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XXIII
RECONCILIATION
Completed now was Balder’s temple. Round about
Stood not, as once, a willow-pale; of iron wrought,
With golden knob on every rail, was set the fence
Of Balder’s grove, and like a steel-clad armament,
With halberts bright and golden helmets, stood it forth,
And sentinelled the sanctuary now renewed.
Of mighty stones enormous was its circuit built,
With wondrous art together joined, a giant work,
For endless ages raised, like Upsal’s lofty shrine,—
Where in an earthly form the North Valhalla sees.
Proud stood it on the lofty cliff, and mirrored forth
Its towering summit in the ocean’s shining wave;
And far around it, like a splendid belt of bloom,
Spread Balder’s valley fair, with all its rustling groves,
With all its songs of joyous birds, a home of peace:
High stood its copper-bolted portals, and within
Two pillars tall upon their mighty shoulder-blades
Upheld the lofty dome, which hung forth beautiful
Above the temple, like a giant shield of gold.
Farther within great Balder’s altar stood, out-hewn
From one huge block of northern marble, and around
A sculptured serpent cast its coils, deep-graved with Runes
In wisest words from Vala and from Havamal.
But in the wall above a space was found adorned
With stars of gold upon a ground of blue; and there
The god of Goodness’ silver image was, as fair
As silver moonshine throned upon the azure sky,
So seemed the temple.—Now in pairs there entered in
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