And the world is fulfilled of the noise of them crying
for their prey,
And the sun's self stricken in heaven, and cast out of his
course as a blind man astray.
From east to west of the south sea-line [_Str._ 4.
Glitters the lightning of spears that shine; 1310
As a storm-cloud swoln that comes up from the skirts of the sea
By the wind for helmsman to shoreward ferried,
So black behind them the live storm serried
Shakes earth with the tramp of its foot, and the terror to be.
Shall the sea give death whom the land gave birth? [_Ant._ 4.
O Earth, fair mother, O sweet live Earth,
Hide us again in thy womb from the waves of it, help us or hide.
As a sword is the heart of the God thy brother,
But thine as the heart of a new-made mother,
To deliver thy sons from his ravin, and rage of his tide. 1320
O strong north wind, the pilot of cloud and rain, [_Str._ 5.
For the gift we gave thee what gift hast thou given us again?
O God dark-winged, deep-throated, a terror to forth-faring ships
by night,
What bride-song is this that is blown on the blast of thy breath?
A gift but of grief to thy kinsmen, a song but of death,
For the bride's folk weeping, and woe for her father, who finds
thee against him in fight.
Turn back from us, turn thy battle, take heed of our
cry; [_Ant._ 5.
Let thy dread breath sound, and the waters of war be dry;
Let thy strong wrath shatter the strength of our foemen, the
sword of their strength and the shield;
As vapours in heaven, or as waves or the wrecks of ships, 1330
So break thou the ranks of their spears with the breath of
thy lips,
Till their corpses have covered and clothed as with raiment the
face of the sword-ploughed field.
O son of the rose-red morning, O God twin-born with the
day, [_Str._ 6.
O wind with the young sun waking, and winged for the
same wide way,
Give up not the house of thy kin to the host thou hast marshalled
from northward for prey.
From the cold of thy cradle in Thrace, from the mists of the
fountains of night, [_Ant._ 6.
Fro