THE TWILIGHT OF THE LORDS

I

Is the sound a trumpet blown, or a bell for burial tolled,

Whence the whole air vibrates now to the clash of

words like swords

"Let us break their bonds in sunder, and cast away their cords;

Long enough the world has mocked us, and marvelled to behold

How the grown man bears the curb whence his boyhood was controlled "?

Nay, but hearken: surer counsel more sober speech affords:

"Is the past not all inscribed with the praises of our Lords?

Is the memory dead of deeds done of yore, the love

grown cold

That should bind our hearts to trust in their counsels wise and bold?

These that stand against you now, senseless crowds

and heartless hordes,

Are not these the sons of men that withstood your kings of old?

Theirs it is to bind and loose; theirs the key that knows the wards,

Theirs the staff to lead or smite; yours, the spades and ploughs and hods:

Theirs to hear and yours to cry, Power is yours, O Lords our Gods."

II

Hear, O England: these are they that would counsel thee aright.

Wouldst thou fain have all thy sons sons of thine indeed, and free?

Nay, but then no more at all as thou hast been shalt thou be:

Needs must many dwell in darkness, that some may look on light;

Needs must poor men brook the wrong that ensures the rich man's right.

How shall kings and lords be worshipped, if no man bow the knee?

How, if no man worship these, may thy praise endure with thee?

How, except thou trust in these, shall thy name not lose its might?

These have had their will of thee since the Norman came to smite :

Sires on grandsires, even as wave after wave along

the sea,

Sons on sires have followed, steadfast as clouds or hours in flight.

Time alone hath power to say, time alone hath eyes to see,

If your walls of rule be built but of clay-compacted

sods,

If your place of old shall know you no more, O Lords our Gods.

III

Through the stalls wherein ye sit sounds a sentence while we wait,

Set your house in order: is it not builded on the sand?

Set your house in order, seeing the night is hard at

hand.

As the twilight of the Gods in the northern dream of

fate

Is this hour that comes against you, albeit this hour come late.

Ye whom Time and Truth bade heed, and ye would not understand,

Now an axe draws nigh the tree overshadowing all

the land,

And its edge of doom is set to the root of all your

state.

Light is more than darkness now, faith than fear and hope than hate;

And what morning wills, behold, all the night shall not withstand.

Rods of office, helms of rule, staffs of wise men, crowns of great,

While the people willed, ye bare; now their hopes and hearts expand,

Time with silent foot makes dust of your broken

crowns and rods,

And the lordship of your godhead is gone, O Lords our Gods.

CLEAR THE WAY!

CLEAR the way, my lords and lackeys! you have had your day.

Here you have your answer-England's yea against

your nay:

Long enough your house has held you: up, and clear the way!

Lust and falsehood, craft and traffic, precedent and gold,

Tongue of courtier, kiss of harlot, promise bought and sold,

Gave you heritage of empire over thralls of old.

Now that all these things are rotten, all their gold is rust,

Quenched the pride they lived by, dead the faith and cold the lust,

Shall their heritage not also turn again to dust?

By the grace of these they reigned, who left their sons their sway:

By the grace of these, what England says her lords unsay:

Till at last her cry go forth against them-Clear the

way!

VOL. VI.

H

By the grace of trust in treason knaves have lived and lied:

By the force of fear and folly fools have fed their pride: By the strength of sloth and custom reason stands defied.

Lest perchance your reckoning on some latter day be

worse,

Halt and hearken, lords of land and princes of the

purse,

Ere the tide be full that comes with blessing and with

curse.

Where we stand, as where you sit, scarce falls a sprinkling spray ;

But the wind that swells, the wave that follows, none shall stay:

Spread no more of sail for shipwreck: out, and clear the way!