Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-03-28
DARKNESS.
By LORD BYRON.

I v'or dreTrt which was not all dream.
lhs brsat sm'N - eNtinenShd, and the stars
Did Wander du kiinE ia tue ct,tnal s.H-e,
hc,isS> ani psthicsS and lar icy earl
SNl'i'. hiird aud hisckcnns ~ the n,oon,ess air;
Morn came a.i wrnt-and came auh brongut no day,
AM D,en fu;Sot their passions ia thc dread
0tthis their Oe-nlaion; amt all hearts
Were chli iItc seidsh PRAYER COR light;
and thsy diditvr ~ Fss,ri-iifvs--and the thrones.
TIE palaces Dfci 0Wncsi kings the hnis
lhe habatir,Is ufal, things Viii. u dwell
We're rnirtt'i heacous; cities were CONSUMED,
And neu were gathered round their hiazinc homes
70 mex oncelIure iatO each others face;
vi The voicanoes fEi their mountain torch:
At.aifal hope aus all the world Coniain'd:
Forests were SET ~ nre-but houi by hour
They ieil and 'rl-,--and the cracking truass
Distinguished with Il tta-h-and all vas hlack.
TIC bTH~S Of ncn liy tlie dcSpairng i,sht
Wore an unclrthiy aspect. as nv lis
The flashes fell upon them some Low down
aud Ind their eve snf w.pt and soins did ice,
iher chins npon then clcnched han,> aud -,ni,rd
And others hurried to aud Iro, andf,l
F'elr funeral ptlcs wiih tiisl, and loold 40
Withrlsd di-luleiudc On The duh sky
ihe pail ut past worli and then again
WIN curses cast them down npon the dust
Ana gllshd their teeth and how'd The vi I'D birds
shTeh'd
Aud, terrified did ilntter on the ground
Aud Hap their useless wings the widest hrmtes
Ca'nc iaricaad rennious aud vipers crawrd
And twined themselves among the multitude
Kissing, hut s'i". ess--they stain fpad:
aud war, which FOR Il inoiiemt no more
nd .nt himself agair-a meal was bought
With blood, aud each suiemly apart
Gnrs'ng dnlseifin gloom love was left;
All earth was but ore thought and that was death
inuicd ate aud orionS-and the pang
~ famine fed upea all eu;rails-nen
Died. and their bones were tombess Us their flesh:
} he nea:tc by the mea2re ieyourrd.
Even dogs assaiii iheir masters, all save one
And he was faithful to ccrse. and kept
The birds and heastsa f:niisls'd men at bay
'lll hunger cling ihci.i, o. the dropping dead
inr.d their 'ank jaws himself sought ont 10 food
I witl 4 piteous and perpetual moan
And quick Gesoaie cTy. licking the hand
Which answered not with i caress--he died.
The crowd was famish'd hy degrees but two
or an enormous city did survive,
Aud they were enemies they met beside
The dying cinbers OF an altar place.
Where had been heap'd mass OF holy things
for an uhholy usars they ratrd up,
Ard shvering srTaped with their cold Skeleton hands
The feeble ashes. and theg feeber breath
Blew for alittleife, and made fame
Witch was atnockery then they littedup
Their ryesa ~ grew lighter and bcheld
Eaeh others aspects-faw, and >hTick'd and died
Even of 10 .rnutial hideousness they died,
tnknowing who he Was upon whose brow
Famine badWfitten Fi.nd. The world was void
The po1ulnTs and The powerful was a lump,
Sras"n'ess heThtess. tTeeess, manicss, Nfeless-
a lump ut dedth--a chaos of hard clay:
The rivers, lakes and ocean all stood STILL
And noihing stirred Within their silent depths
Shirs saiioress lay routing on tlie sea,
AM deir rrrsts fell down piecenea; they droppd
Trey s'epto The ahv.s without a surge
The waves were dead the tides we're in their grave;
v''e moon, then mistress had expired before
lhe winds were wiibered in The siagRant air,
Andihe cioutS psrishtd: DARKNESS lad oneed
or aid nom them--She vas the universe.