The Complete Poems Read online

  In my weak [aged] arms. I here have borne your dying mother

  10 Come forth sons of the Curse come forth. see the death of

  Myratana

  His sons ran from their gates. & saw their aged parents stand

  And thus the eldest son of Tiriel raisd his mighty voice

  Old man unworthy to be calld. the father of Tiriels race

  For evry one of those thy wrinkles. each of those grey hairs

  Are cruel as death. & as obdurate as the devouring pit

  Why should thy sons care for thy curses thou accursed man

  Were we not slaves till we rebeld. Who cares for Tiriels curse

  His blessing was a cruel curse. His curse may be a blessing

  He ceast the aged man raisd up his right hand to the heavens

  20 His left supported Myratana [living/ ?shriecking] shrinking in

  pangs of death

  The orbs of his large eyes he opend. & thus his voice went forth

  Serpents not sons. wreathing around the bones of Tiriel

  Ye worms of death feasting upon your aged parents flesh

  Listen & hear your mothers groans. No more accursed Sons

  She bears. she groans not at the birth of Heuxos or Yuva

  These are the groans of death ye serpents. These are the groans of death

  Nourished with milk ye serpents. nourishd with mothers tears & cares

  Look at my eyes blind as the orbless scull among the stones

  Look at my bald head. Hark listen ye serpents [all] listen

  30 What Myratana. What my wife. O Soul O Spirit O fire

  What Myratana. art thou dead. Look here ye serpents look

  The serpents sprung from her own bowels have draind her dry as this

  Curse on your ruthless heads. for I will bury her even here

  So saying he began to dig a grave with his aged hands

  But Heuxos calld a son of Zazel. to dig their mother a grave

  Old cruelty desist & let us dig a grave for thee

  Thou hast refusd our charity thou hast refusd our food

  Thou hast refusd our clothes our beds our houses for thy dwelling

  Chusing to wander like a Son of Zazel in the rocks

  40 Why dost thou curse. is not the curse now come upon your head

  Was it not you enslavd the sons of Zazel. & they have cursd

  And now you feel it. Dig a grave & let us bury our mother

  There take the body. cursed sons. & may the heavens rain wrath

  As thick as northern fogs. around your gates. to choke you up

  That you may lie as now your mother lies. like dogs. cast out

  The stink. of your dead carcases annoying man & beast

  Till your white bones are bleachd with age for a memorial.

  No your remembrance shall perish. for when your carcases

  Lie stinking on the earth. the buriers shall arise from the east

  50 And. not a bone of all the sons of Tiriel remain

  Bury your mother but you cannot bury the curse of Tiriel

  He ceast & darkling oer the mountains sought his pathless way

  2

  He wanderd day & night to him both day & night were dark

  The sun he felt but the bright moon was now a useless globe

  Oer mountains & thro vales of woe. the blind & aged man

  Wanderd till he that leadeth all. led him to the vales of Har

  And Har & Heva like two children sat beneath the Oak

  Mnetha now aged waited on them. & brought them food & clothing

  But they were as the shadow of Har. & as the years forgotten

  Playing with flowers. & running after birds they spent the day

  And in the night like infants slept delighted with infant dreams

  10 Soon as the blind wanderer enterd the pleasant gardens of Har

  [The aged father & mother saw him as they sat at play]

  They ran weeping like frighted infants for refuge in Mnethas arms

  The blind man felt his way & cried peace to these open doors

  Let no one fear for poor blind Tiriel hurts none but himself

  Tell me O friends where am I now. & in what pleasant place

  This is the valley of Har said Mnetha & this the tent of Har

  Who art thou poor blind man. that takest the name of Tiriel on thee

  Tiriel is king of all the west. who art thou I am Mnetha

  And this is Har & Heva. trembling like infants by my side

  20 I know Tiriel is king of the west & there he lives in joy

  No matter who I am O Mnetha. if thou hast any food

  Give it me. for I cannot stay my journey is far from hence

  Then Har said O my mother Mnetha venture not so near him

  For he is the king of rotten wood & of the bones of death

  He wanders. without eyes. & passes thro thick walls & doors

  Thou shalt not smite my mother Mnetha O thou eyeless man

  [O venerable O most piteous O most woeful day]

