Hoder, the blind old God, The accursed mistletoe! They laid him in his ship, As on a funeral pyre. Odin placed A ring upon his finger, And whispered in his ear. They launched the burning ship! It floated far away Over the misty sea, Till like the sun it seemed, So perish the old Gods! Over its meadows green Walk the young bards and sing. Build it again, O ye bards, Fairer than before! Ye fathers of the new race, Feed upon morning dew, The law of force is dead! Shall rule the earth no more, Challenge the meek Christ. Sing no more, O ye bards of the North, Of Vikings and of Jarls! Of the days of Eld Preserve the freedom only, Not the deeds of blood! THE SINGERS. GOD sent his Singers upon earth With songs of sadness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men, And bring them back to heaven again. The first, a youth, with soul of fire, Through groves he wandered, and by streams, The second, with a bearded face, Stood singing in the market-place, And stirred with accents deep and loud A gray, old man, the third and last, But the great Master said, "I see No best in kind, but in degree; I gave a various gift to each, To charm, to strengthen, and to teach. "These are the three great chords of might, SUSPIRIA. TAKE them, O Death! and bear away Take them, O great Eternity! HYMN FOR MY BROTHER'S ORDINATION. CHRIST to the young man said: "Yet one thing more: If thou wouldst perfect be, Sell all thou hast and give it to the poor, And come and follow me!" Within this temple Christ again, unseen, Those sacred words hath said, And his invisible hands to-day have been Laid on a young man's head, And evermore beside him on his way Beside him at the marriage feast shall be, O holy trust! O endless sense of rest: To lay his head upon the Saviour's breast, |