The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
ODE TO THE SUN |
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 | The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley |  |
75
ODE TO THE SUN
With sound thy car ascends from ocean soundless,
In horns of light;
Beyond, around, beams enter into boundless
Grey halls of night.
In horns of light;
Beyond, around, beams enter into boundless
Grey halls of night.
Thy wheels roll over regions thunder-wasted,
Blue fields divine
On giant mountain clouds, whence none have tasted
The berry of wine.
Blue fields divine
On giant mountain clouds, whence none have tasted
The berry of wine.
The ray-gloss on thy wings is amber, shaken
To rosy showers;
Thy voice is on the waters, and they waken
Like a field of flowers.
To rosy showers;
Thy voice is on the waters, and they waken
Like a field of flowers.
Thy word is as a lyre-beat or the laughter
Of loves unseen;
Thy gleam as one sweet tear that gathers after,
When joys grow keen.
Of loves unseen;
Thy gleam as one sweet tear that gathers after,
When joys grow keen.
Thou sayest, I have no lot or hand in slumber;
I am Light, supreme.
My robes of glory quench the planet number,
As Day pales Dream.
I am Light, supreme.
My robes of glory quench the planet number,
As Day pales Dream.
The soft Moon is my sister and my shadow;
Her torch is mild,
Among the globe-flowers of my heavenly meadow
She moves a child.
Her torch is mild,
Among the globe-flowers of my heavenly meadow
She moves a child.
She has stolen a drop of incense at mine altar,—
Some light I leave
To make Heaven fair around her, when I falter
In lines of eve.
Some light I leave
To make Heaven fair around her, when I falter
In lines of eve.
She is given a little reign between my splendours;
Her intervals
Sustain with rest each soul, who homage renders
At festivals
Her intervals
Sustain with rest each soul, who homage renders
At festivals
76
Of me, great Phœbus, pinnacled in ardours;
Whose tyrant throne
Burns in blown cloud behind the ocean harbours,
As ruby stone.
Whose tyrant throne
Burns in blown cloud behind the ocean harbours,
As ruby stone.
In the dimness of my regent anguish strengthens
The sick man's sighs;
The miser shudders as the shadow lengthens,
The raven cries.
The sick man's sighs;
The miser shudders as the shadow lengthens,
The raven cries.
The sap of leaves, the blood in birds, of fishes,
The world's pulse, wane.
The doors of sense are barred with sleepy wishes
And phantom pain.
The world's pulse, wane.
The doors of sense are barred with sleepy wishes
And phantom pain.
Till in the garden of the grave the nations
Discern my beam;
And rise up heartened with my consolations
From nets of dream.
Discern my beam;
And rise up heartened with my consolations
From nets of dream.
I refresh all things, save the blind dead faces
With lips at peace.
These dead are mighty in their charnel places,
I cheer not these.
With lips at peace.
These dead are mighty in their charnel places,
I cheer not these.
Their lips are unrefreshed with drops of thunder;
Their eyelids worn
Are never lifted to my way in wonder
At eve or morn.
Their eyelids worn
Are never lifted to my way in wonder
At eve or morn.
But bitter dust is in their teeth to swallow;
Their heart is stone;
What Lord is he whom these blind dreamers follow?
I know not one!
Their heart is stone;
What Lord is he whom these blind dreamers follow?
I know not one!
But dim dry roots shall bud; on fallows poorest
Sour bents shall shine;
And wasted wrinkled heights be clothed with forest;—
These are my sign!
Sour bents shall shine;
And wasted wrinkled heights be clothed with forest;—
These are my sign!
In grass-land shall arise a sound of heifers,
A voice of herds;
I bathe my glowing hands in breathing zephyrs,
I call the birds.
A voice of herds;
I bathe my glowing hands in breathing zephyrs,
I call the birds.
77
In ripple and perfume and deep breezy lustre
My flame-feet tread;
My girdle sprinkles moons in many a cluster,
As sand is shed;
My flame-feet tread;
My girdle sprinkles moons in many a cluster,
As sand is shed;
Prodigal beams, and flakes, and ardent arrows
Are my Light's tide;
A mighty flood, whose channel never narrows
Or waves subside.
