 | Under the dawn |  |
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HEAVEN: A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY.
A vision of Heaven. On the marble floors
Stood three immortals; two were women; one
Passed, as a man, towards the gold-gleaming doors,
Stood three immortals; two were women; one
Passed, as a man, towards the gold-gleaming doors,
Whose latches, by angelic palms undone,
Admitted to an open flowery lawn,
Burnished, and overladen by the sun;
Admitted to an open flowery lawn,
Burnished, and overladen by the sun;
It seemed about the hour of crimson dawn;
One woman's eyes shone most divinely green—
Like green seas—and her neck was like a fawn—
One woman's eyes shone most divinely green—
Like green seas—and her neck was like a fawn—
Slender and graceful—and she stepped a queen,
And a most delicate dimple on her cheek
Did testify of merry wit unseen,
And a most delicate dimple on her cheek
Did testify of merry wit unseen,
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Which whoso will be valiant to seek,
Like some bold knight upon a perilous quest,
Shall first be pure, and temperate, and meek,
Like some bold knight upon a perilous quest,
Shall first be pure, and temperate, and meek,
And skilled, besides, in courtly quip and jest;
But when she smiled, it was as if the sun
Burst with a sudden flame some larchen nest,
But when she smiled, it was as if the sun
Burst with a sudden flame some larchen nest,
And through the tender green red rays did run
Laughing, and lissome on their fiery feet—
Even such a brilliance from her beauty spun
Laughing, and lissome on their fiery feet—
Even such a brilliance from her beauty spun
Did overcome beholders with a sweet
Exuberance, and inner sense of bloom;
And as the impulsive swan's approach is fleet,
Exuberance, and inner sense of bloom;
And as the impulsive swan's approach is fleet,
And as his breast divides the watery tomb,
Like some bright angel gliding through the airs,
So did her steps the rapid meads consume.
Like some bright angel gliding through the airs,
So did her steps the rapid meads consume.
The other lady's radiant brow declares
Keen wit, and subtle force of many things;
So, swept 'mid many soft celestial pairs,
Keen wit, and subtle force of many things;
So, swept 'mid many soft celestial pairs,
They advance, and, smiling, each to the other sings
Of unforgotten earth, and daisies pink,
And forests where the fairies dance in rings,
Of unforgotten earth, and daisies pink,
And forests where the fairies dance in rings,
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And rushes bright in spring-tide on the brink
Of silver rivers, quivering through the haze,
Where wag-tails stoop their slender heads to drink,
Of silver rivers, quivering through the haze,
Where wag-tails stoop their slender heads to drink,
And water-rats scud swiftly through the maze
Of flowering reed, and peppermint, and grass,
And blue forget-me-not, and woodbine sprays
Of flowering reed, and peppermint, and grass,
And blue forget-me-not, and woodbine sprays
That overhang the stream; and beetles pass
Through the great leaves of lilies, white or yellow,
That gleam like flakes of vari-coloured glass
Through the great leaves of lilies, white or yellow,
That gleam like flakes of vari-coloured glass
Upon the waves—see what a supple fellow
Is that one gliding all athwart the reeds,
Blue-backed and shiny! Tiny voices mellow
Is that one gliding all athwart the reeds,
Blue-backed and shiny! Tiny voices mellow
Of happy insects, too, the passer heeds,
And as he dreams upon a thymy bank,
To soothing whisper soothing sound succeeds,
And as he dreams upon a thymy bank,
To soothing whisper soothing sound succeeds,
And half-seen shapes do glimmer through the rank
And steamy water-foliage; star-like flowers,
And here and there he views the nimble prank
And steamy water-foliage; star-like flowers,
And here and there he views the nimble prank
Of fishes, frogs, and swallows; and in bowers
Of bright green starwort dragon-flies are seated,
Not testing yet their vibratory powers;
Of bright green starwort dragon-flies are seated,
Not testing yet their vibratory powers;
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And many subtle notes of birds repeated
Flame from the neighbouring woods, like silver streams
Of sound and colour mixed, and a conceited
Flame from the neighbouring woods, like silver streams
Of sound and colour mixed, and a conceited
Loud thrush is ululant; his bright throat teems
With vocal fancies, and from spray to spray
He hurls the windy utterance of his dreams.
With vocal fancies, and from spray to spray
He hurls the windy utterance of his dreams.
With many visions of so sweet a day
The ladies, swept through heaven on crystal wing,
Had, erst, beguiled the tedium of their way,
The ladies, swept through heaven on crystal wing,
Had, erst, beguiled the tedium of their way,
Teaching each other novel tricks to sing,
And laughing now and then, as woman will,
Being an artless, simple-headed thing.
