“Oh, is this death like that the seer hath dreamed? 
Perhaps the truth then on his spirit gleamed! 
If Land of Silver Sky is but a myth,
The other dream is true! e’en all he saith! 
Oh, tell me, all ye sparkling stars,
That wing above thy glorious flight,
  And feel not Nature’s jars;
But grandly, sweetly fling thy light
To our bright world beneath serene,
  Hath mortals on thee known
Or viewed beyond,—­that great Unseen,
Their future fate by gods been shown?

“Oh, hear me, all ye gods on high! 
To gods who love mankind I pray,
  Despairing, oh, I cry! 
Oh, drive these doubts and fears away! 
And yet—­and yet, what truths have we? 
O wondrous mortal, must thou die? 
Beyond this end thou canst not see,
O Life!  O Death!  O mystery!

“The body still is here, with feeling dead! 
And sight is gone!—­and hearing from his head,
Nor taste, nor smell, nor warmth, nor breath of life! 
Where is my seer?  Perhaps, his spirit rife
E’en now in nothingness doth wander lone! 
In agony his thoughts! with spirit prone! 
In dread despair!—­If conscious then, O gods! 
He spake the truth!—­His body to the clods
Hath turned!  By this we feel, or hear, or see,
And when ’tis gone,—­exist?—­in agony! 
To Hades hath he gone? as he hath thought! 
Alas, the thought is torture, where have wrought
The gods their fearful curse!  Ah, let me think! 
The Silver Sky?  Alas, its shining brink
He hath not crossed.  The wrathful gods deny
Him entrance!  Where, oh, where do spirits fly
Whom gods have cursed?  Alas, he is condemned
To wander lone in that dark world, contemned
And from the Light of Happy Fields is barred! 
Oh, why do gods thus send a fate so hard,
And cruel?  O dear moon-god, moon-god Sin! 
My seer hath erred.  Receive his soul within
To joys prepared for gods and men!  Though seer
He was, he immortality did fear,
As some unknown awakening in space. 
Oh, turn upon him thy bright blessed face! 
He was my friend!  O moon-god, hear my prayer! 
Imploring thee, doth pray thine Izdubar!”

And lo! a vision breaks before his eyes! 
The moon-god hides the shadows of the skies,
And sweeps above with his soft, soothing light
That streams around his face; he drives the night
Before his rays, and with his hands sweet peace
He spreads through all the skies; and Strife doth cease! 
A girdle spans the Heavens with pure light
That shines around the River of the Night,
Within the circling rays a host appears! 
The singers of the skies, as blazing spheres! 
Hark!  Hear their harps and lyres that sweetly sound! 
They sing!  Oh, how the glowing skies resound!

  “O King of Light and Joy and Peace,
    Supreme thy love shall ever reign;
   Oh, can our songs of bliss here cease? 
    Our souls for joy cannot restrain,
    Sweep!  Sweep thy lyres again!