Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PRINCE OF PEACE, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PRINCE OF PEACE, by                    
First Line: Death sent his messengers before
Last Line: Through tasks fulfilled to reach my own
Subject(s): Courts & Courtiers;labor & Laborers;peace


DEATH sent his messengers before.
"Our master comes apace," they cried;
"Ere night he will be at the door
To claim thy darling from thy side."
I drove them forth with curses fell;
I drove them forth with jeer and scoff;
Not all the powers of heaven or hell
Combined should bear my darling off.

I armed me madly for the fight;
My gates I bolted, barred, and locked;
At sunset came a sable knight,
Dismounted at my doors, and knocked.
I answered not; he knocked again;
I braved him sole, I braved his band;
He knocked once more -- in vain, in vain;
My barriers crumbled 'neath his hand.

I rushed into the breach; I stood
Dazed with the flood of ebbing light;
"A victory over senseless wood
Adds scanty glory to thy might!
A stronger champion guards these walls --
A human love, a living heart;
And while each earthly bulwark falls,
It stays thee, awful as thou art!"

My sabre shivered on his mail,
My lance dropped headless at his feet;
I saw my darling's cheek grow pale,
I saw her turn, my foe to meet.
He passed, -- my lips alone could move;
Mad words of passion forth I hurled:
"They lied who said that God was love,
Who lets a tyrant rule the world."

He gathered her to his embrace,
While yet I raved in my despair;
He raised his visor from his face,
I looked, and saw an angel there.
Such conquering love, such mercy rare,
Such heavenly pity in his eyes,
As surely Love Divine might wear
When He assumed our mortal guise.

He bent above her dear, dumb lips --
Mine own, whom I had loved too well --
And, struggling from life's last eclipse,
They smiled in peace ineffable.
Awe-struck I watched; he raised his head,
And then in tones like summer's breath,
"Am I a thing so vile," he said,
"I, whom ye men call shuddering Death?"

And sword and targe aside I flung,
Forgotten wrath, and loss, and pride;
To his departing feet I clung,
"And me too, take me too," I cried;
"Without her all is blank and black,
With her and thee so fair -- me too;"
The solemn voice came ringing back,
"Not yet, for thee is work to do."

The sunset sank from rose to gray;
His accents died away with it,
And from my soul, as from the day,
The glow and glory seemed to flit;
And 'mid my stronghold's shattered strength
I knelt alone, yet not alone;
Death's angel left me hope at length
Through tasks fulfilled to reach my own.





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