 | English Roses |  |
TRUTH UNVEILED.
Truth stood before me—and my mouth was mute—White-bosomed, sweet and sole, and absolute;
Intolerably pure in soft undress,
Clothed with the light of naked loveliness.
Immortal life shone from her calm gray eyes,
That looked on me like twin eternities;
And her low voice, dim as forgotten tears,
Dropt music of the immemorial years
And in a moment down the stream of Time
Bare me with chant of its unearthly chime.
Flamed in her hand a lily, and at the rest
And gracious heaven of her uncinctured breast,
One jewel brake into ten thousand beams
Mixed with the marvels of all dazzling dreams
And dear familiar sights. I gazed at her,
Frail as a form of golden gossamer
And still more strong than bases of the Deep,
Mingled of madness, dawn, and poppied sleep
And dew and fire; and into me her might
Burned, with the glory of a great delight
And virgin bloom and passion of pure ken;
While the red rose of lips unkissed by men
Moved as in blessing, and at last I heard
(What none may live and name) the secret word,
That taught me how she married in one breath
The mystery of ancient life and death.
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Known and unknown to every creed and clime,
And earth can never be the same to me
When earth is heaven and beautiful and free
And heaven is earth. Most luminous I mark
The thread of light through the untravelled dark
And mapt-out chaos, and with joy I stand
A lonely watcher in a waiting land;
Because I have the clue of things, and know
Where the ways meet, and hear the grasses grow.
| English Roses | |