Parerga/Vision of the Heroes of Poland
< Parerga
VISION OF THE HEROES OF POLAND.
TRANSLATED FROM ORTLEPP.
Mounting at the trumpet's call
From their cold graves one and all,
I beheld around me far
Poland's mighty men of war.
From their cold graves one and all,
I beheld around me far
Poland's mighty men of war.
At the clanging bugle's blast
Troops of horse are forming fast;
At the rolling of the drum
The foot around the eagle come,
Troops of horse are forming fast;
At the rolling of the drum
The foot around the eagle come,
Round the eagle that gleams and glows
As the sunbeams shine on snows.
The music sounds the bold "Advance,"
As leading to the joyous dance.
As the sunbeams shine on snows.
The music sounds the bold "Advance,"
As leading to the joyous dance.
Mighty Kosciusko towers
High before the mustering Powers,
That present the flashing steel,
And glad huzzas to greet him peal.
High before the mustering Powers,
That present the flashing steel,
And glad huzzas to greet him peal.
Dripping yet with river dew
Poniatowski stalks in view,
Emerging into heaven's light
From the whelming billow's night.
Poniatowski stalks in view,
Emerging into heaven's light
From the whelming billow's night.
A giant form its bulk uprears,
Sobieski's self appears,
With sword all scabbardless advancing
On the courser wildly prancing.
Sobieski's self appears,
With sword all scabbardless advancing
On the courser wildly prancing.
And where the massive clouds soar higher,
Girt with quivering tongues of fire
Gleams a throne—and there is seen
A Shape of high imperial mien.
Girt with quivering tongues of fire
Gleams a throne—and there is seen
A Shape of high imperial mien.
Gazing on the martial swarms,
With little hat and folded arms
There He stands, sublime alone,
From that dark height looking on.
With little hat and folded arms
There He stands, sublime alone,
From that dark height looking on.
Thunderstorms beneath are tossing,
Lightnings wildly intercrossing,
The advent of the tempest telling
Nearer still, and nearer swelling.
Lightnings wildly intercrossing,
The advent of the tempest telling
Nearer still, and nearer swelling.
From rank to rank, from heart to heart
A thrill of awe, a shuddering start
Runs, and from each lip is heard
Stammer'd one great signal word.
A thrill of awe, a shuddering start
Runs, and from each lip is heard
Stammer'd one great signal word.
The old Titan-spirit breaks
From sleep, and to the strife awakes;—
Before the warriors on he strides,
And the sacred struggle guides.
From sleep, and to the strife awakes;—
Before the warriors on he strides,
And the sacred struggle guides.
Dawning through the misty skies
The Pyramids' dim outlines rise,
And in bright clouds crimson-tainted
Moscow's grave of flame is painted.
The Pyramids' dim outlines rise,
And in bright clouds crimson-tainted
Moscow's grave of flame is painted.
Like a city high of heaven
Leipsic to the sight is given,
As the powder-smoke entomb'd it,
And the flashing guns illumed it.
Leipsic to the sight is given,
As the powder-smoke entomb'd it,
And the flashing guns illumed it.
Now the great storm onward hurl'd
Bursts like the doomsday of the world;
North and south the heaven streams
Purpled with bloody flickering gleams.
Bursts like the doomsday of the world;
North and south the heaven streams
Purpled with bloody flickering gleams.
Hill and mountain prone subside,
Yawns the earth in chasms wide,
Riven in twain are tree and rock,
Stop the torrents with the shock.
Yawns the earth in chasms wide,
Riven in twain are tree and rock,
Stop the torrents with the shock.
This is the Great Tempest's might;
As yet it sleeps in deepest night,
But the earth shall reel and quake
When its lingering terrors wake.
As yet it sleeps in deepest night,
But the earth shall reel and quake
When its lingering terrors wake.
And when that storm itself hath tired,
And that darkness hath expired,
Dawning comes a brighter day,
A more lovely blooming May.
And that darkness hath expired,
Dawning comes a brighter day,
A more lovely blooming May.
And then again on orient height,
Mid clouds that blush with morning's light.
Girt with lambent flames is seen
That Shape of high imperial mien.
Mid clouds that blush with morning's light.
Girt with lambent flames is seen
That Shape of high imperial mien.
O'er him the sun its orb is raising,
Round him a holy splendour blazing,
And plays a smile his features o'er,
So mild they never look'd before.
Round him a holy splendour blazing,
And plays a smile his features o'er,
So mild they never look'd before.
Kosciusko tranquilly
And Poniatowski lowly lie,
And Sobieski seeks his rest
In the earth's untroubled breast.
And Poniatowski lowly lie,
And Sobieski seeks his rest
In the earth's untroubled breast.
Freedom's Goddess, mid the blaze
Of the bright sun's flashing rays
Stands, and o'er her vibrating
The white eagle waves his wing.
Of the bright sun's flashing rays
Stands, and o'er her vibrating
The white eagle waves his wing.
Gazing on the azure sky
The nations shout in ecstacy,—
While weep with joy the Polish band
In their own free fatherland.
The nations shout in ecstacy,—
While weep with joy the Polish band
In their own free fatherland.