CLOUD CASTLES
DID you see the snowy castle,Shining far off in the air?Did you mark its massy bulwarks,And its gleaming turrets fair?Deep and broad seemed its foundations,Stable as the solid rock,Braving in their stern defianceTempest roar and battle shock.And its huge and strong escarpmentRose sheer up into the sky,And above its sunset bannersStreamed and waved right royally.Hark! throughout that lordly castleTrumpets peal and lightnings glare,And the thunder's haughty challengeShakes the wide domains of air.Now before the rushing tempestAll its cloudy pillars bend,And the leven bolts of heavenSmite its bastions deep, and rend.And the castle sways and totters;A vast breach is in its walls;Now its turrets sink and crumble,And its lofty rampart falls.So I've seen a gorgeous castle,Built of hopes and visions bright,Sink and disappear for ever,Like a phantom of the night.O the gay and glorious castles!How we build them up againBut to see them melt and vanishAs the clouds dissolve in rain.O my soul! look thou up higher,Where the many mansions be,To that bright and glorious palaceThat thy Lord hath built for thee.
DID you see the snowy castle,Shining far off in the air?Did you mark its massy bulwarks,And its gleaming turrets fair?Deep and broad seemed its foundations,Stable as the solid rock,Braving in their stern defianceTempest roar and battle shock.And its huge and strong escarpmentRose sheer up into the sky,And above its sunset bannersStreamed and waved right royally.Hark! throughout that lordly castleTrumpets peal and lightnings glare,And the thunder's haughty challengeShakes the wide domains of air.Now before the rushing tempestAll its cloudy pillars bend,And the leven bolts of heavenSmite its bastions deep, and rend.And the castle sways and totters;A vast breach is in its walls;Now its turrets sink and crumble,And its lofty rampart falls.So I've seen a gorgeous castle,Built of hopes and visions bright,Sink and disappear for ever,Like a phantom of the night.O the gay and glorious castles!How we build them up againBut to see them melt and vanishAs the clouds dissolve in rain.O my soul! look thou up higher,Where the many mansions be,To that bright and glorious palaceThat thy Lord hath built for thee.
DID you see the snowy castle,Shining far off in the air?Did you mark its massy bulwarks,And its gleaming turrets fair?
DID you see the snowy castle,
Shining far off in the air?
Did you mark its massy bulwarks,
And its gleaming turrets fair?
Deep and broad seemed its foundations,Stable as the solid rock,Braving in their stern defianceTempest roar and battle shock.
Deep and broad seemed its foundations,
Stable as the solid rock,
Braving in their stern defiance
Tempest roar and battle shock.
And its huge and strong escarpmentRose sheer up into the sky,And above its sunset bannersStreamed and waved right royally.
And its huge and strong escarpment
Rose sheer up into the sky,
And above its sunset banners
Streamed and waved right royally.
Hark! throughout that lordly castleTrumpets peal and lightnings glare,And the thunder's haughty challengeShakes the wide domains of air.
Hark! throughout that lordly castle
Trumpets peal and lightnings glare,
And the thunder's haughty challenge
Shakes the wide domains of air.
Now before the rushing tempestAll its cloudy pillars bend,And the leven bolts of heavenSmite its bastions deep, and rend.
Now before the rushing tempest
All its cloudy pillars bend,
And the leven bolts of heaven
Smite its bastions deep, and rend.
And the castle sways and totters;A vast breach is in its walls;Now its turrets sink and crumble,And its lofty rampart falls.
And the castle sways and totters;
A vast breach is in its walls;
Now its turrets sink and crumble,
And its lofty rampart falls.
So I've seen a gorgeous castle,Built of hopes and visions bright,Sink and disappear for ever,Like a phantom of the night.
So I've seen a gorgeous castle,
Built of hopes and visions bright,
Sink and disappear for ever,
Like a phantom of the night.
O the gay and glorious castles!How we build them up againBut to see them melt and vanishAs the clouds dissolve in rain.
O the gay and glorious castles!
How we build them up again
But to see them melt and vanish
As the clouds dissolve in rain.
O my soul! look thou up higher,Where the many mansions be,To that bright and glorious palaceThat thy Lord hath built for thee.
O my soul! look thou up higher,
Where the many mansions be,
To that bright and glorious palace
That thy Lord hath built for thee.