“Continuation Heidelberg” [poem]
Continuation Heidelberg
But climbed the cloud yet more and more
Into the heaven dancing
Till, like the scouring bands, before
Embattled armies path advancing
Circling the sun with mazy ring
They wildly on came scattering,
Then darker, deeper, heavier grew,:
Till fitful light the red sun throw
Then gathering round the reddening sun,
Throwing darkness drear
and dun
On the gaunt ruins ghostly wall
And coursing oer the sloping meadow
Strong was the light, and deep the shadow,
Till rustling through the pinetrees tall,
Came quick the sound of raindrop fall,
Increasing fast the leafy rattle,
And distant growls of
Enter then the chambers cold,
Cold and lifeless, bald and bare,
Though with banners decked of old,
Ivy tendrils flickering flare,
Are the only banners there,
You would start, to hear your tread,
Given back by echoes dead,
You would look around to see,
If a sprite was watching thee
Yet a vision would come oer thee
Of the scenes, had past before thee,
Of the time, when many a guest,
Blessed the baron for his feast
When the peasant homeward stealing,
Dusky night the hills concealing.
Heard the swell of wassail wild,
Cadence from the castle coming,
Mingling with the night breeze humming
And, untill the morning mild
Woke that mass of wall and tower,
Beacon light from hour to hour,
Breaking from the windows tall
Of the barons ancient hall
Where the shout around was ringing
And the troubadour was singing
Ancient air, and ancient rhyme,
Legend of the ancient time,
Of some knights blood nobly spilt,
In the melee, or the tilt;
Or the deeds of some brave band
Oath bound in the holy land,
Such as iron Richard led,
Steeled without, and steeled within
True in hand and heart and head,
Worthy foe of Saladin. 1
Or, it might please a darker theme,
Of spectres huge in twilight seen,
Above some battlefield,
And mimicking, with motion dread
Past combat of those lying dead
Beneath their cloudy pinions spread.
Crested helm and spear and shield,
In the red cloud blazoned,
Thus with wo feast and revelry
Oft the huge halls rang with glee,
And reckless of the withering woe,
Reigned in their dungeons damp below,
Where in the lone hours sullen flight
The masked day mingled with the night
Until the prison captives practised eye
Could pierce the dense obscurity,
Could see the fetters glance, or tell,
The stones which formed his narrow cell,
His dusky lamps half smothered flame,
Flashed on him like that sun, whose ray
And all the smile of lightsome day,
He has almost forgotten.
Into the heaven dancing
Till, like the scouring bands, before
Ruskin's line number
1085Embattled armies path advancing
Circling the sun with mazy ring
System generated line number
5They wildly on came scattering,
Then darker, deeper, heavier grew,:
Till fitful light the red sun throw
Ruskin's line number
1090Then gathering round the reddening sun,
Throwing darkness drear
System generated line number
10On the gaunt ruins ghostly wall
And coursing oer the sloping meadow
Strong was the light, and deep the shadow,
Till rustling through the pinetrees tall,
Came quick the sound of raindrop fall,
Ruskin's line number
1095
System generated line number
15Increasing fast the leafy rattle,
And distant growls of
Warned us of the
tempest battle
a
Enter then the chambers cold,
Cold and lifeless, bald and bare,
Though with banners decked of old,
Ruskin's line number
1100
System generated line number
20Ivy tendrils flickering flare,
Are the only banners there,
You would start, to hear your tread,
Given back by echoes dead,
You would look around to see,
Ruskin's line number
1105
System generated line number
25If a sprite was watching thee
Yet a vision would come oer thee
Of the scenes, had past before thee,
Of the time, when many a guest,
Blessed the baron for his feast
Ruskin's line number
1110
System generated line number
30When the peasant homeward stealing,
Dusky night the hills concealing.
Heard the swell of wassail wild,
Cadence from the castle coming,
Mingling with the night breeze humming
System generated line number
3570
And, untill the morning mild
Woke that mass of wall and tower,
Beacon light from hour to hour,
Breaking from the windows tall
Of the barons ancient hall
Ruskin's line number
1120
System generated line number
40Where the shout around was ringing
And the troubadour was singing
Ancient air, and ancient rhyme,
Legend of the ancient time,
Of some knights blood nobly spilt,
Ruskin's line number
1125
System generated line number
45In the melee, or the tilt;
Or the deeds of some brave band
Oath bound in the holy land,
Such as iron Richard led,
Steeled without, and steeled within
Ruskin's line number
1130
System generated line number
50True in hand and heart and head,
Worthy foe of Saladin. 1
Or, it might please a darker theme,
Of spectres huge in twilight seen,
Above some battlefield,
Ruskin's line number
1135
System generated line number
55And mimicking, with motion dread
Past combat of those lying dead
Beneath their cloudy pinions spread.
Crested helm and spear and shield,
In the red cloud blazoned,
Ruskin's line number
1140
System generated line number
60Thus with wo feast and revelry
Oft the huge halls rang with glee,
And reckless of the withering woe,
Reigned in their dungeons damp below,
Where in the lone hours sullen flight
Ruskin's line number
1145
System generated line number
65The masked day mingled with the night
Until the prison captives practised eye
Could pierce the dense obscurity,
Could see the fetters glance, or tell,
The stones which formed his narrow cell,
Ruskin's line number
1150
System generated line number
70Till
Unt
a
A
t the time the warder cameHis dusky lamps half smothered flame,
Flashed on him like that sun, whose ray
And all the smile of lightsome day,
He has almost forgotten.
System generated line number
75