Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Asia: Vols. XXI–XXIII. 1876–79. | | | | India: Ellora | | Ellora | | Nicholas Michell (1807–1880) |
| | (From Ruins of Many Lands)
ELLORA’S wonders half unearthly seem, | |
| Born as of fancy, dazzling as a dream. | |
| Shaped from the living stone, vast halls appear, | |
| Their massive grandeur sculptured columns rear; | |
| Ranged round the shrine, unnumbered gods are seen, | 5 |
| From Lashmi fair to Siva’s blood-stained queen; | |
| From wisdom’s Lord, proud Ganesa, to him | |
| The child of love, the god of mirth and whim. | |
| Who carved this grand cathedral? ask yon sage | |
| That haunts these ruins, bowed like them with age; | 10 |
| A king, he says, in earth’s pure, happy prime, | |
| Ere China was, or Hebrews reckon time; | |
| And then he kneels, o’er brighter days to grieve, | |
| And simple hearts the fabling tale believe. | | | | |
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