THE boding sky was charactered with cloud, The scripture of the storm -- but high in air, Where the unfathomed zenith still was bare, A pure expanse of rose-flushed violet glowed And, kindling into crimson light, o'erflowed The hurrying wrack with such a blood-red glare, That heaven, igniting, wildly seemed to flare On the dazed eyes of many an awe-struck crowd. And in far lands folk presaged with blanched lips Disastrous wars, earthquakes, and foundering ships Such whelming floods as never dykes could stem, Or some proud empire's ruin and eclipse: Lo, such a sky, they cried, as burned o'er them Once lit the sacking of Jerusalem! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BALLAD OF ATHLONE; OR, HOW THEY BROKE DOWN THE BRIDGE by AUBREY THOMAS DE VERE THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK: FIT 3. THE BAKER'S TALE by CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON WAPENTAKE; TO ALFRED TENNYSON by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW HE WROTE THE HISTORY BOOK,' IT SAID by MARIANNE MOORE ON THE EPHEMERALNESS OF BEAUTY by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS SONNET: 9 by RICHARD BARNFIELD TO HIS WORSHIPFULL GOOD FRIEND, MAISTER JOHN STEVENTON by RICHARD BARNFIELD |