And laughing now and then, as woman will,
Being an artless, simple-headed thing.
But now they stayed each rapid plumy quill,
Seeing a man, and, overjoyed, exclaimed,
“Ha! thou art mine, sweet, all unaltered still!”
Seeing a man, and, overjoyed, exclaimed,
“Ha! thou art mine, sweet, all unaltered still!”
Forth from each face a recognition flamed—
“He is my very husband,” says the one,
“The very man I married, trimmed, and tamed.”
“He is my very husband,” says the one,
“The very man I married, trimmed, and tamed.”
“Nay,” says the other, “he is that sweet sun
Who shone upon my early life, made bitter
By thoughts impoverished and dreams undone.”
Who shone upon my early life, made bitter
By thoughts impoverished and dreams undone.”
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So, like two linnets in a bough, they twitter,
Each fixing on him earnest supple eyes,
That with repressed desire do flame and glitter,
Each fixing on him earnest supple eyes,
That with repressed desire do flame and glitter,
Even as a double sunset in the skies,
One green, one grey, but either tinged with red;
For in hot cheeks the amorous roses rise.
One green, one grey, but either tinged with red;
For in hot cheeks the amorous roses rise.
“You married him—he loved me; for he said
His very soul and all its wealth was mine,
And in a leash his power of voice I led;
His very soul and all its wealth was mine,
And in a leash his power of voice I led;
“So that he cared for nothing, save to twine
Delicious wreaths of violet-scented songs,
And these in many a feathery, leafy line
Delicious wreaths of violet-scented songs,
And these in many a feathery, leafy line
“Flew round about my unheeding feet in throngs,
As bees besiege a blooming currant-bush,
Whose budding honey to each mouth belongs;
As bees besiege a blooming currant-bush,
Whose budding honey to each mouth belongs;
“So sonnets, with an agile heat and rush,
Did overwhelm me, till, as a red rose,
Down to my shoulders I was fain to blush!
Did overwhelm me, till, as a red rose,
Down to my shoulders I was fain to blush!
“Say, sir, are you not mindful now of those?
“But, lady, 'tis my wife! I thought that here
In heaven all hearts were crystal as the snows,
“But, lady, 'tis my wife! I thought that here
In heaven all hearts were crystal as the snows,
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“And each incapable of any sneer;
But that, in truth, 'tis not exactly so
I now begin, sweet early love, to fear.
But that, in truth, 'tis not exactly so
I now begin, sweet early love, to fear.
“Oh! thou didst waken first the rosy glow
Of passion; when I called, thou didst disdain
The fiery floods that then did overflow,
Of passion; when I called, thou didst disdain
The fiery floods that then did overflow,
“Like some volcano's luminous red rain;
And so I married her to lay remorse—
I married her to cudgel thick-backed pain;
And so I married her to lay remorse—
I married her to cudgel thick-backed pain;
“I thought Platonic love! the winged horse
Prevailed in heaven, and that his golden wings
Surpassed all doubt and selfishness of course.
Prevailed in heaven, and that his golden wings
Surpassed all doubt and selfishness of course.
“I see that heaven is paved with other things;
That, as on earth, no woman can abide
A rival, but another's presence stings.
That, as on earth, no woman can abide
A rival, but another's presence stings.
“I thought to float so softly on the tide
Of double ministry; but now, behold!
A fissure doth disperse my double bride,
Of double ministry; but now, behold!
A fissure doth disperse my double bride,
“My woman, wrought of silver and of gold—
For first love is of gold, and after her,
'Tis well if even silvery gauze enfold
For first love is of gold, and after her,
'Tis well if even silvery gauze enfold
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“The woman fashionèd of later air;
A large unselfishness, the people taught,
In heaven should give to each the power to share
A large unselfishness, the people taught,
In heaven should give to each the power to share
“Her proper influence, and envy naught;
But now those sidelong looks do testify
That even in heaven can jealousy be caught,—
But now those sidelong looks do testify
That even in heaven can jealousy be caught,—
“And that strong passion agitates the sky
Wherein with gauzy wings, and crystal mail,
The cherubim and seraphim do fly;
Wherein with gauzy wings, and crystal mail,
The cherubim and seraphim do fly;
“See, my sweet green-eyed love is still and pale,
And my soft grey-eyed charmer is on fire
To flesh her talons in the other's veil,
And my soft grey-eyed charmer is on fire
To flesh her talons in the other's veil,
“And red with pent-up volume of desire:
Oh, miserable man! to be divided
Upon the faggots of so sweet a pyre,
Oh, miserable man! to be divided
Upon the faggots of so sweet a pyre,
“Thus tortured, and perverted, and derided,
When to be sacrificed for either were
As if a ravished saint to heaven glided
When to be sacrificed for either were
As if a ravished saint to heaven glided
“In cars and happy pinions light as air;
Now my first love, reviving, burns me through,
And wraps me in unutterably fair
Now my first love, reviving, burns me through,
And wraps me in unutterably fair
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“Excess of roses, and a pearly dew
Too sweet and too ethereal to tell,
Save only to the sympathetic few
Too sweet and too ethereal to tell,
Save only to the sympathetic few
“On whom the bardic fire from heaven fell.
