University of Virginia Library

THE VEILED AVENGER (FRAGMENT)

A Voice
...I am He,
The Veiled Avenger. I am clothed with shadow
The silence and the shadow of your soul
Where it has withered slowly from the light.

Unseen Chorus
The Veiled Avenger speaks. He knows him not.

The Man
I hear a honey voice that murmureth peace,
Peace and oblivion. O ye secret doves
That feed the mind with sweet and perilous breaths
And murmur ever among gossamer dreams,
Bring me the tidings out of the hidden place
Wherein your wings wake fire. Come once again, wild doves

The Veiled Avenger
Of Beauty and Desire and the Twin Flame!
Wild doves, wild doves, bear unto me the flame
That rises moonwhite amid scarlet fire...
(A lapwing wails.)
O melancholy bird, Dalua's messenger!
I am too weary now for further thought.

The Veiled Avenger
Pillows of sleepless sorrow.... Bow your head.
To-night I shall build up for you a place
Where sleep shall not be silent and where dreams
Shall whisper, and a little infinite voice
Shall wail as a wailing plover in your ears.
Then you shall know that shaken voice, and wake,
Crying your own name.

The Man
Again, the wheeling cry
Where in the dusk the lapwing slips and falls
From ledge to ledge of darkness.

Unseen Chorus
He knoweth not
His own bitter infinite cry we hear him cry!