Clarel by Herman Melville

Clarel

Download PDF

American Literature – American Poetry – Herman Melville – Poems by Herman Melville
< < <
> > >

Clarel

JERUSALEM

Canto 1: The Hostel
IN CHAMBER low and scored by time,
Masonry old, late washed with lime—
Much like a tomb new-cut in stone; … Continue Reading …

Canto 2: Abdon
A lamp in archway hangs from key—
A lamp whose sidelong rays are shed
On a slim vial set in bed … Continue Reading …

Canto 3: The Sepulchre
In Crete they claimed the tomb of Jove
In glen over which his eagles soar;
But thro’ a peopled town ye rove … Continue Reading …

Canto 4: Of the Crusaders
When sighting first the towers afar
Which girt the object of the war
And votive march—the Saviour’s Tomb, … Continue Reading …

Canto 5: Clarel
Upon the morrow’s early morn
Clarel is up, and seeks the Urn.
Advancing towards the fane’s old arch … Continue Reading …

Canto 6: Tribes and Sects
He turned to go; he turned, but stood:
In many notes of varying keys,
From shrines like coves in Jordan’s wood … Continue Reading …

Canto 7: Beyond the Walls
In street at hand a silence reigns
Which Nature’s hush of loneness feigns.
Few casements, few, and latticed deep, … Continue Reading …

Canto 8: The Votary
Sinner?—So spake the saint, a man
Long tarrying in Jewry’s court.
With him the faith so well could sort … Continue Reading …

Canto 9: Saint and Student
“Nay, take it, friend in Christ,” and held
The book in proffer new; the while
His absent eyes of dreamy Eld … Continue Reading …

Canto 10: Rambles
Days fleet. They rove the storied ground—
Tread many a site that rues the ban
Where serial wrecks on wrecks confound … Continue Reading …

Canto 11: Lower Gihon
Well for the student, might it last,
This dreamful frame which Lethe bred:
Events obtruded, and it passed. … Continue Reading …

Canto 12: Celio
But ere they meet in place assigned,
It needs–to make the sequel clear—
A crossing thread be first entwined. … Continue Reading …

Canto 13: The Arch
Blue-lights sent up by ship forlorn
Are answered oft but by the glare
Of rockets from another, torn … Continue Reading …

Canto 14: In the Glen
If Savonarola’s zeal devout
But with the fagot’s flame died out;
If Leopardi, stoned by Grief, … Continue Reading …

Canto 15: Under the Minaret
“Lo, shoot the spikes above the hill:
Now expectation grows and grows;
Yet vain the pageant, idle still: … Continue Reading …

Canto 16: The Wall of the Wail
Beneath the toppled ruins old
In series from Moriah rolled
Slips Kedron furtive? underground … Continue Reading …

Canto 17: Nathan
Nathan had sprung from worthy stock—
Austere, ascetical, but free,
Which hewed their way from sea-beat rock … Continue Reading …

Canto 18: Night
Like sails convened when calms delay
Off the twin forelands on fair day,
So, on Damascus’ plain behold … Continue Reading …

Canto 19: The Fulfillment
Such passion!–But have hearts forgot
That ties may form where words be not?
The spiritual sympathy … Continue Reading …

Canto 20: Vale of Ashes
Beyond the city’s thin resort
And northward from the Ephraim port
The Vale of Ashes keepeth place. … Continue Reading …

Canto 21: By Places
On Salem’s surface undermined,
Lo, present alley, lane or wynd
Obscure, which pilgrims seldom gain … Continue Reading …

Canto 22: Hermitage
Through such retreats of dubious end
Behold the saint and student wend,
Stirring the dust that here may keep … Continue Reading …

Canto 23: The Close
Next day the wanderer drawing near
Saluting with his humble cheer,
Made Clarel start. Where now the look … Continue Reading …

Canto 24: The Gibe
In the south wall, where low it creeps
Crossing the hollow down between
Moriah and Zion, by dust-heaps … Continue Reading …

Canto 25: Huts
The stone huts face the stony wall
Inside–the city’s towering screen–
Leaving a reptile lane between … Continue Reading …

