Poems (Eckley)/An Earthquake, at Chiusi
LURID veil the sun had worn the day,
Shrouded the hot and sickly sunbeams fell;
The breeze seemed weary of her idle play,
And tolled upon the air like funeral knell.
AN EARTHQUAKE
AT CHIUSI.TO F. A. E.
LURID veil the sun had worn the day,Shrouded the hot and sickly sunbeams fell;
The breeze seemed weary of her idle play,
And tolled upon the air like funeral knell.
At last the day crept out with stealthy tread,
And hid the hill and valley out of sight,
While flickering lights in many a window shed
Uncertain gleams upon the darkling night.
And hid the hill and valley out of sight,
While flickering lights in many a window shed
Uncertain gleams upon the darkling night.
Anon a low deep muttering was heard,
A hollow and unearthly rushing wind
Swept o'er the trembling plain, as if a word
From God was spoken, and the earth had joined
A hollow and unearthly rushing wind
Swept o'er the trembling plain, as if a word
From God was spoken, and the earth had joined
Her deep-mouthed voice to give it life and power,
And human lips were sealed, as shook the earth;
Men's hearts too failed them in that solemn hour,
And women hushed their babes and children's mirth,
And closer, closer clung while shook the earth.
And human lips were sealed, as shook the earth;
Men's hearts too failed them in that solemn hour,
And women hushed their babes and children's mirth,
And closer, closer clung while shook the earth.