Poems (Frances Elizabeth Browne)/Scene after a hurricane
SCENE AFTER A HURRICANE,ON THE WESTERN COAST OF IRELAND. BOAT FREIGHTED WITH DEAD BODIES.
Hark! hear ye not that piercing cry,
That doleful mourning, long and loud?
The echoing rocks and hills reply
To the deep wailing of the crowd.
That doleful mourning, long and loud?
The echoing rocks and hills reply
To the deep wailing of the crowd.
A boat appears! with outstretched hand
And eager eyes her course they hail;
But scarcely does she touch the strand,
Again resounds that mournful wail.
And eager eyes her course they hail;
But scarcely does she touch the strand,
Again resounds that mournful wail.
That boat contains a solemn freight
Of human corses, lately glowing
With life and health, perchance elate
With happiness o'erflowing.
Of human corses, lately glowing
With life and health, perchance elate
With happiness o'erflowing.
Redeemed from the devouring tide,
The empty caskets now are borne,
Each to his own beloved fireside,—
Alas that thus they should return!
The empty caskets now are borne,
Each to his own beloved fireside,—
Alas that thus they should return!
The animating spirits fled,
Ah! what avails the lifeless clay?
The piercing "keen cry" o'er the dead
With empty sound shall pass away!
Ah! what avails the lifeless clay?
The piercing "keen cry" o'er the dead
With empty sound shall pass away!
But let not thus the warning pass
Which issues from their humble biers,
As many a warning voice, alas!
Is heard with dull and deathlike ears.
Which issues from their humble biers,
As many a warning voice, alas!
Is heard with dull and deathlike ears.
The winds repeat the solemn sound,
The waters in each rushing wave;
Destruction both have scattered round,
And yawned hath many an early grave!
The waters in each rushing wave;
Destruction both have scattered round,
And yawned hath many an early grave!
Full many a fabric man hath reared,
One awful moment levelled low,
When, to perform his will prepared,
God bade the angry wind to blow.
One awful moment levelled low,
When, to perform his will prepared,
God bade the angry wind to blow.
It swept through nature's wide domain,
The forest's pride was prostrate cast;
The growth of ages strewed the plain,
Loud groaning in the ruthless blast.
The forest's pride was prostrate cast;
The growth of ages strewed the plain,
Loud groaning in the ruthless blast.
But who can count the human souls
That perished in that fearful gale?
When the last trumpet shakes the poles,
It—it alone—shall tell the tale.
That perished in that fearful gale?
When the last trumpet shakes the poles,
It—it alone—shall tell the tale.
When God's almighty power appeared
In tempests bursting o'er his head,
The "still, small voice" Elijah heard,
As to his cave he trembling fled.
In tempests bursting o'er his head,
The "still, small voice" Elijah heard,
As to his cave he trembling fled.
And shall not we, by mercy spared,
While judgment thus has stalked abroad,
Be by such dread events prepared
To listen to the voice of God?
While judgment thus has stalked abroad,
Be by such dread events prepared
To listen to the voice of God?
That gentle voice, O, may we hear
In the deep silence of the heart,
Dispelling all but godly fear,
And bidding every sin depart!
In the deep silence of the heart,
Dispelling all but godly fear,
And bidding every sin depart!