Canto 26: The Gate of Zion
As Clarel entered with the guide,
Beset they were by that sad crew–
With inarticulate clamor plied; … Continue Reading …

Canto 27: Matron and Maid
Days fleet. No vain enticements lure
Clarel to Agar’s roof. Her tact
Prevailed: the Rabbi might not act … Continue Reading …

Canto 28: Tomb and Fountain
Clarel and Ruth–might it but be
That range they could green uplands free
By gala orchards, when they fling … Continue Reading …

Canto 29: The Recluse
Ere yet they win that verge and line,
Reveal the stranger. Name him–Vine.
His home to tell–kin, tribe, estate– … Continue Reading …

Canto 30: The Site of the Passion
And wherefore by the convents be
Gardens? Ascetics roses twine?
Nay, but there is a memory. … Continue Reading …

Canto 31: Rolfe
The hill above the garden here
They rove; and chance ere long to meet
A second stranger, keeping cheer … Continue Reading …

Canto 32: Of Rama
That Rama whom the Indian sung–
A god he was, but knew it not;
Hence vainly puzzled at the wrong … Continue Reading …

Canto 33: By the Stone
Over against the Temple here
A monastery unrestored–
Named from Prediction of Our Lord– … Continue Reading …

Canto 34: The Tarry
“How solitary on the hill
Sitteth the city; and how still–
How still!” From Vine the murmur came– … Continue Reading …

Canto 35: Arculf and Adamnan
In spot revered by myriad men,
Whence, as alleged, Immanuel rose
Into the heaven–receptive then– … Continue Reading …

Canto 36: The Tower
The tower they win. Some Greeks at hand,
Pilgrims, in silence view the land.
One family group in listless tone … Continue Reading …

Canto 37: A Sketch
Not knowing them in very heart,
Nor why to join him they were loth,
He, disappointed, moved apart, … Continue Reading …

Canto 38: The Sparrow
After the hint by Rolfe bestowed,
Redoubled import, one may ween,
Had Nehemiah’s submissive mien … Continue Reading …

Canto 39: Clarel and Ruth
In northern clime how tender show
The meads beneath heaven’s humid Bow
When showers draw off and dew-drops cling … Continue Reading …

Canto 40: The Mounds
Ere twilight and the shadow fall
On Zion hill without the wall
In place where Latins set the bier … Continue Reading …

Canto 41: On the Wall
They parted in the port. Near by,
Long stone stairs win the battlement
Of wall, aerial gallery; … Continue Reading …

Canto 42: Tidings
Some of the strangers late arrived
Tarried with Abdon at the inn;
And, ere long, having viewed the town … Continue Reading …

Canto 43: A Procession
But what!–nay, nay: without adieu
Of vital word, dear presence true,
Part shall I?–break away from love? … Continue Reading …

Canto 44: The Start
The twilight and the starlight pass,
And breaks the morn of Candlemas.
The pilgrims muster; and they win … Continue Reading …

The Wilderness

Canto 1: The Cavalcade
A DOWN THE Dolorosa Lane
The mounted pilgrims file in train
Whose clatter jars each open space; … Continue Reading …

Canto 2: The Skull Cap
“See him in his uncheerful head-piece!
Libertad’s on the Mexic coin
Would better suit me for a shade-piece: … Continue Reading …

Canto 3: By the Garden
Sheep-tracks they’d look, at distance seen,
Did any herbage border them,
Those slender foot-paths slanting lean … Continue Reading …

Canto 4: Of Mortmain
“Our friend there–he’s a little queer,”
To Rolfe said Derwent riding on;
“Beshrew me, there is in his tone … Continue Reading …

Canto 5: Clarel and Glaucon
Now slanting toward the mountain’s head
They round its southern shoulder so;
That immemorial path they tread … Continue Reading …

Canto 6: The Hamlet
In silence now they pensive win
A slope of upland over hill
Eastward, where heaven and earth be twin … Continue Reading …

Canto 7: Guide and Guard
Descending by the mountain side
When crags give way to pastures wide,
And lower opening, ever new, … Continue Reading …

