A STORM. 413 



One roll'd crashing, overwhelming afar down the dell, 

 The other stood still the disaster to tell ; 

 Around which the thunder oft rattled and rang, 

 While the light'ning from crag unto crag swiftly sprang. 

 In the dell roar'd a torrent, where many a tree 

 Floated down with dead birds and dead beasts, to the 



sea. 

 Not a note now was heard from a chorister's lute; 

 All the birds, still alive, struck by fear, became mute : 

 They, closely impacted in groups, might be seen 

 Beneath a scath'd palm, or uptorn evergreen. 



Again the isle shook, and the sea on the shore 

 Still roll'd in tumultuous and deafening roar ; 

 O'er the dark vault of heav'n the fierce light'ning still 



flew, 

 And the clouds rais'd their heads in terrific review. 



A moment of silence, — of calm, — came at length, 

 And proclaim'd that the giants had wasted their 



strength : 

 While the sun shot a beam of bright light from a cloud, 

 A token he meant, ere he slept, to unshroud ; 

 The thunder retir'd with a muttering growl, 

 And the wind flew away in an ominous howl. 

 The rain ceas'd ; the clouds, too, soon hurried away ; 

 And the birds now look'd out from the house of 



dismay. 

 At length, in his splendour, the sun in the west 

 Rode forth, and lit hope up again in the breast. 