  A wanderer. I beg for food. you see I cannot weep

  [But I can kneel down at your door. I am a harmless man]

  30 I cast away my staff the kind companion of my travel

  And I kneel down that you may see I am a harmless man

  He kneeled down & Mnetha said Come Har & Heva rise

  He is an innocent old man & hungry with his travel

  Then Har arose & laid his hand upon old Tiriels head

  God bless thy poor bald pate. God bless. thy hollow winking eyes

  God bless thy shriveld beard. God. bless. thy many wrinkled forehead

  Thou hast no teeth old man & thus I kiss thy sleek bald head

  Heva come kiss his bald head for he will not hurt us Heva

  Then Heva came & took old Tiriel in her mothers arms

  40 Bless thy poor eyes old man. & bless the old father of Tiriel

  Thou art my Tiriels old father. I know thee thro thy wrinkles

  Because thou smellest. like the figtree. thou smellest like ripe figs

  How didst thou lose thy eyes old Tiriel. bless thy wrinkled face

  [The aged Tiriel could not speak his heart was full of grief He strove against his rising passions. but still he could not speak]

  Mnetha said come in aged wanderer tell us of thy name

  Why shouldest thou conceal thyself from those of thine own flesh

  I am not of this region. said Tiriel dissemblingly

  [Fearing to tell him who he was. because of the weakness of Har]

  50 I am an aged wanderer once father of a race

  Far in the north. but they were wicked & were all destroyd

  And I their father sent an outcast. I have told you all

  Ask me no more I pray for grief hath seald my precious sight

  O Lord said Mnetha how I tremble are there then more people

  More human creatures on this earth beside the sons of Har

  No more said Tiriel but I remain on all this globe

  And I remain an outcast. hast thou any thing to drink

  Then Mnetha gave him milk & fruits. & they sat down together

  3

  They sat & eat & Har & Heva smild on Tiriel

  Thou art a very old old man but I am older than thou

  How came thine hair to leave thy forehead how came thy face so brown

  My hair is very long my beard. doth cover all my breast

  God bless thy piteous face. to count the wrinkles in thy face

  Would puzzle Mnetha. bless thy face for thou art Tiriel

  [Tiriel could scarce dissemble more & his tongue could scarce refrain

  But still he feard that Har & Heva would die of joy & grief.]

  Tiriel I never saw but once I sat with him & eat

  10 He was as chearful as a prince & gave me entertainment

  But long I staid not at his palace for I am forcd to wander

  What wilt thou leave us too said Heva thou shalt not leave us too


  For we have many sports to shew thee & many songs to sing

  And after dinner we will walk into the cage of Har

  And thou shalt help us to catch birds. & gather them ripe cherries

  Then let thy name be Tiriel & never leave us more

  If thou dost go said Har I wish thine eyes may see thy folly

  My sons have left me did thine leave thee O twas very cruel

  No venerable man said Tiriel ask me not such things

  20 For thou dost make my heart to bleed my sons were not like thine

  But worse O never ask me more or I must flee away

  Thou shalt not go said Heva till thou hast seen our singing birds

  And heard Har sing in the great cage & slept upon our fleeces

  Go not for thou art so like Tiriel. that I love thine head

  Tho it is wrinkled like the earth parchd with the summer heat

  Then Tiriel rose up from the seat & said god bless these tents

  [God bless my benefactors. for I cannot tarry longer]

  My Journey is oer rocks & mountains. not in pleasant vales

  I must not sleep nor rest because of madness & dismay

  30 [Then Mnetha led him to the door & gave to him his staff

  And Har & Heva stood & watchd him till he enterd the wood

  And then they went & wept to Mnetha but they soon forgot their tears]

