III.
The Elemental Quest.
SEMI-CHORUS I.
Form of her the Titan full of patience
Sees amid the darkness of the nations;
Voice of her whose sound in the beginning
Came upon him desolate and sinning;
Face and fairest form of her whose gleaming
Soothes his gentle spirit into dreaming;
Spirit! whom the Titan sees above him!
SEMI-CHORUS II.
Gentle eyes that shine and seem to love him!
Tender touch, the thrill of her sweet fingers,
Thrill that reach'd his soul and burns and lingers;
Breath of her, and scent of her, and bliss of her;
Dream of her, and smile of her, and kiss of her!
Come again, and speak, and bend above him,
Spirit that came once and seemed to love him.
THE TITAN.
How long, how long?
SEMI-CHORUS I.
Courage, great heart and strong,
Break not, but beat low chime
To the dark flow of Time;
Follow the path foot-worn,
Sad night and dewy morn,
Under the weary sun
Follow, O mighty one;
Under dim moon and star!
THE TITAN.
Whither? How far, how far?
SEMI-CHORUS I.
Spirit of the fathomless abysses,
Spirit that he looked upon and misses,
Free and fair and perfect, more than human,
Bringing love and peace-gifts like a woman;
Come unto him, lessen to his pleading.
SEMI-CHORUS II.
Mark his patience, hear his gentle interceding;
O'er mountain upon mountain left behind thee,
He hath cheerly climb'd in vain to find thee:
Wild waters he hath cross'd, wild sea and river,
All countries he hath traversed, faithful ever,
Ever hoping, ever waiting, never seeing.
CHORUS.
Spirit seen in some long darken'd being,
Spirit that he saw at the world's portal,
Saw, and knew, and loved, and felt immortal,
Spirit that he wearies for and misses,
Answer from the fathomless abysses!
THE TITAN.
How long, how long?
SEMI-CHORUS I.
Courage, O Titan strong!
Courage, from place to place
Still follow the voice and the face!
THE TITAN.
Whither?
A VOICE AFAR.
O hither!
THE TITAN.
Whither?
SEMI-CHORUS I.
Voice of her he follows in dumb pleasure,
Camest thou from the earth or from the azure;
Camest thou from the pastures on the mountains,
From the ocean, from the rivers, from the fountains,
From the vapours blowing o'er him while he hearkens,
From the ocean hoar that beats his feet and darkens,
From the star that on the sea-fringe melts and glistens?
SEMI-CHORUS II.
O homeless voice, he maddens as he listens,
O voice divine, his wild lips part asunder;
He speaketh, and his words are a low thunder.
THE TITAN.
Whither, O whither?
VOICE AFAR.
Hither!
THE TITAN.
Whither? Wherefore, while I wait in patience,
Mock her voice, O voices of the nations;
Wherefore by night and day,
Where'er my slow feet stray,
Trouble all hours with wild reverberations?
Mountain winds, ye name her name unto me!
Flowing rivers glance and thrill it through me!
Earth, water, air, and sky,
Name her as I go by!
With her dim ghost the floating clouds pursue me.
All of these have seen her face and love her,
Earth beneath and heaven that bends above her;
The rain-wreck and the storm
Mimic the one fair form,
The whirlwind knows her name and cries it over.
Flowers are sown by her bright foot, wherever
They are flashing past by mere and river;
Birds in the forest stir,
Singing mad praise of her;
All green paths know her, though she flies for ever.
CHORUS.
Joy of wind and wave and cloud and blossom,
Pause at last, and fall upon his bosom!
THE TITAN.
None behold her twice, but having conn'd her
While she flashes past with feet that wander,
Remember the blest gleam,
And grow by it, and dream,
And fondle the sweet memory, and ponder.
All have known her, and yet none possess her;
None behold her, yet all things caress her;
The warmth of her white feet,
Where it doth fall so sweet,
Abides for ever there, and all things bless her.
Faster than the prophesying swallow,
Fast by wood and sea and hill and hollow,
Sought by all things that be,
But most of all by me,
She flieth none know whither, and I follow.
SEMI-CHORUS I.
O wherefore, radiant one,
Under the moon and sun,
Glimmer away?
VOICE AFAR.
Here on the heights I stay;
Come hither.
THE TITAN.
Whither?
VOICE AFAR.
O hither!
CHORUS.
Form of her the Titan full of patience
Sees amid the darkness of the nations;
Voice of her whose song in the beginning
Came upon him desolate and sinning;
Face and fairest form of her whose gleaming
Soothes his gentle spirit into dreaming;
Touch of her, the thrill of her quick fingers,
Thrill that reach'd his soul and burns and lingers;
Soul beyond his soul, yet ever near it,
His heart's home, and haven of his spirit;
Joy of wind and wave and cloud and blossom,
Pause at last, and fall upon his bosom!