Canto 8: Rolfe and Derwent
They journey. And, as heretofore,
Derwent invoked his spirits bright
Against the wilds expanding more: … Continue Reading …

Canto 9: Through Adommin
In order meet they take their way
Through Bahurim where David fled;
And Shimei like a beast of prey … Continue Reading …

Canto 10: A Halt
In divers ways which vary it
Stones mention find in hallowed Writ:
Stones rolled from well-mouths, altar stones, … Continue Reading …

Canto 11: Of Deserts
Tho’ frequent in the Arabian waste
The pilgrim, up ere dawn of day,
Inhale thy wafted musk, Cathay; … Continue Reading …

Canto 12: The Banker
Infer the wilds which next pertain.
Though travel here be still a walk,
Small heart was theirs for easy talk. … Continue Reading …

Canto 13: Flight of the Greeks
“King, who betwixt the cross and sword
On ashes died in cowl and cord–
In desert died; and, if thy heart … Continue Reading …

Canto 14: By Anchor
Jerusalem, the mountain town
Is based how far above the sea;
But down, a lead-line’s long reach down, … Continue Reading …

Canto 15: The Fountain
It brake, it brake how long ago,
That rnorn which saw thy marvel done,
Elisha–healing of the spring! … Continue Reading …

Canto 16: Night in Jericho
Look how a pine in luckless land
By fires autumnal overrun,
Abides a black extinguished brand … Continue Reading …

Canto 17: In Mid-Watch
Disturbed by topics canvassed late,
Clarel, from dreams of like debate,
Started, and heard strange muffled sounds, … Continue Reading …

Canto 18: The Syrian Monk
At early hour with Rolfe and Vine
Clarel ascends a minor hight;
They overtake in lone recline … Continue Reading …

Canto 19: The Apostate
“Barque, Easter barque, with happier freight
Than Leon’s spoil of Inca plate;
Which vernal glidest from the strand … Continue Reading …

Canto 20: Under the Mountain
From Ur of the Chaldees roved the man–
Priest, shepherd, prince, and pioneer–
Swart Bedouin in time’s dusky van; … Continue Reading …

Canto 21: The Priest and Rolfe
Derwent fetched breath: “A healthy man:
His lungs are of the soundest leather.”
“Health’s insolence in a Saurian,” … Continue Reading …

Canto 22: Concerning Hebrews
As by the wood drifts thistle-down
And settles on soft mosses fair,
Stillness was wafted, dropped and sown; … Continue Reading …

Canto 23: By The Jordan
On the third morn, a misty one,
Equipped they sally for the wave
Of Jordan. With his escort brown … Continue Reading …

Canto 24: The River-Rite
And do the clear sands pure and cold
At last each virgin elf enfold?
Under what drift of silvery spar … Continue Reading …

Canto 25: The Dominican
“Ah Rome, your tie! may child clean part?
Nay, tugs the mother at the heart!”
Strange voice that was which three there heard … Continue Reading …

Canto 26: Of Rome
“Patcher of the rotten cloth,
Pickler of the wing o’ the moth,
Toaster of bread stale in date, … Continue Reading …

Canto 27: Vine and Clarel
While now, to serve the pilgrim train,
The Arabs willow branches hew,
(For palms they serve in dearth of true), … Continue Reading …

Canto 28: The Fog
Southward they file. ‘Tis Pluto’s park
Beslimed as after baleful flood:
A nitrous, filmed and pallid mud, … Continue Reading …

Canto 29: By the Marge
The legend round a Grecian urn,
The sylvan legend, though decay
Have wormed the garland all away, … Continue Reading …

Canto 30: Of Petra
“The City Red in cloud-land lies
Yonder,” said Derwent, quick to inter
The ill, or light regard transfer: … Continue Reading …

Canto 31: The Inscription
While yet Rolfe’s foot in stirrup stood,
Ere the light vault that wins the seat,
Derwent was heard: “What’s this we meet? … Continue Reading …

Canto 32: The Encampment
Southward they find a strip at need
Between the mount and marge, and make,
In expectation of the Swede, … Continue Reading …

