 | Carol and Cadence |  |
II.
I know not what ye are,
Who tarry yet beyond the topmost star,
The Future in your hands to make or mar.
Who tarry yet beyond the topmost star,
The Future in your hands to make or mar.
What Joves for us you hold,
What Phoebus with the bow and lyre of gold,
What Dians diademed with moonbeams cold,
What Phoebus with the bow and lyre of gold,
What Dians diademed with moonbeams cold,
What Cytherea waits
To light our lives behind the Morning's gates,
What Loves to laugh to scorn the frowning Fates,
To light our lives behind the Morning's gates,
What Loves to laugh to scorn the frowning Fates,
I know not, nor your heaven,
Whether you number by the Baalim Seven,
The Æsir Twelve or by the Brahms Eleven.
Whether you number by the Baalim Seven,
The Æsir Twelve or by the Brahms Eleven.
This only, this I know,
You shall be no mere Gods of wail and woe,
No cross-bound weaklings, such as oversow
You shall be no mere Gods of wail and woe,
No cross-bound weaklings, such as oversow
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The labouring fields of Life
With harvest-centuries of hate and strife
And strew behind them sorrow ever-rife
With harvest-centuries of hate and strife
And strew behind them sorrow ever-rife
And hope that faileth still,
That all the ways of thought with fear fulfil
And leave Life fenceless 'gainst the usurping Will.
That all the ways of thought with fear fulfil
And leave Life fenceless 'gainst the usurping Will.
Nor shall you be of those
Who give folk helpless to a host of foes
And future pleasance pledge for present woes,
Who give folk helpless to a host of foes
And future pleasance pledge for present woes,
Who promise men a mock
Of Heaven to come with Hell on earth to unlock;
No apers of Prometheus on his rock,
Of Heaven to come with Hell on earth to unlock;
No apers of Prometheus on his rock,
Without the saving fire
Th'immortal Titan stole from Jove his sire,
To light the darkling world for Life's desire.
Th'immortal Titan stole from Jove his sire,
To light the darkling world for Life's desire.
You shall be none of these.
Where they have wrought us sorrow, you shall ease,
Strengthening the bent backs and the feeble knees.
Where they have wrought us sorrow, you shall ease,
Strengthening the bent backs and the feeble knees.
Gods shall you be of joy,
Led by some radiant Dionysiac boy
To solve the world of sorrow and annoy.
Led by some radiant Dionysiac boy
To solve the world of sorrow and annoy.
Where those that went before
Of sin and sufferance and atonement sore
Told and of soul and body still at war,
Of sin and sufferance and atonement sore
Told and of soul and body still at war,
You shall of life and light,
Of grace and gladness speak in the sun's sight,
Shall lead the morning through the halls of Night.
Of grace and gladness speak in the sun's sight,
Shall lead the morning through the halls of Night.
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Your presage life foresaith,
No making ready for swift-coming death,
But joy new-drawn with each recurrent breath.
No making ready for swift-coming death,
But joy new-drawn with each recurrent breath.
Forth of the Past-time's gloom
Your world, delivered from the shadow of doom,
Its head shall like a lily lift and bloom.
Your world, delivered from the shadow of doom,
Its head shall like a lily lift and bloom.
Love over all shall reign,
New earth, new heavens, new-purged of sorrow's stain,
And Peace return to dwell with men again.
New earth, new heavens, new-purged of sorrow's stain,
And Peace return to dwell with men again.
Yea, yours shall be the time
Of Life new-blossomed in a golden clime,
Washed and made white of all the ages' slime,
Soul's hunger quenched and body grown sublime!
Of Life new-blossomed in a golden clime,
Washed and made white of all the ages' slime,
Soul's hunger quenched and body grown sublime!
Would I might see it, I!
Would Heaven I might its coming but aby,
But live to look upon its face and die!
Would Heaven I might its coming but aby,
But live to look upon its face and die!
Ah, would to God! But, nay;
I share the old world's curse and must away
With it to night, before the coming day.
I share the old world's curse and must away
With it to night, before the coming day.
| Carol and Cadence | |