The fearful mantle that the seer is wearing
Derives from thee its tints of living fire —
And higher mounts Philosophy when sharing
The wealth of thy attire:
And in the distance to thy vision brightly
Gleam happy homes beyond this land of graves,
As airy domes and towers at sunset lightly
Rise from Sicilian waves.
When History, her task but ill-achieving,
Fails some far epoch faintly to illume,