The Sovereign of Babylon

The monarch has opened his banqueting hall
For his thousand lords, and his ladies all!
The sparkling wine to each guest is poured,
And mirth swells high at the festal board,
Where none hath the heart more careless and light,
Than he, whose glory must end to-night.

With the cup and the revel the king grows bold—
He calls for the vessels of silver and gold;
The spoils his idolatrous father brought,
'Mid the impious deeds which that proud one wrought,
From the temple of God, at Jerusalem,
That he and his nobles may drink from them.

Each sacred vessel they fill and raise
To a laughing lip, as it speaks the praise
Of the gods of metal, of wood and stone,
But mocks at the name of the Holy One,
Whose finger this hour shall come so near:—
That lip will quiver and blanch with fear.

Monarch! what's there, on the lighted wall,
That can fix thy gaze and thy spirit appall?
Why is thy countenance changed, O king?
Is it one of thy gods this awe can bring,
Which makes thy knees together to smite,
Thine eye so wild, and thy cheek so white?

" A hand! a hand! it hath written a line!
And who will the terrible words define?
A chain of gold shall encircle his neck—
A vesture of scarlet his form shall deck—
And the third, as ruler, shall be that seer,
With honor and power throughout Chaldea!"

Not all the wise and the learned of thine,
Poor impotent one, shall explain that line!
But the captive of Judah, him thy queen
Has bid thee summon— let him be seen!
His eye prophetic receives its sight
From the Being, who caused the hand to write.

The slave is brought to the potentate!
To spurn his gifts, but to read his fate;
To whom't is inscribed on the lofty wall,
"Thou art weighed, found wanting, and now must fall!
Thy kingdom is numbered— the Persian and Mede
Shall hence to thy throne and thy power succeed!"

They come!—the foemen nor sword nor fiight,
Shall win for that monarch the morning light!
The haughty head where the crown was set,
In dust is pillowed—with gore is wet!
Ye, who are trusting in honor and gold,
Look on him now, and your strength behold!