Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/124

 OTWAY CURRY. [1830-40. AAVEN.* Aaven of the uncounted years — Aaven of the sleepless eye — Wanderer of the uncounted years — Outcast of the earth and sky — Worn of life and weary grown, Turned him to the shore unknown. Rose before him, stern and stark. One with adamantine wand — ■ Warder of the portal dark — Portal of the unknown land : And the warder, weird and grim, Barred the portal, dusk and dim. " Wanded warder, list to me ! 'Tis a weary thing to roam O'er the earth and o'er the sea, Tarrying till the Master come. From the earth and from the sea. Turn my wandering steps to thee. "Lead me through the sunless land, And the sable cities vast. Where the silent myriads stand — Myriads of the ages past. Swift along the shadowy coast, Speed me — speed me to the lost ! " "jSTever," said the warder grim, " Till the gathering night of time Shalt thou pass the portal dim — Portal of the sunless clime. Ever, in thy ceaseless quest. Wander, restless, after rest. "But before thy long and drear Pilgrimage of earth and main, Wouldst thou have the lost appear To thy longing eyes again? Reverently approach, and stand Close beside my waving wand. S. Nichols, that Mr. Curry would render into verse the story of Agrippa, the Magician, and the Wandering Jew. Published by her after his death. "And — the swift wand, following fast — Full before thy watching eye, All the myriads of the past. Age by age shall pass thee by. Hither from the land of gloom, Lo ! the countless sleepers come." As the meteoric glow Cleaves the curtaining night aslant. Wildly gleaming to and fro, Waved the wand of adamant — And the buried ages came. With their hosts of every name. Swiftly came, and glided on, Sceptered hand and laureled brow — Glided many a queenly one. Nameless in the wide world now. Murmured Aaven, in his fear, " Never will the lost appear ! " From the long and silent sleep Of remotest ages gone — Following fast the wand's wild sweep. Came the long ranks filing on — Passed full many a thronging host — Came not still the loved, the lost. Sudden, on the watcher's sight. Broke, amidst the phantom throng, Beauteous form of maiden bright. Gliding pensively along : And the wondei'ing warder's hand Stilled the adamantine wand. Wildly, as the vision came, Aaven from the warder sprang ; And the sound of Miriam's name Through the world of shadows rang. Aaven, to his sad heart there. Clasped alone the lifeless air. Fell the adamantine wand — Reeled the portal, dusk and dim — Faded far the Unknown Land, And the wanded warder grim : — INIiriam fled from earthly shore, And from Aaven, evermore.
 * Written in compliance to a wish expressed tiy Rebecca