 | Love-Songs |  |
24
III. THE EMIGRANT'S SONG.
Hark to the dashing of the deep blue sea
As the sides of the boat are gleaming
Through deep-drawn furrows of the lands that are free,
With a foam-line after us streaming!
As the sides of the boat are gleaming
Through deep-drawn furrows of the lands that are free,
With a foam-line after us streaming!
Life before us, and room to expand!
Let us steer for the home of the sunset,
Let us make for the shores of an infinite land
And smile at the swift waves' onset.
Let us steer for the home of the sunset,
Let us make for the shores of an infinite land
And smile at the swift waves' onset.
Let us cast from off us the chains of the old
And look to a life that is new;
As the creeds of the past wax fainter and cold,
Clear rises a creed that is true.
And look to a life that is new;
As the creeds of the past wax fainter and cold,
Clear rises a creed that is true.
We shall soon be free; far out of the reach
Of the priests, and the tales of tradition;
Fear not: we shall ground on a gravelly beach,
And arrive at a rightful condition.
Of the priests, and the tales of tradition;
Fear not: we shall ground on a gravelly beach,
And arrive at a rightful condition.
Let us leave the churches that clamour and cry,
And put the books on the shelves;
Come, men, my brothers, at least we will try
To find us a faith for ourselves!
And put the books on the shelves;
Come, men, my brothers, at least we will try
To find us a faith for ourselves!
25
We are leaving lands where respectable saints
Look down on the poor and the old;
Where Nature is scorned, and humanity faints,
And women are bought and sold.
Look down on the poor and the old;
Where Nature is scorned, and humanity faints,
And women are bought and sold.
Where priests shriek shouts, and condemn their betters,
While women fall faint, and fade before them,
Believing in lies, believing in fetters,
And not in the truth of the Spirit that bore them.
While women fall faint, and fade before them,
Believing in lies, believing in fetters,
And not in the truth of the Spirit that bore them.
The Spirit that lords it over the sea,
Shines in the sunshine, walks in the wind,
Sounds in the life of the leaves of a tree,
Kisses the eyes of a soul that has sinned.
Shines in the sunshine, walks in the wind,
Sounds in the life of the leaves of a tree,
Kisses the eyes of a soul that has sinned.
Clothèd upon with the might of the thunder
And brighter than brightness of lightning rays;
Fulfilled with life—dividing asunder
The soul and the body, the nights and days.
And brighter than brightness of lightning rays;
Fulfilled with life—dividing asunder
The soul and the body, the nights and days.
The Spirit that breathes in the infinite ether,
And clothes the night with a mantle of stars;
All-gracious; smiling on mortals beneath her;
Spirit of peace-time, Spirit of wars.
And clothes the night with a mantle of stars;
All-gracious; smiling on mortals beneath her;
Spirit of peace-time, Spirit of wars.
Strong to rejoice in the roar of the battle,
Strong to inspire the might of a man
Calm in the midst of its thunderous rattle,
Leaping alert in the heart of the van.
Strong to inspire the might of a man
Calm in the midst of its thunderous rattle,
Leaping alert in the heart of the van.
Holding the threads of the life of the nations,
Songs of the seasons, tides of the sea;
Dealing rewards and condemnations,
Fashioning, causing to cease to be.
Songs of the seasons, tides of the sea;
Dealing rewards and condemnations,
Fashioning, causing to cease to be.
26
Bringer of birth-time, worker of wonder,
Daily developing life in the earth;
Maker of heat, light, forger of thunder,
Seasons of sadness, hours of mirth.
Daily developing life in the earth;
Maker of heat, light, forger of thunder,
Seasons of sadness, hours of mirth.
Maker of hours of work and of playtime,
And above all things, Author of love—
Love the incarnate spirit of May-time,
Spirit that broods with the wings of a dove.
And above all things, Author of love—
Love the incarnate spirit of May-time,
Spirit that broods with the wings of a dove.
Love that slayeth and love that healeth,
With the power of life and death in his wings;
Love with the ice-cold power that congealeth,
And love the looser of frozen strings.
With the power of life and death in his wings;
Love with the ice-cold power that congealeth,
And love the looser of frozen strings.
Sweet love that gladdens with gleams of the spring-time,
And scent of flowers, and singing of birds;
And leaves that re-echo the lilt of the windrhyme,
And laughter, and musical lowing of herds.
And scent of flowers, and singing of birds;
And leaves that re-echo the lilt of the windrhyme,
And laughter, and musical lowing of herds.
Such is the Spirit that fools are blaspheming,
Preaching of darkness, horrors of hell,
Torturing souls who are timidly dreaming
That if a God reigneth it must be well.
Preaching of darkness, horrors of hell,
Torturing souls who are timidly dreaming
That if a God reigneth it must be well.
Well for the good men, well for the sinners,
Well for the priests, whose power shall fall;
Well for the saints and the feeble beginners;
Some way or other, well for us all.
Well for the priests, whose power shall fall;
Well for the saints and the feeble beginners;
Some way or other, well for us all.
| Love-Songs | |