 | As it Was in The Beginning |  |
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CANTO X.
I.
“Hear me, my Morning, May, my June—My Midnight, Midday, Afternoon—
These truths I have from one who knew
The deeps of truth, from one who drew
My senses to his high control,
As tides turn to the high, white moon,
Because he was so pure so true,
So soulful, such unselfish soul,
With passions in one perfect whole.
II
“He loved, he wooed, he won, he wed,And that was all, aye, that was all
For days, for months, maybe for years.
He still would woo, put by her fears,
Make her his friend, let what befall,
And bide her will and bridal bed;
Bide her sweet will and loving, bide
Blest dalliance with his maiden bride.
III
“One night in May, such soulful nightOf cherry blossoms, birds, such birds
As burst with song, that sing outright
Because so glad they cannot keep
Their song, but sing out in their sleep!
Such noisy night, a cricket's night,
A night of Katydids, of dogs
That bayed and bayed the vast, full moon
In chorus with the tuneful frogs—
With May's head laid in lap of June.
How hot, how sultry hot the room!
Their garden tree in perfect bloom
Gave out far Nippon's full perfume—
The night grew warm and very warm,
And warm her warm, full-bosomed form!
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IV
How vital, virile, strong with life,The world without, the maiden wife
How wondrous fair, full at his side
And ever still a maiden bride!
The man uprose, caught close a skin,
A lion's skin, threw this about
His great, Herculean, pent-up form,
Thrust feet into his slippered shoes,
Then, with a careless, loosened gown
He strode the wide room up and down,
The skin's claws flapping at his thews.
He turned, he caught her suddenly
And instant wrapped her close within;
Then down the stairs and back and out
Beneath a blossomed apple tree;
Beneath the tree he pressed her form,
He was so warm, so very warm,
He held her close as close could be
Beneath the blossomed apple tree.
V
“He held her in his strong right arm,Held her so hard he shook the tree
Because he trembled mightily
And shook in his hard, happy pain—
Because he quivered as a pine
When tropic storm sweeps up the line,
As when some swift horse, harnessed low,
Frets hard and bites the bit to go.
She laughed such low, sweet laugh, and said,
The while she raised her pretty head,
‘Please, please be gentle, good to me,
And please don't hurt the apple tree.’
VI
“The warm land lay as in a swoon,Full length, the happy lap of June—
A fair bride fainting with delight
And fond forgetfulness with night.
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The world is in its love of life,
Its hate of harshness, hate of strife,
Its love of Eden, peace that lies
In love-set, leaf-sown Paradise:
VII
“How generous, how good is night!How warm this garden was, how warm
With life, with love, in any form!
Two lowly crickets, clad in black,
Came shyly forth, shrank sudden back—
Then chirped in chorus, side by side;
And oh, their narrow world was wide
As oceans, light their hearts as air,
And oh, their little world was fair,
And oh, their little world was warm
Because each had a lover there,
Because they loved and didn't care.
VIII
“How languid all things with delight,With sensuous longings, sweet desire
That burned as with immortal fire,
Immortal love that burns to live
And lives to burn, to take, to give,
Create, bring forth, and loving share
With God the fruitage, flesh or flower—
Just loving, loving, bud or bower,
Or bee or birdling, small or great,
Just loving, loving to create,
With just one caution, just one care:
That all creation shall be fair.
IX
“The very garden wall was warmWith happy sunshine gone away;
Each vine, with eager, reaching arm,
Clung amorous, tiptoed to kiss,
With eager lips, the ardent clay
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White apple blossoms, basking lay,
A perfect pathway of perfume;
The tiger lily scarce had room
For lilacs bending in a storm
Of laden sweetness more than sweet.
The moon leaned o'er the garden wall
Then smiling tiptoed up her way
The while she let one moon beam fall
Love-laden in the sensuous heat.
So sweet, so warm, so still withall,
Love heard pink apple blossoms fall.
X
“A Katydid laid his green thighAgainst another leaf-green form
And so began to sing and sigh,
As if it were his time to die
From stress and strain of passion's storm—
He, too, was warm and very warm.
XI
“A tasseled hammock, rich and red,Swung, hung hard by, and foot and head,
A maple tree, a cherry tree.
This famed tree of the Japanese,
Whatever other trees may be,
Is held most sacred of all trees;
Not quite because of its perfume,
Not all because of its rich bloom,
But most because its blossomed boughs
Not only list to lover's vows
But true to lovers, ever true,
Refuse to let one moonbeam through.
XII
“Here, close beneath this Nippon tree,The sweetest tree of fair Japan,
The lover's tree of mystery,
Where not a thread of moonlight lay,
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At hide and seek the other way,
He threw her, full length, from his arm;
Full length, then raised her drooping head,
Threw back the skin and, blushing red,
He sought to say—He nothing said!
He nothing did but blush and blush
And feel his hot blood rush and rush—
The very hammock bed was warm—
The while he leaned low from his place
And felt her warm breath in his face.
