The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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| FRUITLESS CREATION |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
133
FRUITLESS CREATION
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I retain this poem, written in or about 1890, as the very fact of its being based on so glaring and serious a mistake may perhaps render it of some value,—when the mistake is recognised and acknowledged.
The mistake is, of course, that into which Tolstoy and so many earnest modern thinkers bave plunged headlong; the error of regarding physical love as in its essence degrading. It is the most dangerous error imaginable, leading straight back to all ascetic and monkish aberration, and involving the desecration of love and woman.
If the “Woman” who speaks in the poem had confined herself to the advocacy of pure and exalted physical passion, she would have been wholly right, and might justly have claimed the support of the God who created those miracles of noble and beneficent design, the human love-organs.
But, reacting against such pernicious heresies as those of Tolstoy, she confuses true with base passion, places herself in a seeming opposition to the God of love and nature, who is in fact so tenderly and lovingly on her side,—and thus puts herself wholly in the wrong.
It seems necessary to-day to say this much in explanation of the poem.
February, 1902. G. B.135
I. THE FIRST STAR
Upon the stocks the first star-vessel waited.
The bright prow flashed and gleamed.
Within his soul the great Shipwright debated:
He doubted, and he dreamed.
The bright prow flashed and gleamed.
Within his soul the great Shipwright debated:
He doubted, and he dreamed.
“The ship is shaped. The masts and shrouds are ready:
Its Builder's work is o'er.
Soft river-waves around the gold bows eddy;
It yearns to quit the shore.
Its Builder's work is o'er.
Soft river-waves around the gold bows eddy;
It yearns to quit the shore.
“Yet shall I launch it 'mid the wild commotion
Of the outer air and sea?
Can my star-ship withstand the fierce real ocean?
Will it steer back to me?
Of the outer air and sea?
Can my star-ship withstand the fierce real ocean?
Will it steer back to me?
136
“When launched upon the seas of space exceeding
All measurement and bound,
Will it be lost? Will my star triumph, speeding
O'er depths no lead can sound?
All measurement and bound,
Will it be lost? Will my star triumph, speeding
O'er depths no lead can sound?
“I hesitate. Shall I impart my being
To others, less than I?
Shall I send forth this star,—then watch it fleeing
Lone through the unkindred sky?
To others, less than I?
Shall I send forth this star,—then watch it fleeing
Lone through the unkindred sky?
“The void is dark, and in the gloom is sweetness;
Safety for it, for me.
Shall I break up the lampless gloom's completeness,
Saying to the first star: ‘Be’?”
Safety for it, for me.
Shall I break up the lampless gloom's completeness,
Saying to the first star: ‘Be’?”
And then the Maker's soul within him reasoned:
“If, when I make a sun,
I deepen night; if good deeds must be seasoned
With evil, every one;
“If, when I make a sun,
I deepen night; if good deeds must be seasoned
With evil, every one;
“If, when I send my winds to range the valleys
And breathe forth peace and bliss,
With passionate force they search the woods' green alleys,
And ravish when they kiss;
And breathe forth peace and bliss,
With passionate force they search the woods' green alleys,
And ravish when they kiss;
137
“If bluest waves must at the storm's hoarse bugle,
Arrayed in furious white,
Bay round the bows of labouring ships that struggle
Through the stupendous night;
Arrayed in furious white,
Bay round the bows of labouring ships that struggle
Through the stupendous night;
“If, having made sweet love, divine and tender
And full of purest bloom,
Man must attack the flower, and mar its splendour,
And plant lust in its room;
And full of purest bloom,
Man must attack the flower, and mar its splendour,
And plant lust in its room;
“If woman, whom my thought would make resplendent,
Whom I would grandly mould,
Must change into man's slave, on man dependent,
And sell her love for gold;
Whom I would grandly mould,
Must change into man's slave, on man dependent,
And sell her love for gold;
“If this be so, let not my star-ship wrestle
With life and space and time!
Within some creek I had best lay up my vessel,
Nor risk the voyage sublime.”
With life and space and time!
Within some creek I had best lay up my vessel,
Nor risk the voyage sublime.”
So pondered God.—Then his resolve was taken.
(With what result, we know.)
God signalled with his hand,—with voice unshaken
Said to the first star: “Go.”
(With what result, we know.)
God signalled with his hand,—with voice unshaken
Said to the first star: “Go.”
138
II. THE LAST STAR
The thought of God had flowed for years past numbering
Into the facts of time.
Through age on age God watched, with gaze unslumbering,
Sorrow and sin and crime.
Into the facts of time.
Through age on age God watched, with gaze unslumbering,
Sorrow and sin and crime.
