Angel Of Death 1839

Ye children Adam's of earth forgotten

Who unto earth shall again return

You are my own, be it not forgotten

I am the penalty sin did earn

O man, time's guest

With my grasp I reach thee

From east to west

And by voices teach thee

With scripture's word in the master's name

From air and water earth and flame

You build and dwell

Like the sparrows building

In sunny summer

Their fragile nest

Securely feeling

In shady shielding

They sing so joyful in happy rest

But sudden gust

Of the tempest shatters

The tiny crust

Of their nest in tatters

The merry song

Heard so short before

With grief is silenced forevermore

Like pigeons

Coming in anxious calling

You sigh for morn

With today not through

When unbethought

Like a trap door falling

The earth unlocked itself for you

You disappear

Where no light is nearing

Soon memory dear

Is no more endearing

And new lit moon

From it's silvered sky

Again sees others arrive and fly

In circling dances so lightly swinging

You follow wildly amusement's thread

With myrtle blooming and music ringing

But solemn I on the threshold tread

The dance is shocked

And the clang is wailing

The wreath is wrecked

And the bride is paling

The end of splendor

And joy and might

Is only sorrow

Tears and blight

I am the mighty

Who has the power

Till yet a mightier shall appear

In deepest pit

On the highest tower

My chilling spirit is ever near

Those plagues of night

And of desolation

Whose breath of blight

May annul a nation

They slay the victims

Which I select

Whom shield and armor

Cannot protect

I wrap the wing round

The polar tempest

And calm the waves

Ere they reach the strand

I crush the schemes

On dynastic conquest

And wrench the club

From the tyrant's hand

I erase chase

Like the hour just passing

And race on race

With their works amassing

Like heaving waves

In my footsteps flow

Till last no ripples

Their murmur show

'Gainst me in vain

Are you wit and letters

'Gainst me nor weapons

Nor arts prevail

I freedom give to the slave in letters

His ruler's will I in irons nail

I lead the battle

And armies tumble

Like slaughtered cattle

While cannons rumble

And never rise from their sudden fall

Until alarmed by the judgment call

I wave my hand and

With whirlwinds sweeping

All life on earth to that place doth fly

Where not a sound to the ear is creeping

Where not a tongue moves to make reply

My foot meanders

And kings and heroes

And princes lofty in might and lust

Are all transformed to a handful dust

Then search with rigor

Your mind's desire

Then probe in terror

Your soul's intent

With hands and hearts

Clean and pure aspire

To him who knows what

Within you meant

Yet thither mortals

Your way is wending

Where on the portals

Till time be ending

There stands this sentence

Without reprieve

Here all shall enter

And none shall leave

Then wiped away

Are all tears forever

All wounds removed

By the healing hand

And midst corpses and heirs I never

With torch inverted

And quenched shall stand

In darkness rife

But the torch upturning

By flames of life

I restore its burning

And the Seraphic

With you unite

In songs of praise

At the throne of light

Die