Page:Songs from the Southern Seas and Other Poems (1873).djvu/42

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
38
SONGS FROM THE SOUTHERN SEAS.

Of all his impious purpose, brave with love,
His mother stood, arid stretched her arms above
To tear the idol from her darling's hand;
But one fierce look, and rang a harsh command
In Jacob's voice, that smote her like a sword.
A thousand men sprang forward at the word,
To tear the mother from the form of stone.
And cast her forth; but, as he stood alone.
The keen, heart-broken wail that cut the air
Went two-edged through him, half reproach, half prayer.

But all unheeding, he nor marked her cry
By sign or look within the gloomy eye;
But round his body bound the carven case,
And swore the fealty with marble face.

As fades a dream before slow-waking sense,
The shadowy host, that late stood fixed and dense,
Began to melt; and as they came erewhile,
The streams flowed backward through each moon-lit aisle;