 | The Judgment of Prometheus |  |
49
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.
| The Judgment of Prometheus | |