Studies of Sensation and Event Poems, by Ebenezer Jones |
 |
“CAR LA PENSÉE
a aussi ses ivresses, ses extases, ses voluptés célestes, dont
une heure vaut toute une jeunesse, toute une vie.” |
 | Studies of Sensation and Event |  |
198
“CAR LA PENSÉE a aussi ses ivresses, ses extases, ses voluptés célestes, dont une heure vaut toute une jeunesse, toute une vie.”
Than all the suns that over earth have smiled,
The summer's evening sun I love the best;
Because it rayed when I beheld a child,
Come from the cedar grove, at home to rest.
The summer's evening sun I love the best;
Because it rayed when I beheld a child,
Come from the cedar grove, at home to rest.
His wide orbed eyelids moved not as he came;
His cheeks were pale; his eyes were heavily bright;
His lips were parted movelessly; pale flame
Around his mouth played quietly pale delight.
His cheeks were pale; his eyes were heavily bright;
His lips were parted movelessly; pale flame
Around his mouth played quietly pale delight.
His forest dog went bounding to his side;
His eyes veered slowly towards the fawning hound,
But kept their fixedness, pre-occupied
With thought, whence other thoughts did all rebound.
His eyes veered slowly towards the fawning hound,
But kept their fixedness, pre-occupied
With thought, whence other thoughts did all rebound.
199
His beautiful mother took his drooping hand;
And when he lavished on her no caress,
—“What ails my boy?” from across her soul's large land,
Passed through her lips, with ravishing gentleness.
And when he lavished on her no caress,
—“What ails my boy?” from across her soul's large land,
Passed through her lips, with ravishing gentleness.
“Mother, I know not; to the cedar trees
I chased a butterfly; it danced too high,
And left me underneath; the evening breeze
Came with me there, and there it seemed to die.
I chased a butterfly; it danced too high,
And left me underneath; the evening breeze
Came with me there, and there it seemed to die.
“And all was silent as the minster's nave
On common days; upon the ground I sate,
And reverence closed mine eyes, as with the wave
Of silent and of soundless passing state.
On common days; upon the ground I sate,
And reverence closed mine eyes, as with the wave
Of silent and of soundless passing state.
“Anon mine eyelids lifted, and I saw
Above me terracing the mighty trees;
The sun continuing utterly to withdraw
His rays from out them, by composed degrees.
Above me terracing the mighty trees;
The sun continuing utterly to withdraw
His rays from out them, by composed degrees.
“When the rays all were taken, and unlit
The grove gloomed dark, again mine eyes did close,
And in my mind, where lonely I did sit,
The memory of the high priest's blessing rose.
The grove gloomed dark, again mine eyes did close,
200
The memory of the high priest's blessing rose.
“As from the scene towards this thought I gazed,
A mighty ecstacy through my brain did go,
Like overwhelming ocean; cresting, raised
My hair, while I did cower and tremble low;
A mighty ecstacy through my brain did go,
Like overwhelming ocean; cresting, raised
My hair, while I did cower and tremble low;
“For both one essence possessed;—the cedar grove,
Spreading its shadowing boughs high o'er me there;
And the priest's hands outstretched my head above,
Solemnly sheltering me, with voiceless prayer.
Spreading its shadowing boughs high o'er me there;
And the priest's hands outstretched my head above,
Solemnly sheltering me, with voiceless prayer.
“It seemed as though into my brain did roll
A thunder cloud, that burst in bright wild rain,
Torrenting through my limbs, and for its goal,
Mounting back mightily to my brain again.
A thunder cloud, that burst in bright wild rain,
Torrenting through my limbs, and for its goal,
Mounting back mightily to my brain again.
“I am not sad, mother; I have no ill,
But a great storm within me doth subside;
The ebbing of rapture wearies me; still, still,
Me alone leave, dear mother;” the boy replied.
But a great storm within me doth subside;
The ebbing of rapture wearies me; still, still,
Me alone leave, dear mother;” the boy replied.
201
Ceasing, he kissed her with serious pride;
The while his hand caressed the hound's large head;
And then away he seriously did glide;
And I retired where e'er my foosteps led.
The while his hand caressed the hound's large head;
And then away he seriously did glide;
And I retired where e'er my foosteps led.
Deems any, this vision, insufficient cause
That I should love the hour that gave it me;
Oh! knew he his own human-nature's laws,
Much would he yearn to have been given it to see.
That I should love the hour that gave it me;
Oh! knew he his own human-nature's laws,
Much would he yearn to have been given it to see.
The essence of mind's being is the stream of thought;
Difference of mind's being, is difference of the stream;
Within this single difference may be brought
The countless differences that are or seem.
Difference of mind's being, is difference of the stream;
Within this single difference may be brought
The countless differences that are or seem.
Now, thoughts associate in the common mind,
By outside semblance, or from general wont;
But in the mind of genius, swift as wind,
All similarly influencing thoughts confront.
By outside semblance, or from general wont;
But in the mind of genius, swift as wind,
All similarly influencing thoughts confront.
Though the things thought, in time and space, may lie
Wider than India from the Arctic zone;
If they impress one feeling, swift they fly,
And in the mind of genius take one throne.
202
If they impress one feeling, swift they fly,
And in the mind of genius take one throne.
This order of mind is shaken to the core
With mighty joy, while therewithin cohere
Its far brought thoughts; o'er the common mind's dull floor,
As of old, its thoughts, rejoieing not, appear.
With mighty joy, while therewithin cohere
Its far brought thoughts; o'er the common mind's dull floor,
As of old, its thoughts, rejoieing not, appear.
This boy, then, suffering in the cedar grove,
All rapturously, the uniting in his mind,
Of these far-parted thoughts,—the boughs above,
And the priest's blessing o'er his head declined;—
All rapturously, the uniting in his mind,
Of these far-parted thoughts,—the boughs above,
And the priest's blessing o'er his head declined;—
Is, in embryo beauteousness, one of that band,
Who, telling the samenesses of far-parted things,
Plants through the universe, with magician hand,
A clue, which makes us following, universe-kings.
Who, telling the samenesses of far-parted things,
Plants through the universe, with magician hand,
A clue, which makes us following, universe-kings.
One of the seers and prophets who bid men pause
In their blind rushing, and awake to know
Fraternal essences, and beauteous laws,
In many a thing from which in scorn they go.
In their blind rushing, and awake to know
203
In many a thing from which in scorn they go.
Yea, at his glance, sin's palaces may fall,
Men rise, and all their demon gods disown;
For knowledge of hidden resemblances, is all
Needed to link mankind, in happiness, round love's throne.
Men rise, and all their demon gods disown;
For knowledge of hidden resemblances, is all
Needed to link mankind, in happiness, round love's throne.
| Studies of Sensation and Event | |