Distrustful of the sight, She moves not, fearing to disturb In wonder fix'd, opening again her eye Thinking her mortal pilgrimage was past, That she had reach'd her heavenly home of rest, And these were Gods before her, Or spirits of the blest. 7. Lo! at Ereenia's voice, A Ship of Heaven comes sailing down the skies. Straight to the Swerga, to my bower of bliss, To Indra's own abodes. Foe of her foe, were it alone for this Indra should guard her from his vengeance there; But if the God forbear, Unwilling yet the perilous strife to try, Or shrinking from the dreadful Rajah's might,... Weak as I am, O Father, even I Stand forth in Seeva's sight. 8. Trust thou in him whate'er betide, All that He wills is right, and doubt not thou, His righteous will in all things must be done. 47 VII. THE SWERGA. 1. THEN in the Ship of Heaven, Ereenia laid The Ship of Heaven, instinct with thought, display'd The clouds of morn along its path divide; 2. That Bark, in shape, was like the furrow'd shell An Angel's head, with visual eye, Through trackless space, directs its chosen way; Nor aid of wing, nor foot, nor fin, Requires to voyage o'er the obedient sky. Smooth as the swan when not a breeze at even Disturbs the surface of the silver stream, Through air and sunshine sails the Ship of Heaven. 3. Recumbent there the Maiden glides along How swift she feels not, though the swiftest wind Feeling no fear; for that etherial air For sure she deem'd her mortal part was o'er, 4. Daughter of Earth! therein thou deem'st aright; Rise on the raptured Poet's inward eye. The immortal Youth of Heaven who floated by, Even such as that divinest form shall be Low thought, nor base desire, nor wasting care, 5. The wings of Eagle or of Cherubim Angelic power and dignity and grace Were in his glorious pennons; from the neck Down to the ankle reach'd their swelling web Richer than robes of Tyrian die, that deck Imperial Majesty: Their colour like the winter's moonless sky, When all the stars of midnight's canopy Shine forth; or like the azure deep at noon, Reflecting back to heaven a brighter blue. Such was their tint when closed, but when outspread, The permeating light Shed through their substance thin a varying hue; Now bright as when the rose, Beauteous as fragrant, gives to scent and sight Or ruby when with deepest red it glows; Kindles as it receives the rising ray, Proclaims the presence of the Power divine. |