XIII
“Then, all abashed, he trembled soHe clutched the hammock hard and fast,
He held so hard it came, at last,
To shake, to swing fast to and fro.
Such awkwardness! He clutched, let go,
Then clutched so hard he shook the tree
Till perfumed silence came to see—
Till fragrance fell upon her hair,
Her midnight hair, a storm of snow.
How fair, how fair, how sensuous fair,
Half hidden in a great snow storm:
And yet how warm, how more than warm!
XIV
“How shamed he was! His great heart beatAs beats some signal for retreat.
This stupid, bravest of brave men,
Confused, dismayed, hung down his head,
Then turned and helplessly had fled,
Had she not reached a timid hand
And, half as pleading, half command
And half way laughing, shyly said,
From out her snood of snow and rain,
‘Please shake the Nippon tree again!’
XV
“He shook the tree; a snowy showerOn laughing face and loosened hair—
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Oh, she was fair and very fair!
Then with a sudden strength he plucked
His red-ripe cherry from the tree,
Wound 'round the skin and loosely tucked
The folds about her modestly,
Then on and up with giant stride
He bore his blushing, maiden bride,
So cherry ripe, so cherry red,
And laid her in her bridal bed—
Laid perfumed bride, laid flesh and flower.
What snows strewn in her ample hair,
What low, light laughter everywhere,
Or cherry tree, or step or stair!
Just low, soft laughter, cherry bloom,
Just love and love's unnamed perfume.
XVI
“He tossed the lion's skin aside,With folded arms leaned o'er his bride,
Turned low the lamp, then stood full length,
Then strode in all his supple strength
The room a time, tossed back his hair,
Then to his bride, swift bent to her,
And kneeled as lowliest worshipper.
XVII
“And then he threw him by her side,His long, strong limbs thrown out full length,
His two fists full of housed-up strength.
What pride, what manly, kingly pride
That he had conquered, bravely slain
His baser self, was self again!
XVIII
“He held a hand, exceeding small,He breathed her perfume, thrend her hair
Across her breast with such sweet care
He scarce did touch her form at all.
Again he rose, strode to and fro,
Came back and turned the light quite low.
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XIX
“He bowed his face low to her feet;Now he would rise, then would not rise;
He breathed, blushed to his very eyes,
Then sudden pushed aside the sheet
And kissed her pink and pearly toes.
Their perfume was the perfect rose
When perfect summer, passion, heat,
Points both hands of the clock straight up,
As when we lift and drain the cup,
As when we lift two hands and pray,
When we have lived our little day,
The horologe of life may stop
With both hands pointing to the top.
XX
“Then suddenly, in strength and pride,Full length he threw him at her side
And caught again her baby hand,
A bird that had escaped his snare.
He caught it hard, he held it there,
He begged her pardon, begged and prayed
She would forgive him, then he laid
His face to her face and the land
Was like to fairy land. They lay
As children when outworn at play.
As children bounding from their bed,
So rested, radiant, satisfied
With self and selfishness denied,
They laughed with early morn, they led,
So full of soul, of strength were they,
The laughing dance of life all day.
XXI
“All day? A month of days, and eachA song, a sermon, but to teach,
A holy book to teach the truth
Of endless, laughing, joyous youth.
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XXII
“At last, one springtime morning, sheHeld close his hand without the door,
Would scarce let go, said o'er and o'er,
‘Good bye! Come early back to me.’
And then, close up beside, as one
Might eager seek some stout oak tree
When storm was sudden threatened, she
Put up her pretty, pouting mouth,
Half closed her laughing, saucy eyes—
Such lips! Such roses from the south,
The warm, south side of Paradise!—
He kissed her, kissed her crimson red,
Then, like some burglar, turned and fled.
XXIII
“‘Good bye! Come early back to me.’Why, he heard nothing else all day,
Saw nothing else, knew naught but this,
Their fond, fond, first full-flowered kiss,
Wherein she led the rosy way,
As is her right, as it should be.
He looked the clock hard in its face
A hundred times, he blushed, he smiled,
Did leave his desk and lightly pace
The floor, half laughing, as a child.
A million kisses! He'd had one,
Scarce one, his joy had just begun!
XXIV
“‘Come early!’ He was at the gateAnd through the door ere yet the day
Had kneeled down in the west to pray
Its vesper prayer, all brimming o'er
And blushing that he could not wait
To kiss her just once more, once more!
Take breath, then kiss her o'er and o'er.
XXV
“By some sweet chance he found her there,Close fenced against the winding stair,
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She put her lips up as to plead
She might be spared a little space;
But there was mischief in her face,
A world of frolic and of fun,
And he could run as he could read,
Aye, he could read as he could run.
And then she pushed her red lips out:
‘You are so strong you hold so fast!
