Observations placeholder
Watson, Sir William - The Prince’s Quest - Then said the greybeard captain, hardly heard
Identifier
000980
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
From The Prince’s Quest – William Watson
Then said the greybeard captain, hardly heard
Amid the babble of voices great and small,
"The bird thou seest is no bird at all,
But some unholy spirit in guise of one;
And I do fear that we are all undone
If any amongst us hearken to its voice;--
For of its mouth, I doubt not, was the noise
Thou heardest as of dulcet carolling,
When at thine ear the waters seemed to sing."
And truly, many a wiser man than he
Herein had farther strayed from verity;
For that great bird that seemed to fan the sun's
Face with its wings was even the same as once
Flew screaming westward o'er the Prince's head,
Beguiling him to follow where it fled.
And bird it was not, but a spirit of ill,
Man-hating, and of mankind hated still,
And slave to one yet mightier demon-sprite
Whose dwelling is the shadow of the night.