O ye gods, if you could tell us <br />What ye are — if banned or blest — <br />Ye that reigned of old in Hellas! <br />Ye that ruled the radiant West! <br />Old-born gods! The Past still flashes <br />In the eyes of Greece and Rome; <br />Ye are not mere dust and ashes <br />Urned for all the years to come. <br />Ye that ruled in heavenly places, <br />And the faith of mortals won! <br />Gods created by old races <br />Perished from beneath the sun; <br />Born of faith, and with it blended, <br />Ye shall yet the world inspire <br />Till the last breath has ascended <br />From the latest altar fire. <br />All the hopes and invocations <br />Breathed by lips of heroes dead, <br />All the genius of the nations <br />Who the march of Freedom led — <br />Though your temples broke and fell as <br />Dusty fanes of little worth — <br />These will keep you, gods of Hellas! <br />Still alive upon the earth.<br /><br />Robert Crawford<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-gods/
