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Home  »  Complete Poetical Works by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  »  Part I. The Divine Tragedy. The Third Passover. I. The Entry into Jerusalem

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893.

Christus: A Mystery

Part I. The Divine Tragedy. The Third Passover. I. The Entry into Jerusalem

THE SYRO-PHŒNICIAN WOMAN and her DAUGHTER on the house-top at Jerusalem.

THE DAUGHTER, singing.
BLIND Bartimeus at the gates

Of Jericho in darkness waits;

He hears the crowd;—he hears a breath

Say, It is Christ of Nazareth!

And calls, in tones of agony,

[Greek]!

The thronging multitudes increase:

Blind Bartimeus, hold thy peace!

But still, above the noisy crowd,

The beggar’s cry is shrill and loud;

Until they say, He calleth thee!

[Greek]!

Then saith the Christ, as silent stands

The crowd, What wilt thou at my hands?

And he replies, Oh, give me light!

Rabbi, restore the blind man’s sight!

And Jesus answers, [Greek]

[Greek]!

Ye that have eyes, yet cannot see,

In darkness and in misery,

Recall those mighty voices three,

[Greek]!

[Greek]!

[Greek]!

THE MOTHER.
Thy faith hath saved thee! Ah, how true that is!

For I had faith; and when the Master came

Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, fleeing

From those who sought to slay Him, I went forth

And cried unto Him, saying: Have mercy on me,

O Lord, thou Son of David! for my daughter

Is grievously tormented with a devil.

But He passed on, and answered not a word.

And his disciples said, beseeching Him:

Send her away! She crieth after us!

And then the Master answered them and said:

I am not sent but unto the lost sheep

Of the House of Israel! Then I worshipped Him,

Saying: Lord, help me! And He answered me,

It is not meet to take the children’s bread

And cast it unto dogs! Truth, Lord, I said;

And yet the dogs may eat the crumbs which fall

From off their master’s table; and He turned,

And answered me; and said to me: O woman,

Great is thy faith; then be it unto thee

Even as thou wilt. And from that very hour

Thou wast made whole, my darling! my delight!

THE DAUGHTER.
There came upon my dark and troubled mind

A calm, as when the tumult of the city

Suddenly ceases, and I lie and hear

The silver trumpets of the Temple blowing

Their welcome to the Sabbath. Still I wonder,

That one who was so far away from me,

And could not see me, by his thought alone

Had power to heal me. Oh that I could see Him!

THE MOTHER.
Perhaps thou wilt; for I have brought thee here

To keep the holy Passover, and lay

Thine offering of thanksgiving on the altar.

Thou mayst both see and hear Him. Hark!

VOICES afar off.
Hosanna!

THE DAUGHTER.
A crowd comes pouring through the city gate!

O mother, look!

VOICE in the street.
Hosanna to the Son

Of David!

THE DAUGHTER.
A great multitude of people

Fills all the street; and riding on an ass

Comes one of noble aspect, like a king!

The people spread their garments in the way,

And scatter branches of the palm-trees!

VOICES.
Blessed

Is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest!

OTHER VOICES.
Who is this?

VOICES.
Jesus of Nazareth!

THE DAUGHTER.
Mother, it is He!

VOICES.
He hath called Lazarus of Bethany

Out of his grave, and raised him from the dead!

Hosanna in the highest!

PHARISEES.
Ye perceive

That nothing we prevail. Behold, the world

Is all gone after him!

THE DAUGHTER.
What majesty,

What power is in that care-worn countenance!

What sweetness, what compassion! I no longer

Wonder that He hath healed me!

VOICES.
Peace in heaven,

And glory in the highest!

PHARISEES.
Rabbi! Rabbi!

Rebuke thy followers!

CHRISTUS.
Should they hold their peace

The very stones beneath us would cry out!

THE DAUGHTER.
All hath passed by me like a dream of wonder!

But I have seen Him, and have heard his voice,

And I am satisfied! I ask no more!