Never came such token for divine solution From the oraculous live darkness whence of yore Ancient faith sought word of help and retribution, Truth to lighten doubt, a sign to go before. Never so baptismal waters of ablution Bathed the brows of exile on so stern a shore, Where the lightnings of the sea of revolution Flashed across them ere its thunders yet might roar. 20 By the lightning's light of present revelation Shown, with epic thunder as from skies that frown, Clothed in darkness as of darkling expiation, Rose a vision of dead, stars and suns gone down, Whence of old fierce fire devoured the star-struck nation, Till its wrath and woe lit red the raging town, Now made glorious with his statue's crowning station, Where may never gleam again a viler crown. 21 King, with time for throne and all the years for pages, He shall reign though all thrones else be overhurled, Served of souls that have his living words for wages, Crowned of heaven each dawn that leaves his brows impearled; Girt about with robes unrent of storm that rages, Robes not wrought with hands, from no loom's weft unfurled; All the praise of all earth's tongues in all earth's ages, All the love of all men's hearts in all the world. 22 Yet what hand shall carve the soul or cast the spirit, Mould the face of fame, bid glory's feature glow? Who bequeath for eyes of ages hence to inherit Him, the Master, whom love knows not if it know? Scarcely perfect praise of men man's work might merit, Scarcely bid such aim to perfect stature grow, Were his hand the hand of Phidias who shall rear it, And his soul the very soul of Angelo. 23 Michael, awful angel of the world's last session, Once on earth, like him, with fire of suffering tried, Thine it were, if man's it were, without transgression, Thine alone, to take this toil upon thy pride. Thine, whose heart was great against the world's oppression, Even as his whose word is lamp and staff and guide: Advocate for man, untired of intercession, Pleads his voice for slaves whose lords his voice defied. 24 Earth, with all the kings and thralls on earth, below it, Heaven alone, with all the worlds in heaven, above, Let his likeness rise for suns and stars to know it, High for men to worship, plain for men to love: Brow that braved the tides which fain would overflow it, Lip that gave the challenge, hand that flung the glove; Comforter and prophet, Paraclete and poet, Soul whose emblems are an eagle and a dove. 25