  And Mnetha said Thou must not go to wander dark. alone

  But dwell with us & let us be to thee instead of eyes

  And I will bring thee food old man. till death shall call thee hence

  Then Tiriel frownd & answerd. Did I not command you saying

  Madness & deep dismay posses[s] the heart of the blind man

  The wanderer who [runs] seeks the woods leaning upon his staff

  Then Mnetha trembling at his frowns led him to the tent door

  40 And gave to him his staff & blest him. he went on his way

  But Har & Heva stood & watchd him till he enterd the wood

  And then they went & wept to Mnetha. but they soon forgot their tears

  4

  Over the weary hills the blind man took his lonely way

  To him the day & night alike was dark & desolate

  But far he had not gone when Ijim from his woods come down

  Met him at entrance of the forest in a dark & lonely way

  Who art thou Eyeless wretch that thus obstructst the lions path

  Ijim shall rend thy feeble joints thou tempter of dark Ijim

  Thou hast the form of Tiriel but I know thee well enough

  Stand from my path foul fiend is this the last of thy deceits

  To be a hypocrite & stand in shape of a blind beggar

  10 The blind man heard his brothers voice & kneeld down on his knee

  O brother Ijim if it is thy voice that speaks to me

  Smite not thy brother Tiriel tho weary of his life

  My sons have smitten me already. and if thou smitest me

  The curse that rolls over their heads will rest itself on thine

  Tis now seven years Since in my palace I beheld thy face

  [Seven years of sorrow then the curse of Zazel]

  Come thou dark fiend I dare thy cunning know that Ijim scorns

  To smite the[e] in the form of helpless age & eyeless policy

  Rise up for I discern thee & I dare thy eloquent tongue

  20 Come I will lead thee on thy way & use thee as a scoff

  O Brother Ijim thou beholdest wretched Tiriel

  Kiss me my brother & then leave me to wander desolate

  No artful fiend. but I will lead thee dost thou want to go

  Reply not lest I bind thee with the green flags of the brook

  Ay now thou art discoverd I will use thee like a slave

  When Tiriel heard the words of Ijim he sought not to reply

  He knew twas vain for Ijims words were as the voice of Fate

  And they went on together over hills thro woody dales

  Blind to the pleasures of the sight & deaf to warbling birds

  30 All day they walkd & all the night beneath the pleasant Moon

  Westwardly journeying till Tiriel grew weary with his travel

  O Ijim I am faint & weary for my knees forbid

  To bear me further. urge me not lest I should die with travel

  A little rest I crave a little water from a brook

  Or I shall soon discover that I am a mortal man

  And you will lose your once lovd Tiriel alas how faint I am

  Impudent fiend said Ijim hold thy glib & eloquent tongue

  Tiriel is a king. & thou the tempter of dark Ijim

  Drink of this running brook. & I will bear thee on my shoulders

  40 He drank & Ijim raisd him up & bore him on his shoulders

  All day he bore him & when evening drew her solemn curtain

  Enterd the gates of Tiriels palace. & stood & calld aloud

  Heuxos come forth I here have brought the fiend that troubles Ijim

  Look knowst thou aught of this grey beard. or of these blinded eyes

  Heuxos & Lotho ran forth at the sound of Ijims voice

  And saw their aged father borne upon his mighty shoulders

  Their eloquent tongues were dumb & sweat stood on their trembling limbs

  They knew twas vain to strive with Ijim they bowd & silent stood

  What Heuxos call thy father for I [must] mean to sport to night

  50 This is the hypocrite that sometimes roars a dreadful lion

  Then I have rent his limbs & left him rotting in the forest

  For birds to eat but I have scarce departed from the place

  But like a tyger he would come & so I rent him too

  Then like a river he would seek to drown me in his waves

  But soon I buffetted the torrent anon like to a cloud

  Fraught with the swords of lightning. but I bravd the vengeance too

  Then he would creep like a bright serpent till around my neck

  While I was Sleeping he would twine I squeezd his poisnous soul

  Then like a toad or like a newt. would whisper in my ears

  60 Or like a rock stood in my way. or like a poisnous shrub

  At last I caught him in the form of Tiriel blind & old

  And so Ill keep him fetch your father forth Myratana

  They stood confounded. and Thus Tiriel raisd his silver voice

  Serpents not sons [you see and know your father] why do you stand fetch hither Tiriel

