THUNDER: the flesh quails, and the soul bows down. A man lays hand on, and usurps her right. Shown in the spheral orbit of a glass COXI. ON THE RUSSIAN PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS. (Written June 1882.) O SON of man, by lying tongues adored, By slaughterous hands of slaves with feet red-shod In carnage deep as ever Christian trod Profaned with prayer and sacrifice abhorred And incense from the trembling tyrant's horde, Brute worshippers of wielders of the rod, Most murderous even of all that call thee God, Most treacherous even that ever called thee Lord;Face loved of little children long ago, Head hated of the priests and rulers then, If thou see this, or hear these hounds of thine Say, was not this thy Passion to foreknow In death's worst hour the works of Christian men? CCXII. HOPE AND FEAR. BENEATH the shadow of dawn's aerial cope, And makes for joy the very darkness dear That gives her wide wings play; nor dreams that fear What once being known leaves time no power to appal; Till youth at last, ere yet youth be not, learn The kind wise word that falls from years that fall'Hope thou not much, and fear thou not at all.' OCXIII. TO THE GENIUS OF ETERNAL SLUMBER SLEEP, thou art named eternal! Is there then Shall conscience sleep where thou art; and shall pain Of ease, whence she shall never rise again? Breathe like an infant slumbering at thy breast Shall hope there cease to throb; and shall the smart Of things impossible at length find rest? Thou answerest not. The poppy-heads above Thy calm brows sleep. How cold, how still thou art ! CCXIV. INEVITABLE CHANGE. REBUKE me not! I have nor wish nor skill Reared on earth's soil by man's too passionate will. Dread thou the moment when these glittering towers, These adamantine walls and gates of gems, Shall fade like forms of sun-forsaken cloud; When dulled by imperceptible chill hours, The golden spires of our Jerusalems Shall melt to mist and vanish in night's shroud! |