He of the seven cities claimed, whose eyes,
Though blind, saw gods and heroes, and the fall
Of Ilium, and many alien skies,
And Circe’s Isle; and he whom mortals call
The Thunderous, who sang the Titan bound
As thou the Titan victor; the benign
Spirit of Plato; Job; and Judah’s crowned
Singer and seer divine;
Omar; the Tuscan; Milton vast and strong;
And Shakspeare, captain of the host of Song.
XXVII
Back from the underworld of whelming change
To the wide-glittering beach thy body came;
And thou didst contemplate with wonder strange
And curious regard thy kindred flame,
Fed sweet with frankincense and wine and salt,
With fierce purgation search thee, soon resolving
Thee to the elements of the airy vault
And the far spheres revolving,
The common waters, the familiar woods,
And the great hills’ inviolate solitudes.
XXVIII
Thy close companions there officiated
With solemn mourning and with mindful tears;—
The pained, imperious wanderer unmated
Who voiced the wrath of those rebellious years;
Trelawney, lion limbed and high of heart;
And he, that gentlest sage and friend most true,
Whom Adonais loved. With these bore part
One grieving ghost, that flew
Hither and thither through the smoke unstirred
In wailing semblance of a wild white bird.
XXIX
O heart of fire, that fire might not consume,
For ever glad the world because of thee;
Because of thee for ever eyes illume
A more enchanted earth, a lovelier sea!
O poignant voice of the desire of life,
Piercing our lethargy, because thy call
Aroused our spirits to a nobler strife
Where base and sordid fall,
For ever past the conflict and the pain
More clearly beams the goal we shall attain!
XXX
And now once more, O marshes, back to you
From whatsoever wanderings, near or far,
To you I turn with joy for ever new,
To you, O sovereign vasts of Tantramar!
Your tides are at the full. Your wizard flood,
With every tribute stream and brimming creek,
Ponders, possessor of the utmost good,
With no more left to seek;—
But the hour wanes and passes; and once more
Resounds the ebb with destiny in its roar.