Poems (Hoffman)/The Burning Building
THE BURNING BUILDING
Unearthly monster that with fiery eyes In anger glaringMocks sullenly the looks and hopeless cries Of deep despairing,Art thou a demon from whose evil heart Roll fire and ashes'Till to destruction every writhing part Thine anger dashes?Morn saw thy walls in strength and beauty stand And rich with treasure,Eve shall behold thy smoldering ashes fanned In fiendish pleasure.With crash on crash, the solid hold gives way Of beam and rafterWhile the fierce flames devour their helpless prey With mocking laughter,Great oceans lock the gates along their shores While blazing structures totterRivers and lakes are sealed though man implores The blessed boon of water,Cool clouds float overhead but powerless all The raindrops beating—None saw the mystic writing on the wall 'Till Hope's defeating.A hurried sound, the victor's final blow Resounding loudly,A death-like hush and all is lying low That rose so proudly;Blighted and blasted like a fragile flower Consumed e'en as it flashes,Unconquered foe, recorded is thy power In dust and ashes.Ah! still the hand that on Belshazzar's walls Doomed grandeur's stationIn lines of flame on human glory falls With plain interpretation;Lo, thus shall perish with consuming heat All earthly treasureBefore whose ashes yet shall pause the feet Of reckless pleasure.