Breathed: all the cloud that felt it breathe and blight

Was blue as plague or black as thunderous night.

Elect of hell, the children of his hate

Thronged, as to storm sweet heaven's triumphal gate.

The terror of his giving rose and shone

Imminent: life had put its likeness on.

But higher than all its horrent height of shade

Shone sovereign, seen by light itself had made,

Above the woes of all the world, above

Life, sin, and death, his myriad-minded love.

From landward heights whereon the radiance leant

Full-fraught from heaven, intense and imminent,

To depths wherein the seething strengths of cloud

Scarce matched the wrath of waves whereon they bowed,

From homeborn pride and kindling love of home

To the outer skies and seas of fire and foam,

From splendour soft as dew that sundawn thrills

To gloom that shudders round the world it fills,

From midnights murmuring round Titania's ear

To midnights maddening round the rage of Lear,

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