OCR Text |
Show 14 TILE LlDEJtTY Dt~LI,. l'ETRA j OR, A SONG OF TU.E DESEUT. 15 Through each gaping, ghastly, street; As tho world's meek Saviour lay, Once their tenants' happy scat Till angels rolled the stcnc away. Stood beside the rushing river, Thrice the bones outlast the breath. Stcod as if tc stand forever. Thoro in careless merriment Tho longest life's a babe tc Death. Royally their days they spent, Widc-strown ruin marks the scene Of their blithe three-score and ten. Sport.s, and feasts, and jollity, Wing'd ages scarce, with harmless plume, Served by slaves on bonded knee. When their joys had reached their tenn, Fan their last fair house of gloom. Royally they served the worm, Yet their very bones are gone. Garnishing with rocky wreath The reek eonfront.s the sky alone, Their grinning loathsomeness beneath. Save for the narrow valley green, Pent those rugged walls between. To the grave their pomp was brought, All is strange, and all is still ; And their viol's noise to naught. Save tho murmur of the rill Silence deaf their watcher sat ; Vending-oriental trade - For her crosse\ hung the bat. Water a\ the tamarisk shade, For their Tyrian curtains spread Or chaffering with the banterer free, Naked rock nround each bed. Tho rosy oleander-tree, Rock beneath, and reek beside, For some floating tresses more Lay the pampered sons of pride, To deck the wave they swept before |