Classic Poem

I.

The dusky moon is streak'd with blood,
The demons of the tempest roar;
A deluge swells the mountain flood,
The clouds descend in streams of gore:
From the dark mansions of the north,
Now the great winter rushes headlong forth.
His sacred beam the golden sun shall hide,
Nor spring nor summer shall enrich the plain;
No vales shall flourish in autumnal pride,
But winter drear shall hold unceasing reign,
Till the great dragon, terrible and strong,
Unwinds his sweepy folds, and shoots the seas along.

II.

Th' eternal hills shall melt away,
Earthquakes rock the trembling ground;
Fenris seize the orb of day,
The serpent shed his poison round:
Thick darkness and substantial night
Shall quench the stars of heav'n, and blot the cheerfu light.
Athwart the radiant bow, which girds the skies,
Glance the wing'd genii of etherial speed;
Along the ranks the gloomy Surtur flies,
He shakes his sun-bright sword, he pricks his steed:
The swelling dragon rears his horrent crest,
Fell Garmus barks aloud, Loke puts his lance in rest.

III.

His shrilling trumpeTheimdal blows,
Swift to the prophetic Spring
For counsel royal Odin goes,
The Eagle beats his iron wing;
Sleipner gives a dreadful bound,
The great ash waves its hundred boughs around.
The Lord of battles in bright armour cas'd,
Wields the gigantic sabre in his hand;
The golden helmet on his brow is lac'd,
He darts from file to file, from band to band.
The gods are arm'd, the heroes hurl the spear,
They blaze before the van, they thunder in the rear.

IV.

Haughty deeds the chiefs essay,
The king of men (his armies' shield)
Scatters terror and dismay,
Encounters Fenris in the field:
The king must fall (relentless fate!)
Beneath his foe, tho' brave, tho' good, tho' great!
But Vidar's faulchion shall revenge his death;
See! the wolf bleeds in agonizing pangs,
Th' expiring serpent with his pois'nous breath
Kills mighty Thor — the founding bowstring twangs;
Loud clash the bick'ring swords, the jav'lins fly,
They cut the liquid air, they shade the golden sky.

V.

Loke and valianTheimdal fall
In cruel fight by mutual wounds:
Wild uproar lords it over all,
Grim Surtur, whom black fire surrounds;
(Grim Surtur of tremendous name)
Launces a deluge of devouring flame:
The sun himself, (immortal fount of light)
And this terrestrial globe he shall consume;
But lo! a second earth serenely bright,
Shines from the wave, and bursts the settled gloom.
In Gimle's halls reside the just and brave,
While the base Caitiff's chain'd in Nastrond's dreary cave.