Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, RAISING THE DEVIL; A LEGEND OF CORNELIUS AGRIPPA, by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

RAISING THE DEVIL; A LEGEND OF CORNELIUS AGRIPPA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: And hast thou nerve enough?' he said
Last Line: He dash'd -- an empty purse!!
Alternate Author Name(s): Ingoldsby, Thomas
Subject(s): Devil; Satan; Mephistopheles; Lucifer; Beelzebub


'AND hast thou nerve enough?' he said,
That grey Old Man, above whose head
Unnumber'd years had roll'd, --
'And hast thou nerve to view,' he cried,
'The incarnate Fiend that Heaven defied!
-- Art thou indeed so bold?

'Say, canst thou, with unshrinking gaze,
Sustain, rash youth, the withering blaze
Of that unearthly eye,
That blasts where'er it lights, -- the breath
That, like the Simoom, scatters death
On all that yet can die!

'-- Darest thou confront that fearful form,
That rides the whirlwind, and the storm,
In wild unholy revel!
The terrors of that blasted brow,
Archangel's once, -- though ruin'd now --
-- Ay, -- dar'st thou face THE DEVIL?' --

'I dare!' the desperate Youth replied,
And placed him by that Old Man's side,
In fierce and frantic glee,
Unblench'd his cheek, and firm his limb;
'No paltry juggling Fiend, but HIM!
-- THE DEVIL! -- I fain would see! --

'In all his Gorgon terrors clad,
His worst, his fellest shape!' the Lad
Rejoin'd in reckless tone. --
'Have then thy wish!' Agrippa said,
And sigh'd and shook his hoary head,
With many a bitter groan.

He drew the mystic circle's bound,
With skull and cross-bones fenced around;
He traced full many a sigil there;
He mutter'd many a backward pray'r,
That sounded like a curse --
'He comes!' -- he cried with wild grimace,
'The fellest of Apollyon's race!' --
-- Then in his startled pupil's face
He dash'd -- an EMPTY PURSE!!





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