Part 9

‘And, father, how can I love you Or any of my brothers more? I love you like the little bird That picks up crumbs around the door.’

The Priest sat by and heard the child; In trembling zeal he seized his hair, He led him by his little coat, And all admired his priestly care.

And standing on the altar high, ‘Lo, what a fiend is here!’ said he: ‘One who sets reason up for judge Of our most holy mystery.’

The weeping child could not be heard, The weeping parents wept in vain: They stripped him to his little shirt, And bound him in an iron chain,

And burned him in a holy place Where many had been burned before; The weeping parents wept in vain. Are such things done on Albion’s shore?

A LITTLE GIRL LOST

Children of the future age, Reading this indignant page, Know that in a former time Love, sweet love, was thought a crime.

In the age of gold, Free from winter’s cold, Youth and maiden bright, To the holy light, Naked in the sunny beams delight.

Once a youthful pair, Filled with softest care, Met in garden bright Where the holy light Had just removed the curtains of the night.

There, in rising day, On the grass they play; Parents were afar, Strangers came not near, And the maiden soon forgot her fear.

Tired with kisses sweet, They agree to meet When the silent sleep Waves o’er heaven’s deep, And the weary tired wanderers weep.

To her father white Came the maiden bright; But his loving look, Like the holy book, All her tender limbs with terror shook.

Ona, pale and weak, To thy father speak! O the trembling fear! O the dismal care That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair!’

A DIVINE IMAGE

Cruelty has a human heart, And Jealousy a human face; Terror the human form divine, And Secrecy the human dress.

The human dress is forgèd iron, The human form a fiery forge, The human face a furnace sealed, The human heart its hungry gorge.

A CRADLE SONG

Sleep, sleep, beauty bright, Dreaming in the joys of night; Sleep, sleep; in thy sleep Little sorrows sit and weep.

Sweet babe, in thy face Soft desires I can trace, Secret joys and secret smiles, Little pretty infant wiles.

As thy softest limbs I feel, Smiles as of the morning steal O’er thy cheek, and o’er thy breast Where thy little heart doth rest.

O the cunning wiles that creep In thy little heart asleep! When thy little heart doth wake, Then the dreadful light shall break.

TO TIRZAH

Whate’er is born of mortal birth Must be consumèd with the earth, To rise from generation free: Then what have I to do with thee?

The sexes sprung from shame and pride, Blowed in the morn, in evening died; But mercy changed death into sleep; The sexes rose to work and weep.

Thou, mother of my mortal part, With cruelty didst mould my heart, And with false self-deceiving tears Didst blind my nostrils, eyes, and ears,

Didst close my tongue in senseless clay, And me to mortal life betray. The death of Jesus set me free: Then what have I to do with thee?

THE SCHOOLBOY

I love to rise in a summer morn, When the birds sing on every tree; The distant huntsman winds his horn, And the skylark sings with me: O what sweet company!