  Fetch hither Myratana & delight yourselves with scoffs

  For poor blind Tiriel is returnd & this much injurd head

  Is ready for your bitter taunts. come forth sons of the curse

  Mean time the other sons of Tiriel ran around their father

  Confounded at the terrible strength of Ijim they knew twas vain

  70 Both spear & shield were useless & the coat of iron mail

  When Ijim stretchd his mighty arm. the arrow from his limbs

  Rebounded & the piercing sword broke on his naked [limbs] flesh

  [Then Ijim said Lotho. Clithyma. Makuth fetch your father

  Why do you stand confounded thus. Heuxos why art thou silent

  O noble Ijim thou hast brought our father to(the gates) our eyes

  That we may tremble & repent before thy mighty knees

  O we are but the slaves of Fortune. & that most cruel man

  Desires our deaths. O Ijim (tis one whose aged tongue)

  (Decieve the noble & xxxx) if the eloquent voice of Tiriel

  Hath workd our ruin we submit nor strive against stern fate

  He spoke & kneeld upon his knee. Then Ijim on the pavement

  Set aged Tiriel. in deep thought whether these things were so]

  Then is it true Heuxos that thou hast turnd thy aged parent

  To be the sport of wintry winds. (said Ijim) is this true

  It is a lie & I am [torn] like the tree torn by the wind
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  Thou eyeless fiend. & you dissemblers. Is this Tiriels house

  It is as false [as] Matha. & as dark as vacant Orcus

  Escape ye fiends for Ijim will not lift his hand against ye

  So saying. Ijim gloomy turnd his back & silent sought

  90 The [gloom] secret forests & all night wanderd in desolate ways

  5

  And aged Tiriel stood & said where does the thunder sleep

  Where doth he hide his terrible head & his swift & fiery daughters

  Where do they shroud their fiery wings & the terrors of their hair

  Earth thus I stamp thy bosom rouse the earthquake from his den

  [Display thy] To raise his dark & burning visage thro the cleaving [world] ground

  To thrust these towers with his shoulders. let his fiery dogs

  Rise from the center belching flames & roarings. dark smoke

  Where art thou Pestilence that bathest in fogs & standing lakes

  Rise up thy sluggish limbs. & let the loathsomest of poisons

  10 Drop from thy garments as thou walkest. wrapt in yellow

  clouds

  Here take thy seat. in this wide court. let it be strown with dead

  And sit & smile upon these cursed sons of Tiriel

  Thunder & fire & pestilence. here you not Tiriels curse

  He ceast the heavy clouds confusd rolld round the lofty towers

  Discharging their enormous voices. at the fathers curse

  The earth trembled fires belched from the yawning clefts

  And when the shaking ceast a fog possest the accursed clime

  The cry was great in Tiriels palace his five daughters ran

  And caught him by the garments weeping with cries of bitter woe

  20 Aye now you feel the curse you cry. but may all ears be deaf

  As Tiriels & all eyes as blind as Tiriels to your woes

  May never stars shine on your roofs may never sun nor moon

  Visit you but eternal fogs hover around your walls

  Hela my youngest daughter you shall lead me from this place

  And let the curse fall on the rest & wrap them up together

  He ceast & Hela led her father from the noisom place

  In haste they fled while all the sons & daughters of Tiriel

  Chaind in thick darkness utterd cries of mourning all the night

  And in the morning Lo an hundred men in ghastly death

  30 The four daughters [& all the children in their silent beds]

  stretchd on the marble pavement silent all

  [And] falln by the pestilence the rest moped round in [ghastly] guilty fears

  And all the children in their beds were cut off in one night