Canto 33: Lot’s Sea
Roving along the winding verge
Trying these problems as a lock,
Clarel upon the further marge … Continue Reading …

Canto 34: Mortmain Reappears
While now at poise the wings of shade
Outstretched overhang each ridge and glade,
Mortmain descends from Judah’s hight … Continue Reading …

Canto 35: Prelusive
In Piranesi’s rarer prints,
Interiors measurelessly strange,
Where the distrustful thought may range … Continue Reading …

Canto 36: Sodom
Full night. The moon has yet to rise;
The air oppresses, and the skies
Reveal beyond the lake afar … Continue Reading …

Canto 37: Of Traditions
Credit the Arab wizard lean,
And still at favoring hour are seen
(But not by Franks, whom doubts debar) … Continue Reading …

Canto 38: The Sleep-Walker
Now Nehemiah with wistful heart
Much heed had given to myths which bore
Upon that Pentateuchal shore; … Continue Reading …

Canto 39: Obsequies
The camel’s skull upon the beach
No more the sluggish waters reach–
No more the languid waters lave; … Continue Reading …

Mar Saba

Canto 1: In the Mountain
WHAT REVERIES be in yonder heaven
Whither, if yet faith rule it so,
The tried and ransomed natures flow? … Continue Reading …

Canto 2: The Carpenter
From vehemence too mad to stem
Fain would they turn and solace them.
Turn where they may they find a dart. … Continue Reading …

Canto 3: Of the Many Mansions
“The Elysium of the Greek was given
By haughty bards, a hero-heaven;
No victim looked for solace there: … Continue Reading …

Canto 4: The Cypriote
“Noble gods at the board
Where lord unto lord
Light pushes the care-killing wine: … Continue Reading …

Canto 5: The High Desert
Where silence and the legend dwell,
A cleft in Horeb is, they tell,
Through which upon one happy day … Continue Reading …

Canto 6: Derwent
At night upon the darkling main
To ship return with muffled sound
The rowers without comment vain– … Continue Reading …

Canto 7: Bell and Caim
“ELOI LAMA SABACHTHANI!”
And, swooning, strove no more.
Nor gone … Continue Reading …

Canto 8: Tents of Kedar
They climb. In Indian file they gain
A sheeted blank white lifted plain–
A moor of chalk, or slimy clay, … Continue Reading …

Canto 9: Of Monasteries
The lake ink-black mid slopes of snow–
The dead-house for the frozen, barred–
And the stone hospice; chill they show … Continue Reading …

Canto 10: Before the Gate
‘Tis Kedron, that profound ravine
Whence Saba soars. And all between
Zion and Saba one may stray, … Continue Reading …

Canto 11: The Beaker
“Life is not by square and line:
Wisdom’s stupid without folly:
Sherbet to-day, to-morrow winc … Continue Reading …

Canto 12: The Timoneer’s Story
But ere those Sinbads had begun
Their Orient Decameron,
Rolfe rose, to view the further hall. … Continue Reading …

Canto 13: Song and Recitative
“The chalice tall of beaten gold
Is hung with bells about:
The flamen serves in temple old, … Continue Reading …

Canto 14: The Revel Closed
“Bless that good chaplain,” Derwent here;
“All doves and halcyons round the sphere
Defend him from war’s rude alarms!” … Continue Reading …

Canto 15: In Moonlight
The roller upon Borneo’s strand
Halts not, but in recoiling throe
Drags back the shells involved with sand, … Continue Reading …

Canto 16: The Easter Fire
“There’s politesse! we’re left behind.
And yet I like this Prince of Pith;
Too pithy almost. Where’ll ye find … Continue Reading …

Canto 17: A Chant
That day, though to the convent brood
A holiday, was kept in mood
Of serious sort, yet took the tone … Continue Reading …

Canto 18: The Minster
Huge be the buttresses enmassed
Which shoulder up, like Titan men,
Against the precipices vast … Continue Reading …

