With heat o’erlabour’d and the length of way,
On Ethan’s beach the bands of Israel lay.
‘Twas silence all the sparkling sands along,
Save where the locust trill’d her feeble song,
Or blended soft in drowsy cadence fell
The wave’s low whisper or the camel’s bell.–
‘Twas silence all! — the flocks for shelter fly
Where, waving light, the acacia shadows lie ;
Or where, from far, the flattering vapours make
The noontide semblance of a misty lake :
While the mute swain, in careless safety spread,
With arms enfolded, and dejected head,
Dreams o’er his wondrous call, his lineage high,
And, late reveal’d, his children’s destiny.–
For not in vain, in thraldom’s darkest hour,
Had sped from Amram’s sons the word of power ;
Nor fail’d the dreadful wand, whose god-like sway
Could lure the locust from her airy way ;
With reptile war assail their proud abodes,
And mar the giant pomp of Egypt’s Gods.
Oh helpless Gods! who nought avail’d to shield
From fiery rain your Zoan’s favour’d field!–
Oh helpless Gods! who saw the curdled blood
Taint the pure lotus of your ancient flood,
And fourfold night the wondering earth enchain,
While Memnon’s orient harp was heard in vain!–
Such musings held the tribes, till now the west
With milder influence on their temples prest ;
And that portentous cloud which, all the day,
Hung its dark curtain o’er their weary way,
(A cloud by day, a friendly flame by night,)
Roll’d back its misty veil, and kindled into light!–
Soft fell the eve :– But, ere the day was done,
Tall, waving banners streak’d the level sun ;
And wide and dark along th’ horizon red,
In sandy surge the rising desert spread.–
“Mark, Israel, mark!” — On that strange sight intent,
In breathless terror, every eye was bent ;
And busy faction’s fast-increasing hum,
And female voices shriek, “They come, they ome!”
They come, they come! in scintillating show
O’er the dark mass the brazen lances glow ;
And sandy clouds in countless shapes combine,
As deepens or extends the long tumultuous line ;–
And fancy’s keener glance ev’n now may trace
The threatening aspects of each mingled race :
For many a coal-black tribe and cany spear,
The hireling guards of Misraim’s throne, were there.
From distant Cush they troop’d, a warrior train,
Siwah’s green isle and Sennaar’s marly plain :
On either wing their fiery coursers check
The parch’d and sinewy sons of Amelek :
While close behind, inured to feast on blood,
Deck’d in Behemoth’s spoils, the tall Shangalla strode.
‘Mid blazing helms and bucklers rough with gold
Saw ye how swift the scyth
(Reginald Heber)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Night Poems, Light Poems, War & Peace Poems, Dreams Poems, Fate & Destiny Poems, Power Poems, Hospitality PoemsBased on Keywords: behemoth, bucklers, scintillating, zoan, amram, marly, ethan, cush, misraim, erlabour, scyth
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