<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">Maran</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The wind was wailing over the land wildly</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Song-sighing, and the moon</p><p class="line">Languishing, a love-lorn maiden</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Pale-peering from a shroud.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then friendless there fled through the sobbing forest</p><p class="line">Maran, a maid gentle</p><p class="line">Striving to save herself from the murderer</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Kroston the King-slayer.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Burning ambition! in his blind heart</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Hate rankled against the Royal ones:</p><p class="line">And when the mountain mist had rolled to the meadows</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Crime-covering, he had slain them.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">When the sun had sped to the ever-hungry shadows,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Lone in the land, friendless,</p><p class="line">Left of the house of Landa now but lived</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Maran the maid gentle.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then Kroston cried to the other King-slayers,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">' Allow we this fledgling to flee us?'</p><p class="line">'The Black Brethren would blush at the triumph</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Of Maran the maiden, O Kroston.'</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Panting and panic-pale as a dove</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Doth flutter before the cruel falcon:</p><p class="line">So fearful fled the maiden through the forest,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">That sobb'd ever to the wind's wildness.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Blood on her bonnie feet, and bruises:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Like deer before dread tiger,</p><p class="line">So fearful fled the maiden from the fury</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Of Kroston the King-slayer.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Sympathy she sought from the trees sobbing,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">But no sympathy had the twining trees;</p><p class="line">And the wind wail'd as with woe laden,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Yet all careless of her cruel woe.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Pity she pleaded from yon pale maiden:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Tears, spangled in the sky,</p><p class="line">Fiercely the fond hope freezing,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Dim glitter'd through the gloom.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And in her mind, grief-murky and madden'd,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Memory sparkled sweet:</p><p class="line">Brutal as the beam that mocks the blind,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Stinging the sightless eye.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">As when lowly a forest lord is laid</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">In winter by the axe wasted,</p><p class="line">Dusty, with arms undrap'd and drooping,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Where melody of old haunted,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Yet sweetest of all the Spring are his scarce tresses,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Smiling amid Death strangely;</p><p class="line">And the woodman is weeping, of his work penitent,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Sorrowing o'er Might murder'd;</p><p class="line">As a star that hath shone in the sky-furnace,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Bright-burning through the ages,</p><p class="line">Falters and falls on a day fated</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">(Dread doom to every beauty!);</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then flames he brightest with a flare of fury,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Rushing to dark ruin;</p><p class="line">And silent in their spheres are the sons of morning</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Dimm'd by their dead brother:</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So 'mid stifling Sorrow did burning Sweet</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Wanton in Maran's mind,</p><p class="line">Grief gaining a spectre of gladness,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Darkness a demon light.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(O garden of years, golden and glad,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Bright with the blossom Love;</p><p class="line">O ancient home of a happy people:--)</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Woe! 'tis a wither'd dream!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(Ever-lighted lamp of holy labour,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Land of the singing swain:--</p><p class="line">Happy my eyes that gloried in that heaven,)</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Curst that behold this hell!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(O ye fields fair with corn and fruits,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Trees breaking 'neath their treasure:--)</p><p class="line">O heart of me heavy with the fruits of happiness</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Dead,--breaking 'neath the burden.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(O loving father, and lord beloved,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Thou mirror of Landa's light!--)</p><p class="line">Ah! cruelty to murder a king kindly!--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">What darkness is mine to-day?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(O valley singing to the sound of streamlets,--)</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Nay, the light is for thee lost:</p><p class="line">Shall thy songs not evermore be with sorrow sounding,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And thy rivers with blood red }</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">(O Peace of the Past!) they have depos'd and sold thee</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">So blindly by a blind one led:</p><p class="line">For cruelly have they murder'd their king kindly,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And darkness is on all to-day.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So she raving ran with a rage pitying,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Maran the maid gentle,</p><p class="line">Striving ever to save herself from the murderer,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Kroston the King-slayer.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But ever pitiless he followed with poor passion</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Burning in his blind heart,</p><p class="line">Scorning the sacred gods as shadows,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Lusting for the maid's life.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And onward the cruel hunt hasted;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Nor stay'd the forest his steps:--</p><p class="line">Ah! shame on you, shame, ye trees sobbing,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">To let him pitiless pass.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Panting and panic-pale his quarry</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Still ran the fateful race!</p><p class="line">Twice shame on you, ye trees tangling,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">To stay her flying steps.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But sudden the wind song-sighing</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Hush'd amid the high branches;</p><p class="line">And the leaves murmur'd with a mournful mystery,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Silenc'd after wild sobbing.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the clouds becalm'd, with their vap'rous cohorts</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Commingling in grim mass,</p><p class="line">Fraught with unutterable future, floated</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Expectant in the vast vault.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the maiden moon, unshrouded for the moment,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">In her grief gazed awfully,</p><p class="line">As if innocence should utter a doom of the ages,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Or a child pale prophecy.