Beyond! Beyond! - So Says He

Beyond! Beyond! - so says he As he pointed to the citadel That as an elevated square of red Rose up unto the skies Like flames of red. The wind how weird it neighs to-day The wind how doth it round The citadel! How dank and humid are its walls And here and there By grasses over-grown The fortress-walls do weep their old neglect While underneath The houses slumber on In the dark night Whose silence only jarred is By the tower-clock That in the lonely night Fights on its way. No winter frost hath frightened it Nor snowy blizzard hath Disheartened it: And in the thickest rain High taut and thin Its strokes come thro’ the rains. And now And now - to-day In this vast starry night Where glow-worms seem to dance In summer’s mad delight- And the lone cricket sings Unto his mate That on her wing now rests. And now And here To-day Let me dissolve my clay In this vast wonder In this oasis bright In this new paradise This night.