THOU dark-robed man with solemn pace, And mantle muffled round thy face, Like the dim vision seen by Saul, Upraised by spells from Death's dark hall; Thou sad, small man, -- face thin and old, Teeth set, and nose pinched blue and cold, -- Ne'er mind! Thy coat, so long and black, And fitting round thee all so slack, Has glorious spangles, and its stars Are like a conqueror's fresh from wars. Who wove it in Time's awful loom With woof of glory, warp of gloom? Jove's planet glitters on thy breast; The morning star adorns thy crest; The waxing or the waning moon Clings to thy turban late or soon; Orion's belt is thine, -- thy thigh His jewelled sword hangs briefly by; The Pleiades seven, the Gypsy's star, Shine as thy shoulder-knots afar; And the great Dog-star, bright, unknown, Blazes beside thee like a throne. Take heart! Thy coat, so long and black, Sore worn, and fitting round thee slack, Is broidered by the Northern Lights, Those silvery arrows shot by sprites, -- Is powdered by the Milky Way With awful pearls unknown to day, Which well make up for all the hues Proud Summer, bridegroom-like, may use. Proud Summer, with his roses' sheen, And dress of scarlet, blue, and green, Floods us with such a sea of light We miss the faint, far isles of Night, And thoughtless dance, while he with lutes Beguiles us or assists to fruits; But like a shade from Spirit-land Dim Winter beckons with his hand, -- He beckons; all things darker grow, Save white-churned waves and wreathing snow We pause; a chill creeps through our veins; We dare not thank him for his pains; We fear to follow, and we creep To candle-light, to cards, to sleep. Yet when we follow him, how deep The secret he has got to keep! How wonderful! how passing grand! For, peering through his storms, there stand The eternal cities of the sky, With stars like street-lamps hung on high; No angel yet can sum their worth, Though angels sang when they had birth. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEY HAVEN'T HEARD THE WEST IS OVER by JAMES GALVIN YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SAY by JAMES GALVIN UNCLE JIM'S BAPTIST REVIVAL HYMN by SIDNEY LANIER FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE by EMMA LAZARUS THE ROAD TO AVIGNON by AMY LOWELL I PAY MY DEBT FOR LAFAYETTE AND ROCHAMBEAU' by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |