 | Narcissus and Other Poems |  |
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II. THE SPIRIT OF MAN.
Sing on, thou shape of death, thy savage song,
I will defy thee, though the foam-waves roll,
I, in the shivering night, so lone, so long,
Waiting for thee—a naked human soul:
I will defy thee, though thy laws should give
Pause to my breath in act of utterance,
Though in each tortuous twist and trick of chance
My life be lapped, I will defy; and live.
I will defy thee, though the foam-waves roll,
I, in the shivering night, so lone, so long,
Waiting for thee—a naked human soul:
I will defy thee, though thy laws should give
Pause to my breath in act of utterance,
Though in each tortuous twist and trick of chance
My life be lapped, I will defy; and live.
I am of thee, World-torrent; and who braves
Thy strength shall share thy strength; so sweep away
This body, still athwart thy raging waves
My hands outreaching round thy soul I lay;
And hold thee fast for ever. As I cling
Painfully persevering, in my ears
The surging of the mighty water clears
To one sweet harmony; and, like a wing
Thy strength shall share thy strength; so sweep away
This body, still athwart thy raging waves
My hands outreaching round thy soul I lay;
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Painfully persevering, in my ears
The surging of the mighty water clears
To one sweet harmony; and, like a wing
Pulsing in distant skies, is borne the sound
Of that far chaunt whose charm no mortal man,
Hearing, forgets for ever; for around
The dreams of childhood when his life began,
His formless youthful fancies, and above
All after-cries and cravings still it rang
Imperiously insistent where it sang
The will of God, the wonder of His love.
Of that far chaunt whose charm no mortal man,
Hearing, forgets for ever; for around
The dreams of childhood when his life began,
His formless youthful fancies, and above
All after-cries and cravings still it rang
Imperiously insistent where it sang
The will of God, the wonder of His love.
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