Jerusalem.
’ Twas eve on Jerusalem !1
Glorious its glow2
On the vine-cover’d plain,3
On the mount’s marble brow,4
On the Temple’s broad grandeur,5
Enthroned on its height6
Like a golden-domed isle7
In an ocean of light ;8
And the voice of her multitudes9
Rose on the air,10
From the vale deep and dim,11
Like a rich evening hymn.12
But whence comes that cry ?—13
’Tis the cry of despair !14
What form stands on Zion ?—15
The prophet of woe !16
His frame worn with travel,17
His locks living snow.18
His hand grasps a trumpet ;19
The heart’s-blood runs chill20
At its death-sounding blast :21
All the thousands are still—22
All fixing their gaze,23
Where, like one from the tomb,24
The shroud seems to swim25
Round the long, spectral limb,26
And the lips pour in thunder27
The terrors to come !28
“ Thou’rt lovely, Jerusalem !29
Lovely, yet stain’d ;30
Thou’rt a lion’s whelp, Judah,31
Yet thou shalt be chain’d.32
Thou’rt magnificent, Zion !33
Yet thou shalt be lone ;34
The pilgrim of sorrow35
Shall see thy last stone.36
“ Hark, hark to the tempest—37
What roar fills my ear ?38
’Tis the shouting of warriors,39
The crash of the spear.40
The eagle and wolf41
On that tempest are roll’d—42
Twin demons of havoc,43
To ravage thy fold.44
“ They rush through the land45
As through forests the fire ;46
Woe, woe to the infant,47
Woe, woe to the sire !48
Rejoice for the warrior49
Who sinks to the grave ;50
But weep for the living—51
A ransomless slave.52
“ But, veil’d be mine eyeballs !53
The red torch is flung,54
And the last dying hymn55
Of the temple is sung !56
The altar is vanish’d,57
The glory is gone ;58
The curse is fulfill’d,59
The last vengeance is done !60
Again all is darkness :61
Year rolls upon year ;62
I hear but the fetter,63
I see but the bier.64
But the lions are coming !65
They roar from their sand :66
’Tis Amrou and his Saracens—67
Curse of the land !68
“ Like the swamp-gender’d hornets,69
They rush on the wing70
By thousands of thousands,71
With death in their sting.72
Like vultures, they sweep73
O’er Moriah’s loved hill,74
And the corpse-cover’d valleys75
By Kedron’s red rill.76
Where, where sleeps the thunderbolt ?77
Heaven ! hear the cries78
Of the Ishmaelite slave79
To his Prophet of lies.80
Hear the howl to his demons,81
His frenzy of prayer ;82
Mix’d with Israel’s lament83
Of disdain and despair !84
“ It has come ! and the throne85
Of the robber has reel’d ;86
And the turbans are floating87
In gore on the field.88
I see the proud chiefs89
Of the West in their mail ;90
And my soul loves the standard91
They spread to the gale.92
“ Stay, vision of splendour !93
On Jordan’s rich marge94
They rush to the battle,95
Earth shakes with their charge.96
Like lightning the blaze97
From their panoply springs :98
I see the gold helms99
And crown’d banners of kings.100
“ Yet evil still smites thee,101
Thou daughter of tears !102
No trophy is thine103
In the strife of the spears.104
The stately Crusader105
And Saracen lord,106
But give thee the choice107
Of the chain or the sword.108
Again all is silence !109
The long grass has grown110
Where the crossbearer sleeps111
In his rich-sculptured stone ;112
And the land trod by prophet113
And chanted by bard,114
Is left to the foot115
Of the wolf and the pard.116
“ But who ride the whirlwind ?117
The drinkers of blood !—118
From the summit of Lebanon119
Rushes the flood,120
’Tis the Turcoman ravening121
For slaughter and spoil :122
Oh, helpless gazelle !123
Thou art now in the toil.124
“ King of kings ! on our neck125
Sits the slave of a slave,126
As wild as his mountains,127
As cold as our grave.128
All his sceptre the scourge,129
All our freedom his will ;130
Yet thy children must linger—131
Must agonize still.132
“ Fly swift, ye dark years !133
Still the savage is there—134
The tiger of nations135
Is couch’d in his lair.136
The field is a thicket,137
The city a heap,138
And Israel on earth139
Can but wander and weep.140
“ King of kings ! shall she die ?141
Hark ! a trumpet afar—142
It thrills through my soul,143
Yet no trumpet of war.144
I hear the deep trampling145
Of millions of feet ;146
And the shoutings of millions,147
Yet solemn and sweet.148
“ Now—the voices of thunders149
Are rolling on high ;150
The pomp has begun,151
The redemption is nigh.152
I see thy crown’d fathers,153
Thy prophets of fire,154
And the martyrs, whose souls155
Shot to heaven from the pyre.156
“ Who comes in his glory,157
Pavilion’d in cloud ?158
Judah, cast off thy shame !159
Israel, spring from thy shroud !160
Thy King has avenged thee—161
He comes to his own,162
With earth for his empire,163
But Zion his throne !164