The Belfry of Bruges
Keen comes the dizzy air
In one tumultuous breath.
The tower to heaven lies bare;
Dumb stir the streets beneath.
Immeasurable sky
Domes upward from the dim
Round land, the astonished eye
Supposes the world’s rim.
And through the sea of space
Winds drive the furious cloud
Silent in endless race;
And the tower rocks aloud.
Mine eye now wanders wide,
My thought now quickens keen.
O cities, far descried,
What ravage have you seen
Of an enkindled world?
Homes blazing and hearths bare;
Of hosts tyrannic hurled
On pale ranks of despair,
Who fed with warm proud blood
The cause unquenchable,
For which your heroes stood,
For which our Sidney fell;
Sidney, whose starry fame,
Mirrored in noble song,
Shines, all our sloth to shame,
And arms us against wrong;
Bright star, that seems to burn
Over yon English shore,
Whither my feet return,
And my thoughts run before;
Run with this rumour brought
By the wild wind’s alarms,
Dark sounds with battle fraught,
Menace of distant arms.
O menace harsh, but vain!
For what can peril do
But search our souls again
To sift and find the true?
Prove if the sap of old
Shoots yet from the old seed,
If faith be still unsold,
If truth be truth indeed?
Welcome the blast that shakes
The wall wherein we have lain
Slumbering, our heart awakes
And rends the prison chain.
Turn we from prosperous toys
And the dull name of ease;
Rather than tarnished joys
Face we the angry seas!
Or, if old age infirm
Be in our veins congealed,
Bow we to Time, our term
Fulfilled, and proudly yield.
Not each to each we are made,
Not each to each we fall,
But every true part played
Quickens the heart of all
That feeds and moves and fires
The many—peopled lands,
And in our languor tires
But in our strength expands.
For forward—gazing eyes
Fate shall no terror keep.
She in our own breast lies:
Now let her wake from sleep!
