"shroud"
"rock"
"spirit"
"struggling"
"Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot"
"The struggling moonbeam"
"We bitterly thought of the morrow"
ABSALOM
NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS
The waters slept. Night"s silvery veil hung low On Jordan"s bosom, and the eddies curled Their gla.s.sy rings beneath it, like the still, Unbroken beating of the sleeper"s pulse.
The reeds bent down the stream; the willow leaves, With a soft cheek upon the lulling tide, Forgot the lifting winds; and the long stems, Whose flowers the water, like a gentle nurse, Bears on its bosom, quietly gave way, And leaned in graceful att.i.tudes to rest.
How strikingly the course of nature tells, By its light heed of human suffering, That it was fashioned for a happier world!
King David"s limbs were weary. He had fled From far Jerusalem; and now he stood, With his faint people, for a little rest, Upon the sh.o.r.e of Jordan. The light wind Of morn was stirring, and he bared his brow To its refreshing breath; for he had worn The mourner"s covering, and he had not felt That he could see his people until now.
They gathered round him on the fresh green bank, And spoke their kindly words; and as the sun Rose up in heaven, he knelt among them there, And bowed his head upon his hands to pray.
Oh, when the heart is full--when bitter thoughts Come crowding thickly up for utterance, And the poor, common words of courtesy Are such an empty mockery--how much The bursting heart may pour itself in prayer!
He prayed for Israel; and his voice went up Strongly and fervently. He prayed for those Whose love had been his shield; and his deep tones.
Grew tremulous. But oh! for Absalom-- For his estranged, misguided Absalom-- The proud, bright being who had burst away In all his princely beauty, to defy The heart that cherished him--for him he poured, In agony that would not be controlled, Strong supplication, and forgave him there, Before his G.o.d, for his deep sinfulness.
The pall was settled. He who slept beneath Was straightened for the grave; and as the folds Sunk to the still proportions, they betrayed The matchless symmetry of Absalom.
His hair was yet unshorn, and silken curls Were floating round the ta.s.sels as they swayed To the admitted air, as glossy now As when, in hours of gentle dalliance, bathing The snowy fingers of Judea"s daughters.
His helm was at his feet; his banner, soiled With trailing through Jerusalem, was laid, Reversed, beside him; and the jeweled hilt, Whose diamonds lit the pa.s.sage of his blade, Rested, like mockery, on his covered brow.
The soldiers of the king trod to and fro, Clad in the garb of battle; and their chief, The mighty Joab, stood beside the bier, And gazed upon the dark pall steadfastly, As if he feared the slumberer might stir.
A slow step startled him. He grasped his blade As if a trumpet rang; but the bent form Of David entered, and he gave command, In a low tone, to his few followers, And left him with his dead. The King stood still Till the last echo died; then, throwing off The sackcloth from his brow, and laying back The pall from the still features of his child, He bowed his head upon him, and broke forth In the resistless eloquence of woe:
"Alas, my n.o.ble boy, that thou shouldst die!
Thou, who wert made so beautifully fair!
That death should settle in thy glorious eye, And leave his stillness in this cl.u.s.tering hair!
How could he mark thee for the silent tomb, My proud boy, Absalom?
"Cold is thy brow, my son, and I am chill As to my bosom I have tried to press thee!
How I was wont to feel my pulses thrill, Like a rich harp-string, yearning to caress thee, And hear thy sweet "_My father!_" from these dumb And cold lips, Absalom!
"But death is on thee. I shall hear the gush Of music, and the voices of the young; And life will pa.s.s me in the mantling blush, And the dark tresses to the soft winds flung-- But thou no more, with thy sweet voice, shalt come To meet me, Absalom!
"And oh! when I am stricken, and my heart, Like a bruised reed, is waiting to be broken, How will its love for thee, as I depart, Yearn for thine ear to drink its last deep token!
It were so sweet, amid death"s gathering gloom, To see thee, Absalom!
"And now, farewell! "Tis hard to give thee up, With death so like a gentle slumber on thee; And thy dark sin! Oh, I could drink the cup, If from this woe its bitterness had won thee.
May G.o.d have called thee, like a wanderer, home, My lost boy, Absalom!"
He covered up his face, and bowed himself A moment on his child; then, giving him A look of melting tenderness, he clasped His hands convulsively, as if in prayer; And, as if strength were given him of G.o.d, He rose up calmly, and composed the pall Firmly and decently, and left him there, As if his rest had been a breathing sleep.
HELPS TO STUDY.
Nathaniel Parker Willis was born in Maine in 1806. He was a graduate of Yale and was an early contributor to various periodicals, including the "Youths" Companion," which magazine had been founded by his father. The selection here given is regarded as the poet"s masterpiece.
Historical: Absalom, the son of David, King of Israel, rebelled against his father. David sent his army to put down the rebellion, but said to his captains, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom."
In spite of this entreaty, Absalom was slain by Joab, a captain in David"s army. The first forty-one lines relate to events preceding the battle, the remainder to events following the battle. Read 2 Samuel XVIII.
Notes and Questions.
Find the Jordan on your map.
Locate the Dead Sea; the wood of Ephraim where Absalom was killed.
Describe the picture you see when you read the first stanza.
What do we call such expressions as "Night"s silvery veil"?
What is night"s silvery veil?
"The willow leaves with a soft cheek upon the lulling tide, Forgot the lifting winds"--What does this mean? Why "lulling tide"?
What flowers does the poet mean in the eighth line? Is the poet true to nature in what he says of them? Show why.
Select two words or expressions that seem to you to be especially beautiful or fit, and tell why. Do you like the selection? Why?
Words and Phrases for Discussion.
"waters slept"
"melting tenderness"
"fashioned for a happier world"
"lifting winds"
"mantling blush"
"straightened for the grave"
"estranged"
"breathing sleep"
"resistless eloquence"
"bruised reed"
"still proportions"
"Whose diamonds lit the pa.s.sage of his blade"
LOCHINVAR (From "Marmion.")
SIR WALTER SCOTT