The shades of night were falling fast, As though an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice, A banner with the strange device-- Excelsior! His brow was sad; his eye beneath Flashed like a falchion from its sheath; And like a silver clarion rung The accents of that unknown tongue-- Excelsior! In happy homes he saw the light Of household fires gleam warm and bright; Above, the spectral glaciers shone, And from his lips escaped a groan-- Excelsior! "Try not the pass," the old man said: "Dark lowers the tempest overhead; The roaring torrent is deep and wide!" And loud that clarion voice replied, Excelsior! "O stay," the maiden said, "and rest Thy weary head upon this breast!" A tear stood in his bright blue eye, But still he answered, with a sigh, Excelsior! "Beware the pine-tree's withered branch! Beware the awful avalanche!" This was the peasant's last good-night: A voice replied, far up the height, Excelsior! At break of day, as heavenward The pious monks of Saint Bernard Uttered the oft-repeated prayer, A voice cried, through the startled air, Excelsior! A traveller, by the faithful hound, Half buried in the snow was found, Still grasping in His hand of ice That banner with the strange device-- Excelsior! There in the twilight cold and gray, Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay, And from the sky, serene and far, A voice fell, like a falling star-- Excelsior! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MODERN PARAPHRASE OF SHAKESPEARE'S SONNET 29 by GEORGE SANTAYANA BATTLE HYMN OF THE RUSSIAN REPUBLIC by LOUIS UNTERMEYER SONNET: SILENCE by THOMAS HOOD LONDON SURVEYED AND ILLUSTRATED by JOHANNEM ADAMUS THE ART OF PRESERVING HEALTH: BOOK 2. RUSTIC INTERIOR by JOHN ARMSTRONG THE FOUR ZOAS: THE SONG OF LOS by WILLIAM BLAKE TO A SON OF EROS by LEE CARLTON BROWER |