 | The Judgment of Prometheus |  |
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The Kingdom of Love.
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II. AN ANNIVERSARY.
Sweet heart, this day a year ago our lives for ever blended,
We knelt beneath the ancient rite, we vowed the ancient vow:
Now joyful hope is merged in joy, and dream by deed transcended,
The spring that welled so brightly then, runs a bright river now.
We knelt beneath the ancient rite, we vowed the ancient vow:
Now joyful hope is merged in joy, and dream by deed transcended,
The spring that welled so brightly then, runs a bright river now.
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That day, from inmost heaven sent, a Spirit stood before us,
His wings were lit with rainbow light, and on his brow a star:
A wand with dews of Eden wet he bare, and waved it o'er us,
At his sweet summons forth we went, and followed him afar.
His wings were lit with rainbow light, and on his brow a star:
A wand with dews of Eden wet he bare, and waved it o'er us,
At his sweet summons forth we went, and followed him afar.
Through wondrous ways, by earthly guides untrodden, undiscovered,
He led us on, in trust and joy still following hand in hand:
A thousand happy mated birds amid the wood-land hovered,
The very earth with gladness heaved, and gleamed with golden sand.
He led us on, in trust and joy still following hand in hand:
A thousand happy mated birds amid the wood-land hovered,
The very earth with gladness heaved, and gleamed with golden sand.
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Sometimes within those fairy glades, those dreamy deep recesses,
Almost thy gentle heart had failed, so strangely fair they seemed,
But evermore new faith grew up to meet new-found caresses,
And still within the magic shade the star benignant beamed.
Almost thy gentle heart had failed, so strangely fair they seemed,
But evermore new faith grew up to meet new-found caresses,
And still within the magic shade the star benignant beamed.
It paused amid the pine-forest; we lay in awe and wonder;
The birds were hushed; a silence fell; we listened long and long:
Then softly through that holy place, around, above, and under,
Came murmuring on a solemn sound, the pine-wood's secret song.
The birds were hushed; a silence fell; we listened long and long:
Then softly through that holy place, around, above, and under,
Came murmuring on a solemn sound, the pine-wood's secret song.
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We left the glen, we sought the sun; but that high hour had brought us
A charm through all our lives to live, an undersong sublime:
For Love our lord, our spirit-guide, his master-spell had taught us,
The spell he knows and he alone, the spell that conquers Time.
A charm through all our lives to live, an undersong sublime:
For Love our lord, our spirit-guide, his master-spell had taught us,
The spell he knows and he alone, the spell that conquers Time.
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III. DAWN.
How soft thy rosy fingers fall,
Fair Dawn, upon the happy eyes
Where Love their lord, their all in all,
Dwells and makes glad his votaries;
Fair Dawn, upon the happy eyes
Where Love their lord, their all in all,
Dwells and makes glad his votaries;
A steadfast Love, with folded wings
That spread to flee no more, no more,
But fan with mystic murmurings
The deathless flame whose seed they bore.
That spread to flee no more, no more,
But fan with mystic murmurings
The deathless flame whose seed they bore.
How mild the sounds of morning come,
Whether around some rural bower,
Or even the city's gathering hum
Is hallowed by the magic hour.
Whether around some rural bower,
Or even the city's gathering hum
Is hallowed by the magic hour.
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Her fairy head has felt the Dawn,
And stirs, unwakened, till it rest,
By sweet unconscious impulse drawn,
On the broad pillow of my breast.
And stirs, unwakened, till it rest,
By sweet unconscious impulse drawn,
On the broad pillow of my breast.
Ah, gladness pure as moorland dew!
What golden word might e'er express
The still deep joy that thrills me through,
Unfathomable tenderness?
What golden word might e'er express
The still deep joy that thrills me through,
Unfathomable tenderness?
Two wingëd presences divine
Above our guarded rest maintain
Their interwoven watch benign,
To link the hours with charmëd chain.
Above our guarded rest maintain
Their interwoven watch benign,
To link the hours with charmëd chain.
We feel amid the silence deep
Their brooding plumage gently move;
Love laid us on the wings of Sleep,
And Sleep has borne us back to Love.
Their brooding plumage gently move;
Love laid us on the wings of Sleep,
And Sleep has borne us back to Love.
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IV. THE ROSE.
A rose I bear close-cherished in my breast,
Nurtured on earth, but all her being fair
So bathed in dews of heaven and heavenly air
That of sweet magic is she grown possest,
In new unfolding petals ever drest,
And ever breathing some new fragrance rare;
Whereto my heart must fondly still repair
To feed my inmost life and tenderest.
Nurtured on earth, but all her being fair
So bathed in dews of heaven and heavenly air
That of sweet magic is she grown possest,
In new unfolding petals ever drest,
And ever breathing some new fragrance rare;
Whereto my heart must fondly still repair
To feed my inmost life and tenderest.
Yet through all varying charm my starry rose
Denies no whit her dear identity.
One peerless perfume hers, one crimson flame
Through infinite new birth of beauty glows;
Through all love past and all sweet love to be,
Changeless in change, for evermore the same.
Denies no whit her dear identity.
One peerless perfume hers, one crimson flame
Through infinite new birth of beauty glows;
Through all love past and all sweet love to be,
Changeless in change, for evermore the same.
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V. THE RIVER OF LOVE.
Lo the River from the blue hills welling,
Stream of Love that ever stronger rolls,
Stronger, sweeter, higher and higher swelling,
Bears for ever our entwinëd souls.
Stream of Love that ever stronger rolls,
Stronger, sweeter, higher and higher swelling,
Bears for ever our entwinëd souls.
Close embraced in bonds no shock can sunder
Fare we, well content whate'er befall:
Let the changeful skies or smile or thunder:
Storm and sunshine—we have heart for all.
Fare we, well content whate'er befall:
Let the changeful skies or smile or thunder:
Storm and sunshine—we have heart for all.
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Somewhere, well we know, in ambush lying
Right athwart our River, near or far,
Gorged with hopes engulfed, our hope defying,
Death, the sandbank, rears his gloomy bar.
Right athwart our River, near or far,
Gorged with hopes engulfed, our hope defying,
Death, the sandbank, rears his gloomy bar.
Then shall our brave River, swiftlier sweeping,
Burst the bar and o'er it bear us free,
Out and onward to the Ocean leaping,
Out and on to Love's eternal sea.
Burst the bar and o'er it bear us free,
Out and onward to the Ocean leaping,
Out and on to Love's eternal sea.
| The Judgment of Prometheus | |