The Poems of Digby Mackworth Dolben Edited with a Memoir by Robert Bridges |
 |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 10. |
| 11. |
| 12. |
| 13. |
| 14. |
| 15. |
| 16. |
| 17. |
| 18. |
| 19. |
| 20. |
| 21. |
| 22. |
| 23. |
| 24. |
| 25. |
| 26. |
| 27. |
| 28. |
| 29. |
| 30. |
| 31. |
| 32. |
| 33. |
| 34. |
| 35. |
| 36. |
| 37. |
| 38. |
| 39. |
 | 40. |
| 41. |
| 42. |
| 43. |
The Dream
|
| 44. |
| 45. |
| 46. |
| 47. |
| 48. |
| 49. |
| 50. |
| 51. |
| 52. |
| 53. |
 | The Poems of Digby Mackworth Dolben |  |
102
The Dream
I stood amid the lights that never die,
The only stars the dawning passes by,
Beneath the whisper of the central dome
That holds and hides the mystic heart of Rome.
The only stars the dawning passes by,
Beneath the whisper of the central dome
That holds and hides the mystic heart of Rome.
But in mine eyes the light of other times,
And in mine ears the sound of English chimes;
I smelled again the freshness of the morn,
The primal incense of the daisied lawn.
And in mine ears the sound of English chimes;
I smelled again the freshness of the morn,
The primal incense of the daisied lawn.
[OMITTED]I said
‘And have I come so very far indeed?’
‘And have I come so very far indeed?’
The everlasting murmur echoes ‘Far
As from green earth is set the furthest star
Men have not named. A journey none retrace
Is thine, and steps the seas could not efface.’
‘How cold and pitiless is the voice of Truth,’
I cried; ‘Ah! who will give me my lost youth?
Ah! who restore the years the locust ate,
Hard to remember, harder to forget?’
As from green earth is set the furthest star
Men have not named. A journey none retrace
Is thine, and steps the seas could not efface.’
‘How cold and pitiless is the voice of Truth,’
I cried; ‘Ah! who will give me my lost youth?
Ah! who restore the years the locust ate,
Hard to remember, harder to forget?’
103
[OMITTED]
A multitude of voices sweet and grave,
A long procession up the sounding nave.
A multitude of voices sweet and grave,
A long procession up the sounding nave.
‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah, He
Has conquered, but in Wounds and Agony.
The ensign of His triumph is the Rood,
His royal robe is purple, but with Blood.
Has conquered, but in Wounds and Agony.
The ensign of His triumph is the Rood,
His royal robe is purple, but with Blood.
And we who follow in His Martyr-train
Have access only thro' the courts of pain.
Yet on the Via dolorosa He
Precedes us in His sweet humanity.
Have access only thro' the courts of pain.
Yet on the Via dolorosa He
Precedes us in His sweet humanity.
A Man shall be a covert from the heat,
Whereon in vain the sandy noon shall beat:
A Man shall be a perfect summer sun,
When all the western lights are paled and gone.
Whereon in vain the sandy noon shall beat:
A Man shall be a perfect summer sun,
When all the western lights are paled and gone.
A Man shall be a Father, Brother, Spouse,
A land, a city and perpetual House:
A Man shall lift us to the Angels' shore:
A Man shall be our God for evermore.’
A land, a city and perpetual House:
A Man shall lift us to the Angels' shore:
A Man shall be our God for evermore.’
104
Christ, God, or rather Jesu, it is true,
True the old story of Gethsemane.
Remember then the unfathomed agony
That touched upon the caverns of despair,
Whence never diver hath regain'd the sun.—
Thou knowest, but I know not; save me then
From beating the impenetrable rock.
By that Thine hour of weakness be my Strength,
And I will follow Thee where'er Thou goest.
True the old story of Gethsemane.
Remember then the unfathomed agony
That touched upon the caverns of despair,
Whence never diver hath regain'd the sun.—
Thou knowest, but I know not; save me then
From beating the impenetrable rock.
By that Thine hour of weakness be my Strength,
And I will follow Thee where'er Thou goest.
| The Poems of Digby Mackworth Dolben | |