God watched the grief that follows first love's rapture:
From his great throne in space
He watched maybe some city's blood-stained capture,
Or death-throes of a race.
From his great throne in space
He watched maybe some city's blood-stained capture,
Or death-throes of a race.
He saw the dead beneath his white moons lying;
He heard gaunt lions roar:
He heard the groans and curses of the dying;
He heard ships strike the shore.
He heard gaunt lions roar:
He heard the groans and curses of the dying;
He heard ships strike the shore.
He marked the doom that weighs down all creation;
He saw love change to shame:
He saw death sweep the stars with devastation;
He saw hell's leaping flame.
He saw love change to shame:
He saw death sweep the stars with devastation;
He saw hell's leaping flame.
139
He saw love's bloom forsake each woman's features,
As old in turn they grew:
He saw disease waste millions of his creatures:
He saw the leper's hue.
As old in turn they grew:
He saw disease waste millions of his creatures:
He saw the leper's hue.
He saw faith seize its victims and devour them;
He saw mad hatred rage:
He saw pure women strive, man's lusts deflower them,
From darkling age to age.
He saw mad hatred rage:
He saw pure women strive, man's lusts deflower them,
From darkling age to age.
He sent his Sons. To star on star he sent them,
Love's messengers sublime.
Mad unbelief rose, armed to circumvent them:
Death conquered them, and time.
Love's messengers sublime.
Mad unbelief rose, armed to circumvent them:
Death conquered them, and time.
He sent his eldest Son to one doomed city:
But him the people slew.
Man steeled his heart against Christ's tender pity,
And so man's sorrow grew.
But him the people slew.
Man steeled his heart against Christ's tender pity,
And so man's sorrow grew.
Ever the same! As Christ was born of Mary,
So other Christs were born.
Their various fates in one point did not vary;
Each Christ was crowned with thorn.
So other Christs were born.
Their various fates in one point did not vary;
Each Christ was crowned with thorn.
140
If in nought else the vast star-hosts resemble
Each other, all alike
Smote their own Christs with hands that did not tremble,
And lifted spears to strike.
Each other, all alike
Smote their own Christs with hands that did not tremble,
And lifted spears to strike.
Wherever genius, born of God and woman,
Flashed on a world's dim way,
Its fellow-beings strove with hate inhuman
To quench the genius-ray.
Flashed on a world's dim way,
Its fellow-beings strove with hate inhuman
To quench the genius-ray.
Wherever God appeared, in seer or poet,
Satan appeared as well.
God's hand, revealing heaven, disclosed below it
The yawning gulfs of hell.
Satan appeared as well.
God's hand, revealing heaven, disclosed below it
The yawning gulfs of hell.
God pondered long.—Then his resolve was taken.
The heavens in darkness deep
He wrapped. The voice that bade the first star waken
Said to the last star: “Sleep.”
The heavens in darkness deep
He wrapped. The voice that bade the first star waken
Said to the last star: “Sleep.”
141
III. THE SECOND PARADISE
Yet, ere that star was quite destroyed,
A tenderer thought of pity came:
God would not leave the heavens quite void;
There still should burn one beacon-flame.
A tenderer thought of pity came:
God would not leave the heavens quite void;
There still should burn one beacon-flame.
One star should still through leagues of gloom
Fling light, though all stars else were dead.
For countless mighty suns a tomb!
For one small star new birth instead!
Fling light, though all stars else were dead.
For countless mighty suns a tomb!
For one small star new birth instead!
For one small star another day,
And for two human beings as well
More life to use, or fling away;
A grander heaven, or deeper hell.
And for two human beings as well
More life to use, or fling away;
A grander heaven, or deeper hell.
“For”—thus God said—“two I will choose,
The sole survivors these shall be:
For mine own purpose I will use
This rearguard of humanity.
The sole survivors these shall be:
For mine own purpose I will use
This rearguard of humanity.
142
“They shall rule o'er their star alone,
Lords of its wastes of wood and plain:
The whole wide earth shall be their throne,
Their vast impregnable domain.
Lords of its wastes of wood and plain:
The whole wide earth shall be their throne,
Their vast impregnable domain.
“The past shall perish. Not a sign
Shall testify of ancient hours.
No ghosts of dead cold stars shall shine,
Nor pale ghosts of forgotten flowers.
Shall testify of ancient hours.
No ghosts of dead cold stars shall shine,
Nor pale ghosts of forgotten flowers.
“All shall be new. Aye, once again
An Adam and an Eve shall be
Sole in the glory of their reign
O'er silent earth and sailless sea.
An Adam and an Eve shall be
Sole in the glory of their reign
O'er silent earth and sailless sea.
