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Page 1 of 11898 · PDF PAGE 34
…ps of innocent girlhood that call me Father ; but my lips must wreathe smiles no more, But set in fearful strength of purpose toward The blood of enemies, in horrid gouts And hideous fountains leaping from great gashes, Rather than that belovéd blood that wells Fervent and red-rose-wise in loving breasts, And little veins of purple in the arms, Or cheeks that are already flushed with it, To crimson them with the intense delight Of eyes that meet and know the spirit dwells Beyond their profound depth in sympathy. Nay, my delight must find some d…
1898 · PDF PAGE 31
… and fervent and free. For its sides are a million of paces; Its centre is Death as he stands Pale-horsed, where the iciest places Chill blood in the furious hands. He stands like a spectre, and urges The horsemen in thunderous surges On columns where blood not asperges The splashing of struggling bands. The sword is like lightning in battle, The spear like the light of a star; It strikes on the shield, and the rattle Of arrows is hail from afar.
1898 · PDF PAGE 44
… other dawns more deep and wise Burn awful in his holy eyes. A moment, and the fire is low Upon the black. stone of the altar, The spilt blood eagerly doth glow, And lightnings lick the light, and falter, Feeling the vast Shekinah shine Above their excellence divine. The Lord is gracious to His own, And hides with glory as a mist The sacrifice and smitten stone, And on the lips His presence kissed Burn the high vows with ample flame That He shall swear to by the Name. JEPHTHAH. Highest of Highest, most Concealed of all, Most Holy Ancient One, U…
1898 · PDF PAGE 27
… fighting men get scanty sleep Till the dawn lift his eyebrows, and the day Renew the battle? Will ye follow me Through slippery ways of blood to Ephraim To beat with sturdy swords unwearying Our foemen to their Ammon, and to grapple With red death clutching at the throat of us, With famine and with pestilence, at last To reach a barren vengeance, and perchance An hundred of your thousands to return Victors—so best God speed us—and for worst Death round our cities horrible and vast, And rape and murder mocking at our ghosts ? A SOLDIER. Better …
1898 · PDF PAGE 32
28 JEPHTHAH. For the ways of the anger of lords Are bloody with widowing swords, And the roar of contention of chords Rolls back from the heart of the war. | But Victory lights on the banner Of Israel like to a bird; It flaps in the air, and Hosanna! Flings up to the sky for a word! Long streams of light horsemen are flashing Through fields where the tempest was lashing, Through the pools of the battle-blood splashing, Long swords to the rout of the herd. For fighters slip down on the dying, And flying folk stumble on dead, And the sound of the…
1898 · PDF PAGE 10
…ity As give his fury speech, or shape thy words From the blind auguries of madness. PROPHET. Ha! The rose has washed its petals, and the blood Pours through its burning centre from my heart. The fire consumes the light; and rosy flame Leaps through the veins of blue, and tinges them With such a purple as incarnadines The western sky when storms are amorous And lie upon the breast of toiling ocean, Such billows to beget as earth devours | In ravening whirlpool guiphs. My veins are full,
1898 · PDF PAGE 29
…ess. Hear the cry of widowed men! And young men fatherless! And old men reft Of children! Grant us victory to avenge Their innocent shed blood, and ruined land. So, to gain time for prayer and penitence For grievous trespass of idolatry Done to th’ accurséd Baalim, and time To gather fugitives, and make them men, And straggling herdsmen for our armament, We send thee, herald, to the furious king Who lies with all his power encamped somewhere Hence southward toward Mahanaim. Say Unto the king of Ammon: Thus saith Jephthah : Why hast thou come wi…
1898 · PDF PAGE 58
…ust serve thee still. Thy word’s a lie, That if I keep my silence, I do good To her, the milk-white virgin sacrifice, And only smite the bloody father down! A lie, Isay! A lie! Yet—dare I speak, Those eyes upon me, torturing my soul And threatening revenge? His fingers gross, Purple, and horrible, to blister me With infamous tearing at my throat. O Hell! Vomit thy monsters forth in myriads To putrefy this fair green earth with blood, But make not me the devilish minister Of such a deed as this! No respite ?—-Must? Irrevocable? I dare not call o…
1898 · PDF PAGE 22
…et always I considered my revenge, And purposed, seeking out those kin of mine, To make them as those kings that Gideon slew Hard by the bloody waters of a brook. _ And now ye call me to your help, forsooth! CHORUS. Let no ill memory of an ancient wrong, Most mighty, edge thy sword _ Against the prayer of this repentant song. Dire sorrow of the Lord Consumes our vital breath, and smites us down, And desecrates the crown. For we have sinned against thee, and our souls Scathe and devour as coals, And God is wroth because of thee, to break The spi…
1898 · PDF PAGE 21
JEPHTHAH. 17 And limbs more amorous assuaged thy sire ; And fuller blood of his is tingling thus Now in thy veins indignant at our sin. But thou art strong and we are weak indeed, Nor can we bear the burden, nor sustain The fury of the Children of the East That ride against us, and bright victory Is thronéd in their banners, and on ours Perches the hideous nightbird of defeat. Mourn, mourn and cry ; bow down unto the dust O Israel, and O Gilead, for your son Comes with unpitying eyes and lips compressed To watch the desecration of thy shrine, J…