And now my later lady with her mouth,
So soft, and as the purple violets' smell,
And now my later lady with her mouth,
So soft, and as the purple violets' smell,
“O'erwhelms me, like a garden in the south:
One virgin is the fit dower of a man,
But two do trickle over me in truth,
One virgin is the fit dower of a man,
But two do trickle over me in truth,
“As if two equal-bodied streamlets ran,
From a piny mountain, and the one is green,
The other grey, and silver-tinged, and wan;
From a piny mountain, and the one is green,
The other grey, and silver-tinged, and wan;
“Even so the pearly brilliance of my queen
Dismays me softly, and her hands surpass
The beauty of all soft things later seen,
Dismays me softly, and her hands surpass
The beauty of all soft things later seen,
“As spring's is sweeter than the autumn grass,
And apple-blossom glorious in May—
But all such pink and delicate bloom doth pass
And apple-blossom glorious in May—
But all such pink and delicate bloom doth pass
“Not able to resist the straighter ray
Of Phœbus; then the sweet grey eyes do gleam
Upon me, and her bosom doth display
Of Phœbus; then the sweet grey eyes do gleam
Upon me, and her bosom doth display
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“Scent and effulgence of a summer dream.
My beautiful, my eyes of violet,
That with delicious thoughts do bud and teem,
My beautiful, my eyes of violet,
That with delicious thoughts do bud and teem,
“Dost mind the forest-glade in which we met,
And the first love-look, and the first long kiss,
With lips immutably together set?
And the first love-look, and the first long kiss,
With lips immutably together set?
“But now the lady shines who swayed the bliss
Of boyhood, and, behold, she loves me best,
And, like a meteor, risen with fiery hiss,
Of boyhood, and, behold, she loves me best,
And, like a meteor, risen with fiery hiss,
“Her splendour overcomes my supple breast!
For, as a swan, she struggles through and through,
With tender feet, the reedy dismal nest
For, as a swan, she struggles through and through,
With tender feet, the reedy dismal nest
“Of my sad bosom, and it blooms anew
With lilies white and yellow, and with flowers
Red, purple as the heaven's own holy hue,
With lilies white and yellow, and with flowers
Red, purple as the heaven's own holy hue,
“And, see, she fills me with eternal powers
Of thought and understanding; O my lady,
Poured over me in mystic maiden showers
Of thought and understanding; O my lady,
Poured over me in mystic maiden showers
“Of white dispersed effulgence, as a shady
Sweet rivulet doth crystallize a wood—
The soft continuance of that stream had made me
Sweet rivulet doth crystallize a wood—
The soft continuance of that stream had made me
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“A god divinely jubilant and good;
But thou didst fly in terror through the hollows,
With rapidly receding, tarnished hood,
But thou didst fly in terror through the hollows,
With rapidly receding, tarnished hood,
“Like frightened purple backs of scudding swallows;
But now thy sweet face softly doth return,
And over hill and dale thy adorer follows—
But now thy sweet face softly doth return,
And over hill and dale thy adorer follows—
“And all his spirits tremblingly do yearn,
And all his heart is compassed by a flame
That doth divide, and extirpate, and burn
And all his heart is compassed by a flame
That doth divide, and extirpate, and burn
“The later follies of a lower aim:
O take him to thy breast, and let the splendour
Of thine immediate rose-bloom soothe and tame
O take him to thy breast, and let the splendour
Of thine immediate rose-bloom soothe and tame
“The ravished spirit that he again would render
To be irrevocably, wholly, thine;—”
But then a sweet voice, silvery and tender,
To be irrevocably, wholly, thine;—”
But then a sweet voice, silvery and tender,
Did whisper, “Nay, my hero, thou art mine!”
