Would the ship reach home! I wish indeed “God’s kingdom come—” The day when I shall see appear His bidding, as my duty, clear From doubt! And it shall dawn, that day, Some future season; Easter may Prove, not impossibly, the time— Yes, that were striking—fates would chime So aptly! Easter-morn, to bring The Judgment!—deeper in the spring Than now, however, when there’s snow Capping the hills; for earth must show All signs of meaning to pursue Her tasks as she was wont to do —The skylark, taken by surprise As we ourselves, shall recognise Sudden the end. For suddenly It comes; the dreadfulness must be In that; all warrants the belief— “At night it cometh like a thief,” I fancy why the trumpet blows; —Plainly, to wake one. From repose We shall start up, at last awake From life, that insane dream we take For waking now. * * * * * The next stanza gives the famous description of the fiery aurora, when even “the south firmament with north-fire did its wings refledge!” (Compare description of lunar rainbow in “Christmas-Eve.”) He feels sure that his wish is realized, and the Judgment Day has come! XV. * * * * * I found Suddenly all the midnight round One fire. The dome of heaven had stood As made up of a multitude Of handbreadth cloudlets, one vast rack Of ripples infinite and black, From sky to sky. Sudden there went, Like horror and astonishment, A fierce vindictive scribble of red Quick flame across, as if one said (The angry scribe of Judgment) “There— “Burn it!” And straight I was aware That the whole ribwork round, minute Cloud touching cloud beyond compute, Was tinted, each with its own spot Of burning at the core, till clot Jammed against clot, and spilt its fire Over all heaven, which ’gan suspire As fanned to measure equable,— Just so great conflagrations kill Night overhead, and rise and sink, Reflected. Now the fire would shrink And wither off the blasted face Of heaven, and I distinct might trace The sharp black ridgy outlines left Unburned like network—then, each cleft The fire had been sucked back into, Regorged, and out it surging flew Furiously, and night writhed inflamed, Till, tolerating to be tamed No longer, certain rays world-wide Shot downwardly. On every side Caught past escape, the earth was lit; As if a dragon’s nostril split, And all his famished ire o’erflowed; Then as he winced at his lord’s goad, Back he inhaled: whereat I found The clouds into vast pillars bound, Based on the corners of the earth, Propping the skies at top: a dearth Of fire i’ the violet intervals, Leaving exposed the utmost walls Of time, about to tumble in And end the world. XVI.