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Home  »  Poems of Places An Anthology in 31 Volumes  »  The Spire of Strasburg Cathedral

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Germany: Vols. XVII–XVIII. 1876–79.

Strasburg

The Spire of Strasburg Cathedral

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)

(From The Golden Legend)

Night and storm. LUCIFER, with the Powers of the Air, trying to tear down the Cross.

LUCIFER
HASTEN! hasten!

O ye spirits!

From its station drag the ponderous

Cross of iron, that to mock us

Is uplifted high in air!

VOICES
O we cannot!

For around it

All the Saints and Guardian Angels

Throng in legions to protect it;

They defeat us everywhere!

THE BELLS
Laudo Deum verum!

Plebem voco!

Congrego clerum!

LUCIFER
Lower! lower!

Hover downward!

Seize the loud, vociferous bells, and

Clashing, clanging, to the pavement

Hurl them from their windy tower!

VOICES
All thy thunders

Here are harmless!

For these bells have been anointed,

And baptized with holy water!

They defy our utmost power.

THE BELLS
Defunctos ploro!

Pestem fugo!

Festa decoro!

LUCIFER
Shake the casements!

Break the painted

Panes, that flame with gold and crimson;

Scatter them like leaves of Autumn,

Swept away before the blast!

VOICES
O, we cannot!

The Archangel

Michael flames from every window,

With the sword of fire that drove us

Headlong, out of heaven, aghast!

THE BELLS
Funera plango!

Fulgura frango!

Sabbata pango!

LUCIFER
Aim your lightnings

At the oaken,

Massive, iron-studded portals!

Sack the house of God, and scatter

Wide the ashes of the dead!

VOICES
O, we cannot!

The Apostles

And the Martyrs, wrapped in mantles,

Stand as warders at the entrance,

Stand as sentinels o’erhead!

THE BELLS
Excito lentos!

Dissipo ventos!

Paco cruentos!

LUCIFER
Baffled! baffled!

Inefficient,

Craven spirits! leave this labor

Unto Time, the great Destroyer!

Come away, ere night is gone!

VOICES
Onward! onward!

With the night-wind,

Over field and farm and forest,

Lonely homestead, darksome hamlet,

Blighting all we breathe upon!

They sweep away. Organ and Gregorian Chant.

CHOIR
Nocte surgentes

Vigilemus omnes!