POEMS.

B

BALDER DEAD.

AN EPISODE.

1. Sending.

So on the floor lay Balder dead; and round Lay thickly strewn swords axes darts and spears Which all the Gods in sport had idly thrown At Balder, whom no weapon pierc'd or clove: But in his breast stood fixt the fatal bough Of mistletoe, which Lok the Accuser gave To Hoder, and unwitting Hoder threw : 'Gainst that alone had Balder's life no charm. And all the Gods and all the Heroes came

And stood round Balder on the bloody floor

Weeping and wailing; and Valhalla rang
Up to its golden roof with sobs and cries:
And on the tables stood the untasted meats,

And in the horns and gold-rimm'd sculls the wine :
And now would Night have fall'n, and found them yet
Wailing; but otherwise was Odin's will:

And thus the Father of the Ages spake:

"Enough of tears, ye Gods, enough of wail!

Not to lament in was Valhalla made.

If

any here might weep for Balder's death I most might weep, his Father; such a son I lose today, so bright, so lov'd a God.

But he has met that doom which long ago
The Nornies, when his mother bare him, spun,

And Fate set seal, that so his end must be.

Balder has met his death, and

ye survive :

Weep him an hour; but what can grief avail?

For you yourselves, ye Gods, shall meet your doom,

All ye who hear me, and inhabit Heaven,