Canto 19: The Masque
‘Tis night, with silence, save low moan
Of winds. By torches red in glen
A muffled man upon a stone … Continue Reading …

Canto 20: Afterwards
“Seedsmen of old Saturn’s land,
Love and peace went hand in hand,
And sowed the Era Golden! … Continue Reading …

Canto 21: In Confdence
Towers twain crown Saba’s mountain hight;
And one, with larger outlook bold,
Monks frequent climb or day or night … Continue Reading …

Canto 22: The Medallion
In Saba, as by one consent,
Frequent the pilgrims single went;
So, parting with his young compeer, … Continue Reading …

Canto 23: Derwent with the Abbot
‘Tis travel teaches much that’s strange,
Mused Derwent in his further range;
Then fell into uneasy frame: … Continue Reading …

Canto 24: Vault and Grotto
But Clarel, bides he still by tower?
His was no sprightly frame; nor mate
He sought: it was his inner hour. … Continue Reading …

Canto 25: Derwent and the Lesbian
If where, in blocks unbeautified,
But lath and plaster may divide
The cot of dole from bed of bride; … Continue Reading …

Canto 26: Vine and the Palm
Along those ledges, up and down–
Through terce, sext, nones, in ritual flight
To vespers and mild evening brown; … Continue Reading …

Canto 27: Man and Bird
“Yes, pat it comes in here for me:
He says, that one fine day at sea–
‘Twas when he younger was and spry– … Continue Reading …

Canto 28: Mortmain and the Palm
“See him!–How all your threat he braves,
Saba! your ominous architraves
Impending, stir him not a jot. … Continue Reading …

Canto 29: Rolfe and the Palm
Pursued, the mounted robber flies
Unawed through Kedron’s plunged demesne:
The clink, and clinking echo dies: … Continue Reading …

Canto 30: The Celibate
All distant through that afternoon
The student kept, nor might attune
His heart to any steadfast thought … Continue Reading …

Canto 31: The Recoil
“But who was SHE (if Luke attest)
Whom generations hail for blest–
Immaculate though human one; … Continue Reading …

Canto 32: Empty Stirrups
The gray of dawn. A tremor slight:
The trouble of imperfect light
Anew begins. In floating cloud … Continue Reading …

Bethlehem

Canto 1: In Saddle
OF OLD, if legend truth aver,
With hearts that did in aim concur,
Three mitered kings–Amerrian, … Continue Reading …

Canto 2: The Ensign
Needs well to know the distant site
(Like Agath, who late on the way
From Joppa here had made delay) … Continue Reading …

Canto 3: The Island
“In waters where no charts avail,
Where only fin and spout ye see,
The lonely spout of hermit-whale, … Continue Reading …

Canto 4: An Intruder
Quiet Agath, with a start, just then
Shrieked out, abhorrent or in fright.
Disturbed in its pernicious den … Continue Reading …

Canto 5: Of the Stranger
While Agath was his story telling
(Ere yet the ill thing worked surprise)
The officer with forest eyes … Continue Reading …

Canto 6: Bethlehem
Over uplands now toward eve they pass
By higher uplands tinged with grass.
Lower it crept as they went on– … Continue Reading …

Canto 7: At Table
As shipwrecked men adrift, whose boat
In war-time on the houseless seas
Draws nigh to some embattled hull … Continue Reading …

Canto 8: The Pillow
When rule and era passed away
With old Sylvanus (stories say),
The oracles adrift were hurled, … Continue Reading …

Canto 9: The Shepherds’ Dale
“Up, up! Around morn’s standard rally
She makes a sortic join the sally:
Up, slugabeds; up, up!” … Continue Reading …

Canto 10: A Monument
Wise Derwent, that discourse to end,
Pointed athwart the dale divine:
“What’s yonder object–fountain? shrine? … Continue Reading …

Canto 11: Disquiet
At breakfast in refectory there
The priest–if Clarel not mistook–
The good priest wore the troubled air … Continue Reading …

Canto 12: Of Pope and Turk
Marking the priest not all sedate,
Rolfe, that a friend might fret discard,
Turned his attention to debate … Continue Reading …