You know I tried to lock the door’—
And then she frowned, began to pout
And sighed, ‘Dear, dear, 't is not well done!’
And then he caught her close, and then
He kissed her, once, twice, thrice again!
XXVI
“Then days and many days of this—Ah! man, make merry and carouse
Upon your way, within your house,
Hold right there in your manly hand
Your snow-white maid who waits your kiss;
Carouse on kisses and carouse
In soul, the livelong, busy day
When duty tears you well away,
To know what waits you at the gate,
And waiting loves and loves to wait.
XXVII
“And how to kiss? A thousand ways,And each way new and each way true,
And each way true and each way new
Each day for thrice a thousand days.
How loyal he who loves, how grand!
He does not tell her overmuch,
He does not sigh or seek to touch
Her garment's hem or lily hand;
She is his soul, his life, his light,
His saint by day, his shrine by night.
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XXVIII
“True love leads home his maiden brideLow-voiced and tender, soft and true;
He leans to her to woo, to woo,
As if she still turned and denied—
No selfish touch, no sated kiss
To kill, and dig the grave of bliss.
XXIX
“True love will hold his maiden brideAs nobles hold inheritance;
He will not part with one small pence
Of her fair strength and stately pride,
But wait serenely at her side,
Supremely proud, full, satisfied.
XXX
“Why, what a glorious thing to view!Each morn a maiden at your side,
The one fair woman, maid and bride,
With all her sweetness waiting you!
How wise the miser, more than wise,
Who knows to count and keep such prize!
XXXI
“How glad the coming home of himWho knows a maiden waits and waits,
All pulsing, still, within his gates,
To kiss his goblet's golden brim;
How joyous still to woo and woo,
To read the old new story through!
XXXII
“Ah me, behold what heritage!What light by which to walk, to live
This age when lights resplendent burn,
This glorious, shining, new-born age,
When love can bravely give and give
And get thrice ten-fold in return,
If man will only live and learn.
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XXXIII
“My Soul, my Life, you taught me allI know, taught me to love, to live,
You gave me all I now would give
To man, to turn him from his thrall—
To turn him from his selfish self,
Teach him to love and not to use,
To cherish, cherish, not abuse,
To count her precious, pure as dawn,
Aye, love her just to look upon,
As meanest miser loves his pelf,
Above all appetite and self.
XXXIV
“And now soft colors through the houseBegan to slowly bud and bloom;
The wise, the fair, far-seeing spouse
Began to deck the bridal room;
Began to build, as builds a bird,
When first footfalls of spring are heard.
XXXV
“The warm-toned colors of the wall,Then gorgeous, grass-like carpetings
Strown, sown with lily, pink and all
That nature in her season brings;
Then curtains of the Orient,
Then silken couch, soft as a kiss,
Then music such as science lent
But rarely to such loves as this:
Mute music, where not hand of man
Or foot of man is seen or heard,
Such soft, sweet sound as only can
In happy blossom time be heard—
Be heard from happy, nested bird.
XXXVI
“And now full twelve o'clock, the noonOf faithful, trustful wedded love,
The two hands pointing straight above.
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Came through the silken sheen and laid
A sword of silver at her side.
And peace, sweet perfect peace was hers
As when nor bird nor blossom stirs
And she was never more afraid;
The moon surrendered to the maid,
Drew back and softly turned aside
As bridesmaid turning from the bride.
XXXVII
“All voiceless, noiseless, tenderlyHe pressed beside her, took her hand—
He took her from the leaning moon,
And far beyond the amber sea,
While morning stars still sang in rune,
They sailed the seas of afternoon—
The far, still seas, so grandly grand,
Until they came to Babyland.
XXXVIII
“And while the red stars sang in runeFar down dim seas of afternoon,
Because of treasured strength and truth,
God trusted, kissed her tenderly
And loving took her soul to be
In partnership, to rear the youth,
The man-child mightily with Him—
Or cherubim or seraphim.”
XXXIX
He looked far up the mango laneBelow the wide-boughed banyan tree,
He looked to her, then looked again,
As one who tried yet could not see
But this one straight and upward way:
“I said two ways, here seems but one,
Or set of moon or rise of sun,
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And you will go, and I must stay?”
She looked far up the steep of stone
And said: “I go, but not alone.”
XL
The boat's prow pushed the cocoa shore,The man spake not, but, leaning o'er,
Strong-armed, he drew her to his side
And was not anywise denied.
He pointed to the failing fire
That still tipt lava peak and spire,
While stars pinned down the robe of night:
'Twas here God said, “Let there be Light!”
XLI
A little church, a lava wall,A soft light looking gently down,
The Light of Christ, the second light,
Where two as one, passed up the town.
She gave her hand, she gave her all,
And said, as such proud woman might,
In ample right, in hallowed cause:
“As it in the beginning was,
So let the man-child be full born
Of Love, of Light, the Light of Morn!”
SIT LUX.
| As it Was in The Beginning | |