Aloft upon the mountain's side The kindled forest blazes wide. Huge fragments of the rugged deep Are tumbled to the lashing deep. Firm rooted in the cloven rock, Loud crashing falls the stubborn oak. The lightning keen, in wasteful ire, Fierce darting on the lofty spire, Wide rends in twain the ir'n-knit stone, And stately tow'rs are lowly thrown. Wild flames o'erscour the wide campaign, And plough askance the hissing main. Nor strength of man may brave the storm, Nor shelter skreen the shrinking form; Nor castle wall its fury stay, Nor masy gate may bar its way. It visits those of low estate, It shakes the dwellings of the great, It looks athwart the secret tomb, And glares upon the prison's gloom; While dungeons deep, in unknown light, Flash hidious on the wretches' fight, And lowly groans the downward cell, Where deadly silence wont to dwell. Now upcast eyes to heav'n adore, And knees that never bow'd before. In stupid wonder flares the child; The maiden turns her glances wild, And lifts to hear the coming roar: The aged shake their locks so hoar: And stoutest hearts begin to fail, And many a manly cheek is pale; Till nearer closing peals astound, And crashing ruin mingles round; Then 'numbing fear awhile up-binds The pausing action of their minds, Till wak'd to dreadful sense, they lift their eyes, And round the stricken corse, shrill shrieks of horror rise. Now thinly spreads the falling hall A motly winter o'er the vale, The hailstones bounding as they fall On hardy rock, or storm-beat' wall. The loud beginning peal its fury checks, Now full, now fainter, with irreg'lar breaks, Then weak in force, unites the scatter'd found; And rolls its lengthen'd grumblings to the distant bound. A thick and muddy whiteness clothes the sky, In paler flashes gleams the lightning by; And thro' the rent cloud, silver'd with his ray, The sun looks down on all this wild affray; As high enthron'd above all mortal ken, A greater Pow'r beholds the strife of men: Yet o'er the distant hills the darkness scowls, And deep, and long, the parting tempest growls. WIND. Pow'r uncontrollable, who hold'st thy sway In the unbounded air, whose trackless way Is in the firmament, unknown of fight, Who bend'st the sheeted heavens in thy might, And lift'st the ocean from its lowest bed To join in middle space the conflict dread; Who o'er the peopled earth in ruin scours, And buffets the firm rock that proudly low'rs, Thy signs are in the heav'ns. The upper clouds Draw shapeless o'er the sky their misty shrowds; Whilst darker fragments rove in lower bands, And mournful purple cloaths the distant lands. In gather'd tribes, upon the hanging peak The sea-fowl scream, ill-omen'd creatures shriek: Unwonted sounds groan on the distant wave, And murmurs deep break from the downward cave. Unlook'd-for gusts the quiet forests shake, And speak thy coming--awful Pow'r, awake!