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the forest creatures in fretful fear</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Stirr'd within their lairs sleepless:</p><p class="line">The lion growl'd as about to lose a lov'd thing,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Dreading an unseen spoiler.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So all nature, nursing a nameless terror,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Listen'd and waiting watch'd:</p><p class="line">As, when lightning flashing from the fever'd firmament</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Swoops on the nerveless night,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then the shepherds, in lonely silence sitting,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Listen and waiting watch,</p><p class="line">In pious prayer to the gods impassion'd,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Fearing the following peal.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Yet ever onward the cruel hunt hasted;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Do they know not of all Nature's watch?</p><p class="line">Will fear fly and fury pursue</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Till the treasuries of Time be spent?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Nay! ... for the unknown is near, and Kroston</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">In his course sudden stopt:</p><p class="line">And his men marvell'd at the awful madness</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Of his cry woe-wild.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But silent they stood round the king-slayer,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And they felt his fear in their hearts:</p><p class="line">And waiting they watch'd for the untellable wonder</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">That was coming, coming to pass.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then forth from his limbs a form of fairness</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Sped, like a wan wave</p><p class="line">Of living cloud, light-laden,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Seeing and dim seen.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Oh, agony beyond utterance, and stainèd horror!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">He watch'd the wingèd shadow</p><p class="line">Fast flitting through the aw'd forest</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">To Maran the maid gentle.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And she stopt and turn'd, and saw it sailing</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Swift and sure in her path;</p><p class="line">And in wondrous wise her fear wan'd!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Dawning day after night!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Her body enfolded it beautifying, emboldening,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Till its light in her eyes did leap,</p><p class="line">And there stately she stood like a queen sorrowing,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And she rais'd to the air her hand.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then the men of Kroston, amaz'd and madden'd</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">In taut sorrow shriek'd;</p><p class="line">For releas'd and lost, their bodies leaving,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Each fair phantom pass'd.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And Nature knew of the nameless terror</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">That carp'd her haunted heart:</p><p class="line">And her gaunt bosom, great with grief,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Like swollen ocean, shook.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then flash'd her phantoms, tongues of fire,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">From earth and sky streaming,</p><p class="line">Filling the maiden's form with a fairness</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Unknown to mind mortal,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">With unending hue empurpling the air</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And soft shapes innumerable</p><p class="line">(Even drear depths of darkness sent</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Their bright burdens glitteringly)--</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Lovelier than the light of lonely skies</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">O'er snow-white wastes,</p><p class="line">When for pale mariners in perilous passage</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The dance-rays dart--</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Purer than the palace of pale heat</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">In yon throbbing ember on the altar,</p><p class="line">Which glows and gives the priest of its glory,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And his soul is nourish'd by its splendour.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Each flower or blossom through the far forest,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Each branch or lowly blade,</p><p class="line">Sent forth its soul--or the soul of Something</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">It felt and lov'd before.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Then wail'd the wind in bereavement wasted,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Sighing a broken song,</p><p class="line">Like a mermaid moaning the drownèd millions</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Lost in the sceptred sea.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the forest sobb'd: and feeble and fainting</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The tribes of the teeming earth</p><p class="line">Utter'd a lament from the heart's agony:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">But vain was their voice of woe.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the people of mountain and meadow, miserable,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The anguish'd beasts of the earth,</p><p class="line">And the stars of the sky and their sad mistress,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">All paid the pitiless toll.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O tears of the land! what toll terrible!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">What lov'd and lost delight!</p><p class="line">O land of tears! so lonely and loveless,--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">What trembling tears are thine!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The wind among</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The willows seems</p><p class="line">To sing a song</p><p class="line">Of many themes:</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Now joyous soft:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Now musing slow:</p><p class="line">Tempestuous oft</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Or wild with woe.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The moon looks down</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Upon the sea;</p><p class="line">With smile or frown</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Inconstant she:</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For waves reflect</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Her as they will,--</p><p class="line">With storm-foam fleck'd</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Or clear and still.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Man's mind is a sea</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The moon doth scan,</p><p class="line">And a willow tree</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Is the mind of man.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I TIP-TOED from the palace gates</p><p class="line">To find the toy</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The rainbow spilt:</p><p class="line">In fearful joy</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And innocent guilt;</p><p class="line">Nor heard the laughter of the Fates.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And straight into a painted sphere</p><p class="line">Of rainbow mist</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">I seem'd to rise:</p><p class="line">And phantoms kiss'd</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Of starry eyes,</p><p class="line">And all forgot my palace dear.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But when the shadows set me free</p><p class="line">A memory yet tormenteth me:--</p><p class="line">And oh! that laughing mockery.</p></div></body></html> · Great War