 | Eonchs of ruby. A Gift of Love |  |
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ISADORE.
“I approach thee—I look dauntless into thine eyes. The soul that loves can dare all things. Shadow, I defy thee, and compel.”—
Zanoni.I.
While the world lay round me sleeping,I, alone, for Isadore,
Patient Vigils lonely keeping—
Some one said to me while weeping,
“Why this grief forever more?”
And I answered, “I am weeping
For my blessed Isadore!”
II.
Then the Voice again said, “NeverShall thy soul see Isadore!
God from thee thy love did sever—
He has damned thy soul forever!
Wherefore then her loss deplore?
Thou shalt live in Hell forever!
Heaven now holds thine Isadore!
III.
“She is dead—the world benighted—Dark for want of Isadore!
Have not all your hopes been blighted?
How can you be reunited?
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Have not all your hopes been blighted?
Why then hope for Isadore?”
IV.
“Back to Hell, thou ghostly Horror!”Thus I cried, dear Isadore!
“Phantom of remorseless Sorrow!
Death might from thee palor borrow—
Borrow leanness ever more!
Back to Hell again!—to-morrow
I will go to Isadore!”
V.
“When my soul to Heaven is taken,”Were thy words, dear Isadore!
“Let no other one awaken
In thy heart, because forsaken,
What was felt for me before!
When my soul to Heaven is taken,
Oh! forget not Isadore!
VI.
“Oh! remember this, Politian!”Said my dying Isadore!
“Till from out this clayey prison
In the flowery Fields Elysian
We unite forever more!
Oh! remember this, Politian!
And forget not Isadore!”
VII.
Then before my raptured visionCame sweet Hope, dear Isadore!
From the flowery Fields Elysian,
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Rise—rejoice forever more!
Angels wait for thee, Politian!
Up to Heaven to Isadore!”
VIII.
Then from out my soul departedDeepest grief, dear Isadore!
Bliss, that never me deserted,
Entered in the broken-hearted—
Giving life forever more—
Bliss that never me deserted,
Like thy love, dear Isadore!
IX.
Myriad Voices still are crying,Day and night, dear Isadore!
“Come, come to the Pure Land lying
Far up in the sky undying—
There to rest forever more!
Purified, redeemed, undying—
Come to Heaven to Isadore!
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X.
“Blest Companion of th' Eternal!Come away to Isadore!
From the griefs that are diurnal
To the joys that are supernal—
Sempiternal on Heaven's shore!
Bliss supernal, joys eternal
Up in Heaven with Isadore.
XI.
“Cast away thy garb of mourning,Worn so long for Isadore!
For those glory-garments burning
In the Bright Isles of the Morning,
Like the stars forever more.
Golden Days are now returning—
Up to Heaven to Isadore!
XII.
“Lay aside thy load of sorrow,Borne so long for Isadore!
Pilgrim, pierced by Death's cold arrow,
Thou shalt see thy love to-morrow
Up in Heaven forever more!
Lay aside thy load of sorrow—
Come to Heaven to Isadore!
XIII.
“Come away, Oh! mournful mortal!Come to Heaven to Isadore!
Through Death's ebon, iron Portal
To the joys that are immortal
On Helusion's happy shore!
Come away, Oh! mournful mortal!
Into Heaven to Isadore!
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XIV.
“Up to God who will befriend you!Up to Heaven to Isadore!
Angels waiting to attend you—
Every aid you wish to lend you—
Singing, shouting on Heaven's shore!
Angels waiting to attend you
To your blessed Isadore!”
XV.
From the griefs that are diurnal—Bitter griefs, dear Isadore!
To the joys that are eternal—
To the bliss that is supernal—
Sempiternal on Heaven's shore—
Thou art gone through years eternal
There to rest, dear Isadore!
XVI.
There they comates shall be Angels—White-robed Angels, Isadore!
Singing Heaven's Divine Evangels
Through the Eternal Years, all change else,
Changeless there forever more!
Thou, Astrate of the Angels!
Knowest this so, dear Isadore!
XVII.
From the Paradise now wastedOf thy form, dear Isadore!
Lilly-bell that Death has blasted!
Purest Pleasures have I tasted
In the Edenic days of Yore.
Joys celestial have I tasted
From thy flower, dear Isadore!
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XVIII.
Like two spirits in one being,Were our souls, dear Isadore!
Every object singly seeing—
In all things, like one, agreeing
In those Halcyon Days of Yore.
We shall live so in our being
Up in Heaven, dear Isadore!
XIX.
Myriad Voices still are cryingDay and night, dear Isadore!
“Come, come to the Pure Land lying
Far up in the sky undying—
There to rest forever more!
Purified, redeemed, undying—
Come to Heaven to Isadore!
XX.
Adon-Ai! God of Glory!Who dost love mine Isadore!
Who didst hear her prayerful story
In this world when she was sorry—
Gone to Heaven forever more!
Adon-Ai! God of Glory!
Take me home to Isadore!
Plato speaks of the “Pure Earth” above, (την γην χαθαραν εν χαθαρω χεισθαι ουρανο,) the abode of Divinity, of innocence, and life. It is an immemorial tradition. It was a revelation to the Hebrews. This “Pure Earth” above, is, no doubt, the primeval Paradise of Love—the ante-type of that which Adam lost. Aristotle, in his Hymn to Virtue, speaks of the “Blessed Isles” above. The Νησοι Μακαρων, or Isles of the Blest, were the Elysium of the departed Heroes who were considered immortal—the same as the Manitoline of the Indians, where they say the souls of the deathless Chieftains of the world dance in hormonian choirs around the throne of Ataensic to the most delightful music. They believe that the future felicity of the departed of this world consists in rejoining, in the flower-gemmed Savannahs of the Fields of Immortality, the long lost objects of their affections in the joyful festivities of the Chase.
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