Page:Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895).djvu/455

Rh Worn and wasted, oh! how long
 * Shall thy trodden poor complain?

In Thy name they bear the wrong,
 * In Thy cause the bonds of pain!

Melt oppression’s heart of steel,
 * Let the haughty priesthood see,

And their blinded followers feel,
 * That in us they mock at Thee!

In Thy time, O Lord of hosts,
 * Stretch abroad that hand to save

Which of old, on Egypt’s coasts,
 * Smote apart the Red Sea’s wave!

Lead us from this evil land,
 * From the spoiler set us free,

And once more our gathered band,
 * Heart to heart, shall worship Thee!

hear Thee not, O God! nor see; Beneath Thy rod they mock at Thee; The princes of our ancient line Lie drunken with Assyrian wine; The priests around Thy altar speak The false words which their hearers seek; And hymns which Chaldea’s wanton maids Have sung in Dura’s idol-shades Are with the Levites’ chant ascending, With Zion’s holiest anthems blending!

On Israel’s bleeding bosom set, The heathen heel is crushing yet; The towers upon our holy hill Echo Chaldean footsteps still. Our wasted shrines,—who weeps for them? Who mourneth for Jerusalem? Who turneth from his gains away? Whose knee with mine is bowed to pray? Who, leaving feast and purpling cup, Takes Zion’s lamentation up?

A sad and thoughtful youth, I went With Israel’s early banishment; And where the sullen Chebar crept, The ritual of my fathers kept. The water for the trench I drew, The firstling of the flock I slew, And, standing at the altar’s side, I shared the Levites’ lingering pride, That still, amidst her mocking foes, The smoke of Zion’s offering rose.

In sudden whirlwind, cloud and flame, The Spirit of the Highest came! Before mine eyes a vision passed, A glory terrible and vast; With dreadful eyes of living things, And sounding sweep of angel wings, With circling light and sapphire throne, And flame-like form of One thereon, And voice of that dread Likeness sent Down from the crystal firmament!

The burden of a prophet’s power Fell on me in that fearful hour; From off unutterable woes The curtain of the future rose; I saw far down the coming time The fiery chastisement of crime; With noise of mingling hosts, and jar Of falling towers and shouts of war, I saw the nations rise and fall, Like fire-gleams on my tent’s white wall.

In dream and trance, I saw the slain Of Egypt heaped like harvest grain. I saw the walls of sea-born Tyre Swept over by the spoiler’s fire; And heard the low, expiring moan Of Edom on his rocky throne; And, woe is me! the wild lament From Zion’s desolation sent; And felt within my heart each blow Which laid her holy places low.

In bonds and sorrow, day by day, Before the pictured tile I lay; And there, as in a mirror, saw The coming of Assyria’s war; Her swarthy lines of spearmen pass Like locusts through Bethhoron’s grass; I saw them draw their stormy hem Of battle round Jerusalem; And, listening, heard the Hebrew wail Blend with the victor-trump of Baal!

Who trembled at my warning word? Who owned the prophet of the Lord? How mocked the rude, how scoffed the vile, How stung the Levites’ scornful smile, As o’er my spirit, dark and slow, The shadow crept of Israel’s woe As if the angel’s mournful roll Had left its record on my soul, And traced in lines of darkness there The picture of its great despair!