Lucifer in Starlight

¹On a starred night Prince Lucifer uprose.

²Tired of his dark dominion swung the fiend

³Above the rolling ball in cloud part screened,

⁴Where sinners hugged their spectre of repose.

⁵Poor prey to his hot fit of pride were those.

⁶And now upon his western wing he leaned,

⁷Now his huge bulk o'er Afric's sands careened,

⁸Now the black planet shadowed Arctic snows.

⁹Soaring through wider zones that pricked his scars

¹⁰With memory of the old revolt from Awe,

¹¹He reached a middle height, and at the stars,

¹²Which are the brain of heaven, he looked, and sank.

¹³Around the ancient track marched, rank on rank,

¹⁴The army of unalterable law.