“Via Mala” [poem]
Our path is on the precipice
How far far down those waters hiss
That like an avalanche below
Whirl on a stream of foamy snow. 2
Ive seen the Rhine when in his pride
All unresisted undefied
Rolled smoothly on his aged tide
Ive seen the Rhine with younger wave
Oer every obstacle to rave
I see the Rhine in his native wild
Is still a mighty mountain child
How racked a upon his tortuous bed
Came up from the abyss of dread
The deafing now with softened sound
Murmuring up from the profound
Of distance dark where light of day
Pierced t not the thick damp twilight grey
To the precipices sharp and sheer
Whence the white foam looked up so clear
On looking oer the barrier
From that
Twixt the far depth and the blue sky
Above, beside, around there stood
The difficult crags in order rude
Soaring to the thin cold upper air
It Looked forth unnaturally clear
Jagged with many a piny spear
And here and there a patch of snow
Contrasted strangely with the glow
Of the red rough mighty cliffs, and shed
A strange cold light through the yawning dread
Of the Abyssy gulph below
Ruskin's line number
615How far far down those waters hiss
That like an avalanche below
Whirl on a stream of foamy snow. 2
Ive seen the Rhine when in his pride
System generated line number
5All unresisted undefied
Ruskin's line number
620Rolled smoothly on his aged tide
Ive seen the Rhine with younger wave
Oer every obstacle to rave
I see the Rhine in his native wild
System generated line number
10Is still a mighty mountain child
Ruskin's line number
625How racked a upon his tortuous bed
58
Came up from the abyss of dread
The deafing now with softened sound
Murmuring up from the profound
System generated line number
15Of distance dark where light of day
Ruskin's line number
630Pierced t not the thick damp twilight grey
To the precipices sharp and sheer
Whence the white foam looked up so clear
On looking oer the barrier
System generated line number
20From that
rock
one
shelf, that hung so hight
Ruskin's line number
635Twixt the far depth and the blue sky
Above, beside, around there stood
The difficult crags in order rude
Soaring to the thin cold upper air
System generated line number
25It Looked forth unnaturally clear
Ruskin's line number
640Jagged with many a piny spear
And here and there a patch of snow
Contrasted strangely with the glow
Of the red rough mighty cliffs, and shed
System generated line number
30A strange cold light through the yawning dread
Ruskin's line number
645Of the Abyssy gulph below