Читать книгу My Commonplace Book онлайн

15 страница из 124

CHORUS

Hark to the Song of the Sword!

PRIEST

Uplift! let it gleam in the sun—

Uplift in the name of the Lord!

KAISER

Lo! how it gleams in the light,

Beautiful, bloody, and bright.

Yea, I uplift the Sword

Thus in the name of the Lord!

THE CHIEFS

Form ye a circle of fire

Around him, our King and our Sire—

While in the centre he stands,

Kneel with your swords in your hands,

Then with one voice deep and free

Echo like waves of the sea—

“In the name of the Lord!”

VOICES WITHOUT

Where is he?—he fades from our sight!

Where the Sword?—all is blacker than night.

Is it finish’d, that loudly ye cry?

Doth he sheathe the great Sword while we die?

O bury us deep, most deep;

Write o’er us, wherever we sleep,

“In the name of the Lord!”

KAISER

While I uplift the Sword,

Thus in the name of the Lord,

Why, with mine eyes full of tears,

Am I sick of the song in mine ears?

God of the Israelite, hear;

God of the Teuton, be near;

Strengthen my pulse lest I fail.

Shut out these slain while they wail—

For they come with the voice of the grave