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79
TO THE HONOURABLE RODEN NOEL.
Roden Noel, by the grace of God true seer,
Royal poet, and knight in Christ's high chivalry,
Deeply faithful to the present and the future,
And so keeping to the past your loyalty;
Take this greeting from a heart aglow to greet you
With high honour reverently.
Royal poet, and knight in Christ's high chivalry,
Deeply faithful to the present and the future,
And so keeping to the past your loyalty;
Take this greeting from a heart aglow to greet you
With high honour reverently.
Well you might have lingered in the lap of Nature,
Crowned with all her fairest flowers for coronal;
Drinking ever of her love and of her beauty,
Keeping delicately dainty festival;
Singing lovely songs of mystic perfect music,
Heard in her beloved hall;
Crowned with all her fairest flowers for coronal;
Drinking ever of her love and of her beauty,
Keeping delicately dainty festival;
Singing lovely songs of mystic perfect music,
Heard in her beloved hall;
For she knew you from your birthtide and she claimed you,
Taught you of her myriad tones and thrills and stirs;
Whispered secrets in your ear which whoso knoweth
Hath for aye the freedom of the universe;—
But a greater voice than Nature's spoke and called you,
In a mightier tone than hers.
Taught you of her myriad tones and thrills and stirs;
Whispered secrets in your ear which whoso knoweth
Hath for aye the freedom of the universe;—
But a greater voice than Nature's spoke and called you,
In a mightier tone than hers.
80
Yes, you heard a greater voice than hers, and hearkened,
And your soul leapt up in swift obedience then;
And you went with smells of woodland bloom about you,
And you looked abroad with clear undaunted ken,
And you took your portion with the whole world's children,
With its women and its men.
And your soul leapt up in swift obedience then;
And you went with smells of woodland bloom about you,
And you looked abroad with clear undaunted ken,
And you took your portion with the whole world's children,
With its women and its men.
All the strength and splendid passion of your being
In the sweat and blood of the great world is baptized;
And with God and your leal heart, O Roden Noel,
You have kept the vigil time, the mystic tryst;
So the knightly harness girds you, and your shoulder
Knows the accolade of Christ.
In the sweat and blood of the great world is baptized;
And with God and your leal heart, O Roden Noel,
You have kept the vigil time, the mystic tryst;
So the knightly harness girds you, and your shoulder
Knows the accolade of Christ.
He Who teaches by the shouting of the peoples,
He Who teaches by the kinglone eagle's cry,
He Who teaches in the fullness of the noontide,
And in shadow of the midnight's mystery,
In the surging of the mart, and in the silence
Of the soul He cometh nigh;
He Who teaches by the kinglone eagle's cry,
He Who teaches in the fullness of the noontide,
And in shadow of the midnight's mystery,
In the surging of the mart, and in the silence
Of the soul He cometh nigh;
Very freely did He give you of His giving,
Royal gifts in plenitude, nor stint nor dole;
And He drew you very closely, very closely,
To the mighty Heart Which comprehends the Whole;
As “the burden of the Incommunicable”
Then He loosened from your soul.
Royal gifts in plenitude, nor stint nor dole;
And He drew you very closely, very closely,
To the mighty Heart Which comprehends the Whole;
As “the burden of the Incommunicable”
Then He loosened from your soul.
81
Oh, the soul that once hath known the highest beauty
Cannot dwell content with any meaner good;—
Ay, Sir Tristram, what is she that she should win you,
Isoud Blanchemains, though she be full sweet of mood?
You whose arms have clasped her once, whose lips have kissed her,
Even her, La Belle Isoud.
Cannot dwell content with any meaner good;—
Ay, Sir Tristram, what is she that she should win you,
Isoud Blanchemains, though she be full sweet of mood?
You whose arms have clasped her once, whose lips have kissed her,
Even her, La Belle Isoud.
Tell us, Poet of the things that meet the vision
Of the God-anointed eye which truly sees,
Knowing by the things of earth the things of heaven,
God by man, divine by human, those by these,
As one knows aright the splendid shapely body
By the foot of Herakles.
Of the God-anointed eye which truly sees,
Knowing by the things of earth the things of heaven,
God by man, divine by human, those by these,
As one knows aright the splendid shapely body
By the foot of Herakles.
Oh, ‘large utterance of the early gods!’ Oh, larger
And diviner utterance still must surely fall
From the later lips of manhood that, in wrestling,
Overcomes the foe, and overleaps the wall;
Sees the face of Sin and Death, and stands a victor
Over Sin and Death and all.
And diviner utterance still must surely fall
From the later lips of manhood that, in wrestling,
Overcomes the foe, and overleaps the wall;
Sees the face of Sin and Death, and stands a victor
Over Sin and Death and all.
Knight of God, and minstrel high and brave, I greet you,
And I bid you still ride onward to the fight.
Fight on, Taillefer, and sing the song of Roland!
Fight on, Christian, sing the song of Love and Right,
Till the Sun you bear emblazoned on your banner
Be victorious over night.
And I bid you still ride onward to the fight.
Fight on, Taillefer, and sing the song of Roland!
Fight on, Christian, sing the song of Love and Right,
Till the Sun you bear emblazoned on your banner
Be victorious over night.
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