Hence, soul-dissolving Harmony That lead'st th' oblivious soul astray -- Though thou sphere descended be -- Hence away! Thou mightier Goddess, thou demand'st my lay, Born when earth was seiz'd with cholic; Or as more sapient sages say, What time the Legion diabolic Compelled their beings to enshrine In bodies vile of herded swine, Precipitate adown the steep With hideous rout were plunging in the deep, And hog and devil mingling grunt and yell Seiz'd on the ear with horrible obtrusion; Then if aright old legendaries tell, Wert thou begot by Discord on Confusion! What tho' no name's sonorous power Was given thee at thy natal hour -- Yet oft I feel thy sacred might, While concords wing their distant flight. Such power inspires thy holy son Sable clerk of Tiverton. And oft where Otter sports his stream, I hear thy banded offspring scream. Thou Goddess! thou inspir'st each throat; 'Tis thou who pour'st the scritch owl note! Transported hear'st thy children all Scrape and blow and squeak and squall, And while old Otter's steeple rings, Clappest hoarse thy raven wings! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PROGRESS OF POESY; A PINDARIC ODE by THOMAS GRAY SONNET TO A NEGRO IN HARLEM by HELENE JOHNSON PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 63. AL-HAIY by EDWIN ARNOLD ODE TO THE PAST by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN SAVANNAH by ALETHEA S. BURROUGHS BALLAD TO THE TUNE OF 'TO PARLIAMENT THE QUEEN IS GONE' by PATRICK CAREY |