Volume Ii Part 25 (1/2)

Burial to fit their lord of war They decreed him: hailed the kingling: ha!

Hateful! but this Thor Failed a weak lamb's baa.

IX

King they hailed a branchlet, shaped to fare, Weighted so, like quaking s.h.i.+ngle spume, When his blood's own heir Ripened in the womb!

X

Still he heard, and doglike, hoglike, ran Nose of hearing till his blind sight saw: Woman stood with man Mouthing low, at paw.

XI

Woman, man, they mouthed; they spake a thing Armed to split a mountain, sunder seas: Still the frozen king Lay and felt him freeze.

XII

Doglike, hoglike, horselike now he raced, Riderless, in ghost across a ground Flint of breast, blank-faced, Past the fleshly bound.

XIII

Smell of brine his nostrils filled with might: Nostrils quickened eyelids, eyelids hand: Hand for sword at right Groped, the great haft spanned.

XIV

Wonder struck to ice his people's eyes: Him they saw, the p.r.o.ne upon the bier, Sheer from backbone rise, Sword uplifting peer.

XV

Sitting did he breathe against the blade, Standing kiss it for that proof of life: Strode, as netters wade, Straightway to his wife.

XVI

Her he eyed: his judgement was one word, Foulbed! and she fell: the blow clove two.

Fearful for the third, All their breath indrew.

XVII

Morning danced along the waves to beach; Dumb his chiefs fetched breath for what might hap: Gla.s.sily on each Stared the iron cap.

XVIII

Sudden, as it were a monster oak Split to yield a limb by stress of heat, Strained he, staggered, broke Doubled at their feet.

WHIMPER OF SYMPATHY