A Cavalcade Seen at Sunset Through a Gorge

Ah, now let us gaze! what a wonderful sky!
How the robe of the god, in its flame-colored dye,
Goes ruddily, flushingly, sweepingly by!....
Nay, speak! did you ever behold such a night?
While the winds blew about, and the waters were bright,
The sun rolling home in an ocean of light!
But hush! there is music away in the sky;
Some creatures of magic are charioting by;
Now it comes — what a sound! 't is as cheerful and wild
As the echo of caves to the laugh of a child;
Ah yes, they are here! See, away to your left,
Where the sun has gone down, where the mountains are cleft,
A troop of tall horsemen! How fearless they ride!
'Tis a perilous path o'er that steep mountain's side;
Careering they come, like a band of young knights;
That the trumpet of morn to the tilting invites;
With high-nodding plumes, and with sun-shiny vests;
With wide-tossing manes, and with mail-cover'd breasts;
With arching of necks, and the plunge and the pride
Of their high-mettled steeds, as they galloping ride.
In glitter and pomp; with their housings of gold,
With their scarlet and blue, as their squadrons unfold
Flashing changeable light, like a banner unroll'd!
Now they burst on the eye in their martial array
And now they have gone, like a vision of day.
In a streaming of splendour they came — but they wheel'd;
And instantly all the bright show was conceal'd —
As if 't were a tournament held in the sky,
Betray'dby some light passing suddenly by;
Some band by the flashing of torches reveal'd,
As it fell o'er the boss of an uplifted shield,
Or banners and blades in the darkness conceal'd.