The Poetical Works of John Payne Definitive Edition in Two Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Payne |  |
IV.
Then Life brought flowers and breezes and sun-gold
And juices of the vine;
And Death brought silver of the moonlight cold
And the pale sad woodbine.
And juices of the vine;
And Death brought silver of the moonlight cold
And the pale sad woodbine.
391
Life brought clear honey of the buxom bees
And fruits of autumn-time;
And Death brought amber from the murmuring seas
And fretwork of the rime.
And fruits of autumn-time;
And Death brought amber from the murmuring seas
And fretwork of the rime.
God Life did rob the jasmine of its balm,
Death the pale lily's bells;
Life brought a handful of the summer-calm,
Death of the wind that swells
Death the pale lily's bells;
Life brought a handful of the summer-calm,
Death of the wind that swells
And sighs about the winter-wearied hills;
Life the Spring heaven's blue,
Death brought the grey, that in the autumn fills
The skies with its sad hue.
Life the Spring heaven's blue,
Death brought the grey, that in the autumn fills
The skies with its sad hue.
And with these things of mingling life and death
Did the twin Gods upbuild
A golden shape, which drew the goodliest breath
That ever bosom filled:
Did the twin Gods upbuild
A golden shape, which drew the goodliest breath
That ever bosom filled:
For it was lovesome as the risen sun
And pale as ended night,
Glad as the glance of an immortal one
And mild as the moon's light.
And pale as ended night,
Glad as the glance of an immortal one
And mild as the moon's light.
The form of it was white as is the snow,
When the pale winter reigns,
And rosy-tinted as the even-glow,
After the April rains.
When the pale winter reigns,
And rosy-tinted as the even-glow,
After the April rains.
The charm of day was in its violet eyes
And eke the spells of night;
Therein one read of the gold Orient skies
And the faint Spring's delight.
And eke the spells of night;
Therein one read of the gold Orient skies
And the faint Spring's delight.
And for a voice Life lent it all the tune
That from lark-throats doth rise;
And pale Death added to it, for a boon,
The sad sweet night-bird's sighs.
That from lark-throats doth rise;
And pale Death added to it, for a boon,
The sad sweet night-bird's sighs.
392
Its hands were warm as life and soft as death,
Rosy as flowers and white
As the pale lucent stone that covereth
The graves in the moon's sight.
Rosy as flowers and white
As the pale lucent stone that covereth
The graves in the moon's sight.
Its hair was golden as the sheer sun's shine,
When the hot June rides far,
And tender-coloured as the hyaline
Of the pale midnight star.
When the hot June rides far,
And tender-coloured as the hyaline
Of the pale midnight star.
Red was its mouth as is the damask rose
And purple as night-shade,
Most glad and sad, fulfilled of lovesome woes
And joys that never fade.
And purple as night-shade,
Most glad and sad, fulfilled of lovesome woes
And joys that never fade.
Swift were its rosy golden-sandalled feet,
Yet lingering as the night,
And the soft wings that on the air did beat
Were of the windflower's white.
Yet lingering as the night,
And the soft wings that on the air did beat
Were of the windflower's white.
And on its head they set a double crown,
Golden and silver wrought,
Wherein sweet emeralds for hope were sown
And amethysts for thought.
Golden and silver wrought,
Wherein sweet emeralds for hope were sown
And amethysts for thought.
Thus did the two Gods make this lovesome thing,
To stand betwixt them twain;
And therewithal they crowned the fair shape king
O'er them and suzerain.
To stand betwixt them twain;
And therewithal they crowned the fair shape king
O'er them and suzerain.
And from that time there hath no more been strife
'Twixt these two Gods of might;
For evermore betwixten Death and Life
That creature of delight
'Twixt these two Gods of might;
For evermore betwixten Death and Life
That creature of delight
Hath gone about the weary worldly ways,
Holding them hand in hand,
So that Death never on a mortal lays
His finger, but there stand
Holding them hand in hand,
So that Death never on a mortal lays
His finger, but there stand
393
Beside him Life and that sweet shape which they
Have for their master made;
And on like guise, when dawn hath lit the day,
Death walketh in the shade,
Have for their master made;
And on like guise, when dawn hath lit the day,
Death walketh in the shade,
Hard by the sun and all the gauds of life:
And by them, without cease,
The winged shape goes and orders all their strife
To harmony and peace.
And by them, without cease,
The winged shape goes and orders all their strife
To harmony and peace.
And if one ask which God he cherisheth
His brother God above,
Methinks his heart beats franklier for Death;
For lo! his name is Love.
His brother God above,
Methinks his heart beats franklier for Death;
For lo! his name is Love.
| The Poetical Works of John Payne | |