Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PASSING BY, by RICHARD SOLOMON GEDNEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

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First Line: Day is dying! Day is dying
Last Line: Day is dying—day is dead!
Subject(s): Courts & Courtiers; Death; Royal Court Life; Royalty; Kings; Queens; Dead, The


Day is dying! Day is dying,
In his palace in the west!
Sounds as of some spirits sighing
Float along the Ocean's breast.

Night hath slain him, foully slain him!
Pale her Queen bends from the sky,
Gazing where the God hath lain him
In his palace down to die!

But the stars, her courtiers, fearing
That the dying Monarch's hand
Yet could chastise them for peering
On the glories of his land,—

Still a time of safety biding,
Venture not to meet his glance,
But, behind the gloaming hiding,
Wait the dark-winged Night's advance.

Day is dying! dying slowly,
In the palace in the west!
Whispers as of spirits holy
Float upon the Ocean's breast!

Gently glides the Ocean toward us,
Bringing tidings from the Day,—
Tidings that no hopes afford us,—
He is dying fast away!

Though the Monarch proudly bore him,
Smiled he often upon Earth;
Now that death is hanging o'er him,
For a time surcease from mirth.

Cease from laughter, cease from singing;
Bare your heads and sadly gaze;
Join the dirge that Nature's ringing—
Join the hymn the leaflets raise.

List the forest's mournful grieving,
List the meadow's tearful sighs,
List the sobs that Ocean 's heaving;
All are mourning save the skies.

They are clothed in bright jacinthine,
Topazine, and ruby light,
And amid the amethystine,
Glowing, gleaming on the sight,

Gorgeous banners, crimson, golden,
Flashing spear and flaming crest,
Blazing rank on rank enrolled on,
Round the palace in the west,

Dazzling in their mail of brightness,
Stand the armies of the Day,
But the Monarch-god of Lightness
Leadeth not their bright array!

In the palace grand and glorious,
Glittering in ruby light,
In that palace grand and glorious,
He hath lain him from their sight.

He is dying! slowly waning,
In that palace in the west!
Sighs as of a spirit 'plaining,
Float along the Ocean's breast!

Now the mighty wings of Darkness
Shadow all the eastern sky,—
He is coming, Giant Darkness,
To behold his foeman die!

Now the Night's dark host, embattled,
Sable-winged and raven plumed,
With the bright array have grappled,
And that glorious legion 's doomed!

Slowly falling, slowly failing,
Day's bright army vails its crest,
All its former glory paleing
On that red field in the west.

Now the erstwhile coward Darkness
Comes to triumph in his fall!
Now he's dying, recreant Darkness
Comes to hoot upon his pall!

Day is dying! Day is dying!
Darkness hovers o'er his head!
Miserere! He is dying!
Day is dying—Day is dead!





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