Son of God with sweetest song.
No evil can I bring on any soul
Except those only whom God casts out.
These I may have in thrall in the bondage of hell,
Bring to their long abode in the bitter abyss.
"How unlike are we all to those earlier days
When once we had beauty in heaven, honor and bliss.
Often the sons of God sang hymns of glory
When as thanes about our Beloved we praised the Lord,
Sang glory to God. But now I am stained with my sins,
Branded with evil; now burning with fire
I must bear on my back the bondage of torment,
Hot in hell, without hope of good."
And still the Foul Fiend, shepherd of sins,
Cried out of hell in torment accursed.
The words he spoke flew forth in sparks,
Most like to poison as he poured them out:
"Farewell to the glory of God! Farewell to the Helm of hosts!
Farewell to the might of the Maker. Farewell to the world!
Farewell to the light of day and the grace of God!
Farewell to the angel host! Farewell to heaven!
Alas! that I have lost those lasting joys!
Alas! that I may not reach with my hands to heaven above,
Nor thither lift up mine eyes, nor hear with my ears
The pealing trumpet sound, because from His seat
I would have driven God's Son and seized for myself
Dominion of glory and grace. Worse fate befell
Than I could foresee. From the shining host I am severed,
Cast down from light into this loathsome home."