And I was 'ware that in some mossy wood,
Under a monstrous growth of purple pine,
And I was 'ware that in some mossy wood,
Under a monstrous growth of purple pine,
Over my head a slender seraph stood,
And loaded me with violets, and a love,
From foot to crimson apex of tall hood,
And loaded me with violets, and a love,
From foot to crimson apex of tall hood,
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Unspeakable, did circle her; above
'Twas as a golden halo, and her crown
Was seemly as the gold crest of a dove
'Twas as a golden halo, and her crown
Was seemly as the gold crest of a dove
Through reverent sprays of larches fluttering down,
Whose back is green, but head as rapid fire;
And, in my dream, the woman seemed to frown
Whose back is green, but head as rapid fire;
And, in my dream, the woman seemed to frown
As if retaining some untold desire;—
So I became aware that heaven and death
Cannot set straight the bent strings of the lyre,
So I became aware that heaven and death
Cannot set straight the bent strings of the lyre,
As one with overweening fancy saith;
For that a woman will not know content,
Nor peaceful passage of her gentle breath,
For that a woman will not know content,
Nor peaceful passage of her gentle breath,
Until she be supreme—his heart not rent,
But all her own. It will not do to say
“In heaven bright-gold unselfish wings are lent,”
But all her own. It will not do to say
“In heaven bright-gold unselfish wings are lent,”
For still a woman's shoulders are of clay,
And their pure warmth shall melt the heavenly plumes,
And make them as the feathers of to-day,
And their pure warmth shall melt the heavenly plumes,
And make them as the feathers of to-day,
Which her fierce soul repeatedly consumes;
Platonic preachers! I do bid you all
Forth from among dim philosophic tombs,
Platonic preachers! I do bid you all
Forth from among dim philosophic tombs,
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And mark this trio in the golden hall
Of heaven, and 'mid the turrets and white towers
That overtop and overshadow all.
Of heaven, and 'mid the turrets and white towers
That overtop and overshadow all.
Mark the rich access of new heavenly powers,
But see that passion hath the ruddier grown
For influx of red blood from heavenly flowers,
But see that passion hath the ruddier grown
For influx of red blood from heavenly flowers,
And more imperious yet her urgent tone.
“Each heart,” ye say, “shall overshadow each.
Seizing each petal straightly towards it blown,
“Each heart,” ye say, “shall overshadow each.
Seizing each petal straightly towards it blown,
“And similar tendrils every soul shall reach
Towards similar tendrils, for to each belongs
A repertory of some separate speech,
Towards similar tendrils, for to each belongs
A repertory of some separate speech,
“And unto God the central Song of songs:
Where sympathy is present, there in heaven
Is union, and the close angelic throngs
Where sympathy is present, there in heaven
Is union, and the close angelic throngs
“Make marriages, by similar feeling driven!
And many marriages of earth are changed,
And fulsome links of earth asunder riven
And many marriages of earth are changed,
And fulsome links of earth asunder riven
“By the broad wind whose healthy breezes ranged
Over celestial fields”—it will not do;
Though all the angelic hosts aloud harangued
Over celestial fields”—it will not do;
Though all the angelic hosts aloud harangued
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A woman, would she be content to view
Herself dispersed among the red and green,
Red Gabriel perhaps, or grim Ezekiel blue?
Herself dispersed among the red and green,
Red Gabriel perhaps, or grim Ezekiel blue?
Even as passion on the earth hath been,
So it shall be for ever; o'er the hills
Of heaven there shines no novel sun, I ween,
So it shall be for ever; o'er the hills
Of heaven there shines no novel sun, I ween,
Dispersing and redeeming all our ills;
No novel rainbow, making all things clear,
Illumes the tender froth of heavenly rills,
No novel rainbow, making all things clear,
Illumes the tender froth of heavenly rills,
But there is turgid passion—even as here—
And jealousy, and, perhaps, even hate,
And insolence, and bigotry, and fear,
And jealousy, and, perhaps, even hate,
And insolence, and bigotry, and fear,
And, when the seasons hurl us, soon or late,
Into that vapid waste of hazy sky,
There will be quarrels between Ruth and Kate,
Into that vapid waste of hazy sky,
There will be quarrels between Ruth and Kate,
Nor will Ruth hesitate to tell a lie,
To bring her Alfred sooner to her breast,
For the immediate pressure of God's eye—
To bring her Alfred sooner to her breast,
For the immediate pressure of God's eye—
Since, sooner shall a bird forsake her nest,
Than woman be content to mix her soul
With the great soul of Love, at second-best,
Than woman be content to mix her soul
With the great soul of Love, at second-best,
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And, since we cannot make things sweet and whole,
We count creation but a sorry jest,
And join God's laughter, as the wild years roll.
We count creation but a sorry jest,
And join God's laughter, as the wild years roll.
| Under the dawn | |