Page:Poets of John Company.djvu/41

Rh

On sea-girt Sagur's desert isle,
 * Mantled with thickets dark and dun,

May never moon or starlight smile,
 * Nor ever beam the summer sun!

Strange deeds of blood have there been done. In mercy ne'er to be forgiven; Deeds the far-seeing eye of heaven
 * Veiled his radiant orb to shun.

To glut the shark and crocodile
 * A mother brought her infant here:

She saw its tender playful smile,
 * She shed not one maternal tear;

She threw it on a watery bier: With grinding teeth sea monsters tore The smiling infant which she bore:
 * She shrunk not once its cries to hear!

Ah! mark that victim wildly drest.
 * His streaming beard is hoar and grey.

Around him floats a crimson vest,
 * Red-flowers his matted locks array.
 * Heard you these brazen timbrels bray?

His heart-blood on the lotus-flower They offer to the Evil Power;
 * And offering turn their eyes away.

Dark Goddess of the iron mace,
 * Flesh-tearer! quaffing life-blood warm,

The terrors of thine awful face
 * The pulse of mortal hearts alarm.
 * Grim Power! if human woes can charm.

Look to the horror of the flood, Where crimson'd Ganga shines in blood,
 * And man-devouring monsters swarm.