Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/481

 1850-60.] WILLIAM E. GILMORE. 465 Wild with excitement then, and boding fear, Each Priest and Prophet, to the girdle bare, Hiri bosom gashed with many a ghastly wound, And sprinkled human blood o'er all the space around ! Wide o'er the plain Mt. Carmel's shadow fell, Ere on the air the clamor ceased to swell ; With strength expended and exhausted breath. And trembling dread of close impending death, They watch Elijah's preparations. Soon Twelve stones compose an altar, rough, un- hewn ; About its base the ground is deeply trenched, With water from the spring three times the whole is drenched. AU things complete, Elijah bowed in prayer. Then shook Baal's votaries with gasping fear; But as the minutes silent stole away. They borrowed courage from the long de- lay. With haughty mien, his crown upon his brow. From the royal seat uprises Ahab now. Stalks to the altar, and with gesture proud. Speaks in exultant tones thus to the won- d'ring crowd : " Why trifle we ? and here with childish thought Seek from the heavens to have an answer brought To teach us who is God ? Behold in me Thy king anointed, and thy deity ! Thus level with the dust each shrine pro- fane That is not reared in Ahab's sacred name ! " He turns with rash design, but startled, hears Wild shrieks of terror break on his aston- ished ears. For lo ! amid the cloudless sky, a blaze Of lightning like a sporting serpent plays. Writhing its folds in fiery volumes vast, With open jaws and fury-sparkling crest, A moment plays ; attending thunders crash; Carmel recoils affrighted from the flash, Which scatters far and near the idol's pyre, And wraps Jehovah's altar in consuming fire! 'Tis morn again ; but now the risen sun Is hid by clouds and mists, cold, thick, and dun. As 'twere to vail from the All-seeing Eye The flame-scathed forms that dank and fest'ring lie On Carmel's slopes. The obscene vultures prowl, Silent among the dead ; the ravening jack- als howl. Eager and savage o'er their loathsome feasts ; The Groves are solitudes ; Baal's temples have no Priests ! 0, I WAS HAPPY YESTERNIGHT. The hearth was piled with glowing coals, Diffusing warmth and ruddy light, Alone, with Annie in my arms, O ! I was happy yesternight ! Her beating heart, I felt its throb When'er I strained her to my breast ; And in its raptured trembling read The love I wooed her for, confessed. 30