Are my Light's tide;
A mighty flood, whose channel never narrows
Or waves subside.
I am the gates of life. My dawn is burning
With foam of stars,
Bright as the margin of a wave returning
In refluent bars.
With foam of stars,
Bright as the margin of a wave returning
In refluent bars.
The rain wails not around my palace chamber;
There day-long glows
Increase and deepen from Auroral amber
To Vesper's rose.
There day-long glows
Increase and deepen from Auroral amber
To Vesper's rose.
The planets veil their burning faces near me;
The green world's ends
Flash up through miles of ether that uprear me;
Pale vapour blends
The green world's ends
Flash up through miles of ether that uprear me;
Pale vapour blends
In underneath, unfolds itself or closes,
Divides, dilates;
The Sea, my path-way, spreads her deep with roses
To my red gates.
Divides, dilates;
The Sea, my path-way, spreads her deep with roses
To my red gates.
When Ocean's rocking floors are wrought with anger,
When sore the sea;
The heart of Earth is heavy in her danger,
Her cry for me.
When sore the sea;
The heart of Earth is heavy in her danger,
Her cry for me.
She rears her regal head, as my orb passes,
With weary eyes;
Her long hands fruitful thro' the roots and grasses
Yearn at my skies.
With weary eyes;
Her long hands fruitful thro' the roots and grasses
Yearn at my skies.
“In travail of great seas I faint surrounded,”
She wails distressed;
“Too long have billows beaten in and wounded
My patient breast.
She wails distressed;
“Too long have billows beaten in and wounded
My patient breast.
78
“Too long the wasteful waves eat out mine islands,
Pluck at my sides,
Draw down my sea-board cities into silence
With barren tides.
Pluck at my sides,
Draw down my sea-board cities into silence
With barren tides.
“With rain and rush of breakers hath contended
My hollow form;
Am I, God's daughter, to endure unfriended
The lash of storm?
My hollow form;
Am I, God's daughter, to endure unfriended
The lash of storm?
“Ray out and quench, the furious deep will hear thee;
Ah, lord, descend!
Curb those wild horses of the foam; they fear thee;
Their riot end!”
Ah, lord, descend!
Curb those wild horses of the foam; they fear thee;
Their riot end!”
Earth cries; her eyes are dim with sand; her mournful
Dumb hands bewail,
Naked, in mute appeal against the scornful
And haggard hail.
Dumb hands bewail,
Naked, in mute appeal against the scornful
And haggard hail.
Till I unfold my glory as a mantle;
Till my red arm
Lull down the chidden breakers into gentle
Ripples of calm.
Till my red arm
Lull down the chidden breakers into gentle
Ripples of calm.
Then Earth curls up her incense to my palace;
Her fanes are full.
The Flamen rolls libations, and his chalice
Is crowned with wool.
Her fanes are full.
The Flamen rolls libations, and his chalice
Is crowned with wool.
The rows of altar-girls with ringing voices,
And youths with lyres,
Sing to the radiant father, who rejoices
To hear their choirs.
And youths with lyres,
Sing to the radiant father, who rejoices
To hear their choirs.
The wafted echo of their measure answers
To the sun-steeds' hooves;
The rhythmic limbs and raiment of the dancers
Flash in far groves.
To the sun-steeds' hooves;
The rhythmic limbs and raiment of the dancers
Flash in far groves.
What words are these, that, rolled around me driving,
Proclaim me blest?
Sweet as the wrestle of my reins arriving
In fields of rest,—
Proclaim me blest?
Sweet as the wrestle of my reins arriving
In fields of rest,—
79
“All hail, eternal Phœbus, king of ether,
Ruler of rays;
Storm and the deep thou bindest in thy tether,
God of Heaven's ways!”
Ruler of rays;
Storm and the deep thou bindest in thy tether,
God of Heaven's ways!”
| The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley | |