 | Carol and Cadence |  |
TENEBRÆ.
In the dark, my soul, thou goest groping,
Helpless hands forthstretching, fearing, hoping,
Eyes unseeing, ears unhearing oping.
Helpless hands forthstretching, fearing, hoping,
Eyes unseeing, ears unhearing oping.
What are these that waver round about me,
These of whom I fain am, yet misdoubt me?
Is the darkness in me or without me?
These of whom I fain am, yet misdoubt me?
Is the darkness in me or without me?
Shadow-hands out-holden are to greet me;
Shadow-eyes from out the shadow meet me;
Shadow-pinions pass and overfleet me.
Shadow-eyes from out the shadow meet me;
Shadow-pinions pass and overfleet me.
Nay, I know you. You my youthful years are,
Years of manhood, years of hopes and fears are,
You my memories of smiles and tears are.
Years of manhood, years of hopes and fears are,
You my memories of smiles and tears are.
You, that now are but a phosphorescence
Of the darkness, once a real presence
Had and walked with me in pain and pleasance.
Of the darkness, once a real presence
Had and walked with me in pain and pleasance.
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Once your radiance all my road enlightened;
Once your presence all my pleasures heightened;
Once your faces all my fancies brightened.
Once your presence all my pleasures heightened;
Once your faces all my fancies brightened.
Kinsfolk once to me from fair and far lands
Seemed you, from the high celestial star-lands
Coming to me, hands fulfilled of garlands,
Seemed you, from the high celestial star-lands
Coming to me, hands fulfilled of garlands,
Gladdening me with many mystic stories
Of the lands beyond the sunset-glories,
Of the realms whereunto Death the door is,
Of the lands beyond the sunset-glories,
Of the realms whereunto Death the door is,
Strains of spirit-music to me bringing,
Snatches of the stars' and seraphs' singing,
Echoes of the bells of Heaven's ringing,
Snatches of the stars' and seraphs' singing,
Echoes of the bells of Heaven's ringing,
Paradisal plains to me portraying,
From the angels' stores my spirit straying
'Gainst Earth's weakness with Heaven's honey staying.
From the angels' stores my spirit straying
'Gainst Earth's weakness with Heaven's honey staying.
Now myself in you I see and hearken;
Now your voices but the silence starken
Round me and your eyes the darkness darken.
Now your voices but the silence starken
Round me and your eyes the darkness darken.
Now I see that you no visitations
From high Heav'n were, only emanations
From my self, in all its incarnations.
From high Heav'n were, only emanations
From my self, in all its incarnations.
As mine eyes grow dim, the spent fires smoulder
Out in yours; and as my blood grows colder,
Cold you grow, and old, as I grow older.
Out in yours; and as my blood grows colder,
Cold you grow, and old, as I grow older.
Now I see that you with dreams but plied me,
Youth and manhood past, to age to guide me,
Blind and deaf to all that might betide me;
Youth and manhood past, to age to guide me,
Blind and deaf to all that might betide me;
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That, mine eyes when you with visions blinded,
When your elfhorns in mine ears you winded,
Deaf to Life them making, you but minded
When your elfhorns in mine ears you winded,
Deaf to Life them making, you but minded
Were to hinder me Life's void from knowing
And its burden off untimely throwing,
Ere the season come was for my going.
And its burden off untimely throwing,
Ere the season come was for my going.
Tools therein you were of Nature, caring
Only lest her creature should, despairing,
Cease, before his term, her chains from wearing.
Only lest her creature should, despairing,
Cease, before his term, her chains from wearing.
Now, your aim attained, you cease from seeming,
Care no more to colour this my dreaming
With your radiant hues, your glories gleaming.
Care no more to colour this my dreaming
With your radiant hues, your glories gleaming.
Now the gathering years in gloom have drowned me,
In your shadow-shapes you hover round me,
At the chains, wherewith of old you bound me,
In your shadow-shapes you hover round me,
At the chains, wherewith of old you bound me,
Straining ever, signing me to follow
Where, within his vasty caverns hollow
Hid, the Sovran Shadow waits to swallow
Where, within his vasty caverns hollow
Hid, the Sovran Shadow waits to swallow
All the tale of Time and all Life's reaping,
Shadow up on shadow ever heaping,
Till all Life is in his shadow-keeping.
Shadow up on shadow ever heaping,
Till all Life is in his shadow-keeping.
Nay, I know the way. No need to show it!
Lead, I follow. It is time, I know it:
Needs Death's debit must they pay that owe it.
Lead, I follow. It is time, I know it:
Needs Death's debit must they pay that owe it.
| Carol and Cadence | |