A train went through a burial gate, 1
A bird broke forth and sang,
And trilled, and quivered, and shook his throat
Till all the churchyard rang;
And then adjusted his little notes, 5
And bowed and sang again.
Doubtless, he thought it meet of him
To say good-bye to men.
A bird broke forth and sang,
And trilled, and quivered, and shook his throat
Till all the churchyard rang;
And then adjusted his little notes, 5
And bowed and sang again.
Doubtless, he thought it meet of him
To say good-bye to men.
(F.397/J.1761)
[1] train:: the train to the Celestian City in Howthorne's short story The Celestial Railroad.
[,] burial gate:: the wicket-gate, entrance of the road to the Celestial City.
[2] bird:: a guy, Apollyon, the angel of the bottomless pit, conductor of the train.
[3–6] Apollyon made all kinds of noise during the journey to hell, though the passengers thought they were to the Celestial City.
[8] men:: passengers in the train; the plural form men is a hint.
Apollyon had exercised his ingenuity in screwing the most abominable sounds out of the whistle of the steam-engine; but, in this closing effort he outdid himself, and created an infernal uproar, which, besides disturbing the peaceful inhabitants of Beulah, must have sent its discord even through the celestial gates. ─ The Celestial Railroad by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The United States Magazine and Democratic Review (1843)