"And, lo! the universal air I took the dead man by his hand, Two sudden blows with a ragged stick, "Oh, God! it made me quake to see But when I touch'd the lifeless clay, "My head was like an ardent coal, My wretched, wretched soul, I knew, Was at the Devil's price: A dozen times I groan'd; the dead Had never groan'd but twice! "And now, from forth the frowning sky "I took the dreary body up, Down went the corse with a hollow plunge And vanish'd in the pool; So I cleans'd my bloody hands, And wash'd my forehead cool, In evening in the school. "Oh, Heaven to think of their white souls, And mine so black and grim! I could not share in childish prayer, Nor join in Evening Hymn: Like a Devil of the Pit I seem'd, 'Mid holy Cherubim! "And peace went with them, one and all, And each calm pillow spread; But guilt was my grim Chamberlain That lighted me to bed; And drew my midnight curtains round, With fingers bloody red! "All night I lay in agony, In anguish dark and deep; My fever'd eyes I dared not close, "All night I lay in agony, "One stern tyrannic thought, that made The dead man in his grave! 66 For the faithless stream was dry! Merrily rose the lark, and shook The dew-drop from its wing; But I never mark'd its morning flight, I never heard it sing: For I was stooping once again. Under the horrid thing. "With breathless speed, like a soul in chase, I took him up and ran ;— There was no time to dig a grave Before the day began:. In a lonesome wood with heaps of leaves, "And all that day I read in school, But my thought was other where ; As soon as the mid-day task was done, In secret I was there : And a mighty wind had swept the leaves, And still the corse was bare ! The horrid thing pursues my soul,- "So wills the fierce avenging Sprite Till blood for blood atones ! Ay, though he's buried in a cave, And trodden down with stones, And years have rotted off his flesh,The world shall see his bones ! |