THE EMPEROR'S PROGRESS.

A child of brighter than the morning's birth

And lovelier than all smiles that may be smiled

Save only of little children undefiled,

Sweet, perfect, witless of their own dear worth,

Live rose of love, mute melody of mirth,

Glad as a bird is when the woods are mild,

Adorable as is nothing save a child,

Hails with wide eyes and lips his life on earth,

His lovely life with all its heaven to be.

And whoso reads the name inscribed or hears

Feels his own heart a frozen well of tears,

Child, for deep dread and fearful pity of thee

Whom God would not let rather die than see

The incumbent horror of impending years.

Man, that wast godlike being a child, and now,

No less than kinglike, art no more in sooth

For all thy grace and lordliness of youth,

The crown that bids men's branded foreheads bow

Much more has branded and bowed down thy brow

And gnawn upon it as with fire or tooth

Of steel or snake so sorely, that the truth

Seems here to bear false witness. Is it thou,

Child? and is all the summer of all thy spring

This? are the smiles that drew men's kisses down

All faded and transfigured to the frown

That grieves thy face? Art thou this weary thing?

Then is no slave's load heavier than a crown

And such a thrall no bondman as a king.

Misery, beyond all men's most miserable,

Absolute, whole, defiant of defence,

Inevitable, inexplacable, intense,

More vast than heaven is high, more deep than hell,

Past cure or charm of solace or of spell,

Possesses and pervades the spirit and sense

Whereto the expanse of the earth pays tribute; whence

Breeds evil only, and broods on fumes that swell

Rank from the blood of brother and mother and wife.

‘ Misery of miseries, all is misery,’ saith

The heavy fair-faced hateful head, at strife

With its own lusts that burn with feverous breath

Lips which the loathsome bitterness of life

Leaves fearful of the bitterness of death.