The Poems of Goethe Part 72

And straight a pile prepare!

Yet in the wood

To stay 'tis good

By day, till all is still, With watchers all around us plac'd

Protecting you from ill.

With courage fresh, then let us haste

Our duties to fulfil.

CHORUS OF WATCHERS.

Ye valiant watchers, now divide Your numbers through the forest wide,

And see that all is still,

While they their rites fulfil.

A WATCHER.

Let us in a cunning wise, Yon dull Christian priests surprise With the devil of their talk

We'll those very priests confound.

Come with p.r.o.ng, and come with fork.

Raise a wild and rattling sound Through the livelong night, and prowl

All the rocky pa.s.ses round.

Screechowl, owl, Join in chorus with our howl!

CHORUS OF WATCHERS.

Come with p.r.o.ng, and come with fork, Like the devil of their talk, And with wildly rattling sound, Prowl the desert rocks around!

Screechowl, owl, Join in chorus with our howl!

A DRUID.

Thus far 'tis right.

That we by night

Our Father's praises sing;

Yet when 'tis day,

To Thee we may

A heart unsullied bring.

'Tis true that now,

And often, Thou

Fav'rest the foe in fight.

As from the smoke is freed the blaze,

So let our faith burn bright!

And if they crush our golden ways,

Who e'er can crush Thy light?

A CHRISTIAN WATCHER.

Comrades, quick! your aid afford!

All the brood of h.e.l.l's abroad; See how their enchanted forms

Through and through with flames are glowing!

Dragon-women, men-wolf swarms,

On in quick succession going!

Let us, let us haste to fly!

Wilder yet the sounds are growing, And the archfiend roars on high; From the ground h.e.l.lish vapours rise around.

CHORUS OF CHRISTIAN WATCHERS.

Terrible enchanted forms, Dragon-women, men-wolf swarms!

Wilder yet the sounds are growing!

See, the archfiend comes, all-glowing!

From the ground h.e.l.lish vapours rise around!

CHORUS OF DRUIDS.

As from the smoke is freed the blaze,

So let our faith burn bright!

And if they crush our golden ways,

Who e'er can crush Thy light?

1799.

ODES.