 | Havelock's March and Other Poems |  |
206
HOW THE FLOWERS CAME FROM EDEN.
The Seraph faded into air;
The Snake glode underground;
As on the last step of Heaven's stair,
Poor exiled Eve lookt round.
The Snake glode underground;
As on the last step of Heaven's stair,
Poor exiled Eve lookt round.
Heartless as Death, and blind as Doom,
The heavens bowed with wrath:
Where God, betwixt the glare and gloom,
Stood in their backward path.
The heavens bowed with wrath:
Where God, betwixt the glare and gloom,
Stood in their backward path.
The memories in each other's eyes,
They cannot, dare not face;
Forlorn and vast the wide world lies;
They see no hiding place.
They cannot, dare not face;
Forlorn and vast the wide world lies;
They see no hiding place.
Two mourners following the hearse
Of joy, go slowly forth;
To see the shadow of their curse
Fall lengthening over earth.
Of joy, go slowly forth;
To see the shadow of their curse
Fall lengthening over earth.
218
Then did the Flowers of Eden grieve;
As tho' a low wind stirred,
They softly prayed to follow Eve;
And God in Heaven heard.
As tho' a low wind stirred,
They softly prayed to follow Eve;
And God in Heaven heard.
As when some erring Child may see,
The Father's face no more;
A Mother's love sends secretly;
Her heart keeps open door;
The Father's face no more;
A Mother's love sends secretly;
Her heart keeps open door;
So were the Flowers from Paradise,
For missioned comfort sent;
All heaven in their sweet pitying eyes!
And where Eve trod they went.
For missioned comfort sent;
All heaven in their sweet pitying eyes!
And where Eve trod they went.
With dear drops of that gladness spilled
In Eden, they came pearled;
Their cups with colours of Heaven filled,
To pour thro' all the world.
In Eden, they came pearled;
Their cups with colours of Heaven filled,
To pour thro' all the world.
They kiss her feet; embrace her knees;
About her dance and play;
They run before and climb the trees,
To cheer her by the way.
About her dance and play;
They run before and climb the trees,
To cheer her by the way.
219
On hills and moorlands golden fires
Of gorse in beauty burn;
Into red roses break the briars;
A flower for every thorn.
Of gorse in beauty burn;
Into red roses break the briars;
A flower for every thorn.
And ever since, their silent march,
Goes glowing overground;
And under Ocean's azure arch;
In an immortal round.
Goes glowing overground;
And under Ocean's azure arch;
In an immortal round.
The wee white fairies of the snow,
May cover them awhile;
But from their hiding-places, lo!
The fresh young Eden smile!
May cover them awhile;
But from their hiding-places, lo!
The fresh young Eden smile!
They come back with their fragrant news,
By brook, and field, and fell;
They wake, and in a thousand hues,
Their dream of beauty tell.
By brook, and field, and fell;
They wake, and in a thousand hues,
Their dream of beauty tell.
They bring the distant dearness of
That dewy Eden youth,
Into the kindling nearness of
Warm kisses on the mouth.
That dewy Eden youth,
Into the kindling nearness of
Warm kisses on the mouth.
220
Our thoughts are with their fancies freakt,
And delicately drawn;
With them our gray of life is streakt,
Divinely as the dawn.
And delicately drawn;
With them our gray of life is streakt,
Divinely as the dawn.
And ailing souls come forth to see,
How the sweet Flowers reveal
The waving skirts of Deity,
Which at a touch can heal.
How the sweet Flowers reveal
The waving skirts of Deity,
Which at a touch can heal.
Our dying eyes their balm beseech;
Our dying fingers fold
Their coolness, when we cannot reach
The flower; so dank the mould.
Our dying fingers fold
Their coolness, when we cannot reach
The flower; so dank the mould.
Their roots like feeling fingers twine,
About the lone grave-bed:
Stars of the ground, they kindly shine,
Thro' that long dark o' the Dead.
About the lone grave-bed:
Stars of the ground, they kindly shine,
Thro' that long dark o' the Dead.
Incense, pathetically sweet,
Their little censers wave—
Standing all night at head and feet
Of our wee Sydney's grave.
Their little censers wave—
Standing all night at head and feet
Of our wee Sydney's grave.
221
With mournful fragrance to my heart,
They pierce at times, until
The tears up in mine eyes will start,
With airs of heaven a-thrill.
They pierce at times, until
The tears up in mine eyes will start,
With airs of heaven a-thrill.
Still blooms with all its buried charms,
That old lost land of ours;
Above its silent war of worms,
A world laughs out in flowers.
That old lost land of ours;
Above its silent war of worms,
A world laughs out in flowers.
| Havelock's March and Other Poems | |