Canto 13: The Church of the Star
They rise, and for a little space
In farewell Agath they detain,
Transferred here to a timelier train … Continue Reading …

Canto 14: Soldier and Monk
Fervid he spake. And Ungar there
Appeared (if looks allow surmise)
In latent way to sympathize, … Continue Reading …

Canto 15: Symphonies
Meanwhile with Vine there, Clarel stood
Aside in friendly neighborhood,
And felt a flattering pleasure stir … Continue Reading …

Canto 16: The Convent Roof
To branching grottoes next they fare,
Old caves of penitence and prayer,
Where Paula kneeled–her urn is there– … Continue Reading …

Canto 17: A Transition
“Fine, very fine,” said Derwent light;
“But, look, yon rustics there in sight
Crossing the slope; and are they not … Continue Reading …

Canto 18: The Hillside
Pertaining unto nations three–
Or, rather, each unto its clan–
Greek, Latin, and Armenian, … Continue Reading …

Canto 19: A New-Comer
“Good echoes, echo it! Ho, chant,
‘Tis penalty we sinners want:
By all means, penalty!” … Continue Reading …

Canto 20: Derwent and Ungar
“Not thou com’st in the still small voice,”
Said Derwent, “thou queer Mexican!”
And followed him with eyes: “This man,” … Continue Reading …

Canto 21: Ungar and Rolfe
“Such earnestness! such wear and tear,
And man but a thin gossamer!”
So here the priest aside; then turned, … Continue Reading …

Canto 22: Of Wickedness the Word
Since, for the charity they knew,
None cared the exile to upbraid
Or further breast–while yet he threw, … Continue Reading …

Canto 23: Derwent and Rolfe
There as they wend, Derwent his arm,
Demure, and brotherly, and grave,
Slips into Rolfe’s: “A bond we have; … Continue Reading …

Canto 24: Twilight
In gloaming, ah, still do ye plain?
Dovc dove in the mangroves,
How dear is thy pain! … Continue Reading …

Canto 25: The Invitation
Returned to harbor, Derwent sought
His Mexic friend; and him he found
At home in by-place of a court … Continue Reading …

Canto 26: The Prodigal
In adolescence thrilled by hope
Which fain would verify the gleam
And find if destiny concur, … Continue Reading …

Canto 27: By Parapet
“Well may ye gaze! What’s good to see
Better than Adam’s humanity
When genial lodged! Such spell is given, … Continue Reading …

Canto 28: David’s Well
The Lyonese had joined a train
Whereof the man of scars was one
Whose office led him further on … Continue Reading …

Canto 29: The Night Ride
It was the day preceding Lent,
Shrove Tuesday named in English old
(Forefathers’ English), and content, … Continue Reading …

Canto 30: The Valley of Decision
Delay!–Shall flute from forth the Gate
Issue, to warble welcome here–
Upon this safe returning wait … Continue Reading …

Canto 31: Dirge
Stay, Death. Not mine the Christus-wand
Wherewith to charge thee and command:
I plead. Most gently hold the hand … Continue Reading …

Canto 32: Passion Week
Day passed; and passed a second one,
A third–fourth–fifth; and bound he sate
In film of sorrow without moan– … Continue Reading …

Canto 33: Easter
BUT ON THE THIRD DAY CHRIST AROSE;
And, in the town He knew, the rite
Commemorative eager goes … Continue Reading …

Canto 34: Via Crucis
Some leading thoroughfares of man
In wood-path, track, or trail began;
Though threading heart of proudest town, … Continue Reading …

Canto 35: Epilogue
Unmoved by all the claims our times avow,
The ancient Sphinx still keeps the porch of shade;
And comes Despair, whom not her calm may cow, … Continue Reading …

< < <
> > >

American Literature – American Poetry – Herman Melville – Poems by Herman Melville

If you liked this article, subscribe , put likes, write comments!

Share on social networks

Visit us on Facebook or Twitter

Check out Our Latest Posts

Clarel

Clarel

JERUSALEM

The Wilderness

Mar Saba

Bethlehem

Leave a comment Cancel reply