 | Poetical Works of Lionel Johnson |  |
185
TO MORFYDD DEAD
I
Would, to the glory of thine eyes might change,
In passionate strange surprise,
Lightning, that in darkness flies
In passionate strange surprise,
Lightning, that in darkness flies
Oh, fairer yet! would, an unbending sheaf
Of steel my grief might end,
And to thine my freed soul send!
Of steel my grief might end,
And to thine my freed soul send!
Would, I might meet swift death from flight of spears!
I waste in tears the night,
Morfydd, O my lost delight!
I waste in tears the night,
Morfydd, O my lost delight!
186
I would, that on the fiercest field of blood,
Morfydd! I stood, no shield
Sheltering my breast unsteeled!
Morfydd! I stood, no shield
Sheltering my breast unsteeled!
I would, that swords of death rang round my way,
This weary day, and found
Home within the heart, thine crowned!
This weary day, and found
Home within the heart, thine crowned!
I would, that my freed soul within the wind
Might fly, and find, and win
Thine, and joy of death begin!
Might fly, and find, and win
Thine, and joy of death begin!
I would, that with eternal wings we went,
All sorrow spent, all things
Ended, save the song love sings!
All sorrow spent, all things
Ended, save the song love sings!
Sweet spears and swords, who send his due to death!
My sad heart saith not you
Nay: ah, swift then, pierce it through!
My sad heart saith not you
Nay: ah, swift then, pierce it through!
1895.
II
Morfydd at midnight
Met the Nameless Ones:
Now she wanders on the winds,
White and lone.
I would give the light
Of eternal suns,
To be with her on the winds,
No more lone!
Met the Nameless Ones:
Now she wanders on the winds,
White and lone.
I would give the light
Of eternal suns,
To be with her on the winds,
No more lone!
187
Oh, wild sea of air!
Oh, night's vast sweet noon!
We would wander through the night,
Star and star.
Nay! but she, most fair!
Sun to me and moon:
I the vassal of her flight,
Far and far.
Oh, night's vast sweet noon!
We would wander through the night,
Star and star.
Nay! but she, most fair!
Sun to me and moon:
I the vassal of her flight,
Far and far.
Morfydd at midnight
Met the Nameless Ones:
Now she wanders on the winds,
White and lone.
Take from me the light,
God! of all Thy suns:
Give me her, who on the winds
Wanders lone!
Met the Nameless Ones:
Now she wanders on the winds,
White and lone.
Take from me the light,
God! of all Thy suns:
Give me her, who on the winds
Wanders lone!
1896.
| Poetical Works of Lionel Johnson | |