The Glendoveer began his heavenly road.
Oh wild emprise! above the farthest skies
He hoped to rise!

Him who is throned beyond the reach of thought,
The Alone, the Inaccessible, he sought.
Oh wild emprise! for when, in days of yore,
For proud pre-eminence of power,

Brama and Vishnu, wild with rage, contended,
And Siva, in his might,

Their dread contention ended,

Before their sight

In form a fiery column did he tower,
Whose head above the highest height extended,
Whose base below the deepest depth descended.
Downward, its depth to sound,
Vishnu a thousand years explored
The fathomless profound,

And yet no base he found:
Upward to reach its head,

Ten myriad years the aspiring Brama soared;
And still, as up he fled,

Above him still the Immeasurable spread.
The rivals owned their Lord,

And trembled and adored.

How shall the Glendoveer attain

What Brama and what Vishnu sought in vain?

6.

Ne'er did such thought of lofty daring enter
Celestial Spirit's mind. Oh wild adventure.

That throne to find! for he must leave behind This World, that in the centre,

Within its salt-sea girdle, lies confined;

Yea, the Seven Earths, that, each with its own ocean, Ring clasping ring, compose the mighty round. What power of motion

In less than endless years shall bear him there, Along the limitless extent,

To the utmost bound of the remotest sphere?
What strength of wing

Suffice to pierce the Golden Firmament
That closes all within?

Yet he hath passed the measureless extent,
And pierced the Golden Firmament ;
For Faith hath given him power, and Space and
Time

Vanish before that energy sublime.

Nor doth eternal Night

And outer Darkness check his resolute flight: By strong desire through all he makes his way, Till Siva's Seat appears,· behold Mount Calasay!

7.

Behold the Silver Mountain! Round about Seven ladders stand, so high, the aching eye, Seeking their tops in vain amid the sky, Might deem they led from earth to highest Heaven. Ages would pass away,

And worlds with age decay,

Ere one whose patient feet, from ring to ring,

Must win their upward way,

Could reach the summit of Mount Calasay.
But that strong power that nerved his wing,
That all-surmounting will,

Intensity of faith and holiest love,
Sustained Ereenia still;

And he hath gained the plain, the sanctuary above.

8.

Lo, there the Silver Bell,

That, self-sustained, hangs buoyant in the air!
Lo, the broad Table there, too bright
For mortal sight,

From whose four sides the bordering gems unite
Their harmonizing rays

In one mid fount of many-colored light! The stream of splendor, flashing as it flows, Plays round and feeds the stem of yon celestial Rose! Where is the Sage whose wisdom can declare The hidden things of that mysterious flower,That flower which serves all mysteries to bear? The sacred Triangle is there,

Holding the Emblem which no tongue may tell : Is this the Heaven of Heavens, where Siva's self doth dwell?

9.

Here first the Glendoveer

Felt his wing flag, and paused upon his flight. Was it that fear came over him, when here

He saw the imagined throne appear?

Not so; for his immortal sight
Endured the Table's light:

Distinctly he beheld all things around;
And doubt and wonder rose within his mind
That this was all he found.

Howbeit he lifted up his voice, and spake:
"There is oppression in the World below;
Earth groans beneath the yoke; yea, in her woe,
She asks if the Avenger's eye is blind.
Awake, O Lord, awake!

Too long thy vengeance sleepeth. Holiest One! Put thou thy terrors on for mercy's sake, And strike the blow, in justice to mankind!”

10.

So, as he prayed, intenser faith he felt:
His spirit seemed to melt

With ardent yearnings of increasing love.
Upward he turned his eyes,

As if there should be something yet above: "Let me not, Siva, seek in vain!" he cries. "Thou art not here; for how should these contain

thee?

Thou art not here; for how should I sustain thee?
But thou, where'er thou art,
Canst hear the voice of prayer,

Canst read the righteous heart.

Thy dwelling who can tell?

Or who, O Lord, hath seen thy secret throne?

But thou art not alone,
Not unapproachable!
O all-containing Mind,
Thou who art everywhere,

Whom all who seek shall find,
Hear me, O Siva! hear the suppliant's prayer!"

11.

So saying, up he sprung,

And struck the Bell, which self-suspended hung
Before the mystic Rose.

From side to side the silver tongue
Melodious swung, and far and wide
Soul-thrilling tones of heavenly music rung.
Abashed, confounded,

It left the Glendoveer; yea, all astounded
In overpowering fear and deep dismay:
For, when that Bell had sounded,
The Rose, with all the mysteries it surrounded,
The Bell, the Table, and Mount Calasay,
The holy Hill itself, with all thereon,
Even as a morning dream before the day
Dissolves away, they faded, and were gone.

12.

Where shall he rest his wing? where turn for flight?
For all around is Light,

Primal, essential, all-pervading Light!
Heart cannot think, nor tongue declare,
Nor eyes of Angel bear,