Page:Poems - Sayers (1792).djvu/62
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Gash'd with gory wounds,[1]
In agony thou smil'st;
King of men, whose dark blue steel
No foe unconquer'd saw,
Soon his heart's blood smok'd around,
Soon his daunted spirit fled,
Odin, hear.
In agony thou smil'st;
King of men, whose dark blue steel
No foe unconquer'd saw,
Soon his heart's blood smok'd around,
Soon his daunted spirit fled,
Odin, hear.
In Harold's breast thy spirit pour,
String his nerves, his eyes inflame,
Direct his brawny arm to fling
The darts of death around,
In the tempest of the battle
Throw thy shield of safety o'er him,
Protect him with thy mighty hand,
And send him back with victory.
String his nerves, his eyes inflame,
Direct his brawny arm to fling
The darts of death around,
In the tempest of the battle
Throw thy shield of safety o'er him,
Protect him with thy mighty hand,
And send him back with victory.
- ↑ Gash'd with gory wounds.] Odin, whilst he was yet on earth, is recorded to have stabbed himself at an advanced period of age in nine different places. The Gothic nations esteemed it dishonourable not to die a violent death.
But