“And these shall love me. I shall find
In these the recompence I sought
In vain, in vain, amid mankind,
Born of mine unripe earlier thought.
In these the recompence I sought
In vain, in vain, amid mankind,
Born of mine unripe earlier thought.
“Man failed, and woman failed as well:
I sweep the whole race to their tomb.
Man staggered, woman wholly fell;
Tearless, I leave them to their doom.
I sweep the whole race to their tomb.
Man staggered, woman wholly fell;
Tearless, I leave them to their doom.
143
“Two spotless spirits alone I save:
These two shall carry out my plan;
Shall live, and grow beyond the grave
To perfect woman, perfect man.
These two shall carry out my plan;
Shall live, and grow beyond the grave
To perfect woman, perfect man.
“But let their love be holy and chaste!
On this one point the whole depends:
Let not love's image be defaced,
Disfigured, for ignoble ends.
On this one point the whole depends:
Let not love's image be defaced,
Disfigured, for ignoble ends.
“Let them develope onward, up
From man to angel, but abstain
From quenching at wild passion's cup
A thirst whose quenching is not gain.
From man to angel, but abstain
From quenching at wild passion's cup
A thirst whose quenching is not gain.
“Let passion perish,—passion slew
The whole primeval world indeed!
Now I would make all wholly new,
And gift man with a nobler creed.
The whole primeval world indeed!
Now I would make all wholly new,
And gift man with a nobler creed.
“Grow on to angelhood,—disdain
To recreate the lower type
Upon this sorrowing earth again:
Your star for higher forms is ripe.”
To recreate the lower type
Upon this sorrowing earth again:
Your star for higher forms is ripe.”
144
IV. THE SECOND FALL
The Man.
I am as Adam, thou art Eve; we stand
Lonely at last upon a lonely star.
The lot of those who peopled earth was grand,
But our dispeopling doom is grander far.
Lonely at last upon a lonely star.
The lot of those who peopled earth was grand,
But our dispeopling doom is grander far.
We form the first link with a higher race:
All earth's old passions vanish into air.
I see the dawning angel in thy face;
I mark heaven's halo brightening round thy hair.
All earth's old passions vanish into air.
I see the dawning angel in thy face;
I mark heaven's halo brightening round thy hair.
We, letting all old instincts fade and flee,
Dismissing all that marred the race's powers,
Shall add new glory to an unknown sea,
Mix tenderer fragrance with the unborn flowers.
Dismissing all that marred the race's powers,
Shall add new glory to an unknown sea,
Mix tenderer fragrance with the unborn flowers.
For every blossom suffered at the birth
Of sin,—the fields took on a sombre hue:
Gladness forsook the green old festive earth;
The waves grew grey that once were joyous blue.
Of sin,—the fields took on a sombre hue:
Gladness forsook the green old festive earth;
The waves grew grey that once were joyous blue.
145
Love has to answer for the stormy past:
Love, guided well by woman's traitorous hand,
Has wrecked the stars—till this, the very last,
On which to-day with lonely feet we stand.
Love, guided well by woman's traitorous hand,
Has wrecked the stars—till this, the very last,
On which to-day with lonely feet we stand.
Thou art the culprit,—thou, with eyes so sweet
And lips that seem like pure half-opened flowers,
Hast forced the world's Creator to retreat:
The power to extinguish love at last is ours!
And lips that seem like pure half-opened flowers,
Hast forced the world's Creator to retreat:
The power to extinguish love at last is ours!
The Woman.
Nay! 'tis the power to make a new beginning
That's ours, to shed new splendour o'er the sea.
If love be sin, then very sweet is sinning:
Sin shall endure throughout eternity.
That's ours, to shed new splendour o'er the sea.
If love be sin, then very sweet is sinning:
Sin shall endure throughout eternity.
Was ever rose less pure in that it nestled,
Luxuriant, on some bosom warm and white?
When God with Chaos' ebon darkness wrestled,
It was to give love never-ending light.
Luxuriant, on some bosom warm and white?
When God with Chaos' ebon darkness wrestled,
It was to give love never-ending light.
Was ever star less brilliant at the casement,
Has ever moon with lesser lustre gleamed,
Watching some lover in sweet first amazement
Kissing the lips of which for years he dreamed?
Has ever moon with lesser lustre gleamed,
Watching some lover in sweet first amazement
Kissing the lips of which for years he dreamed?
146
Wilt thou resume with speechless exultation
The passionate raptures of past years untold,
See in my eyes the love-looks of a nation,
A century's sunshine in my hair of gold?
The passionate raptures of past years untold,
See in my eyes the love-looks of a nation,
A century's sunshine in my hair of gold?
The flowers of all the past, the loves resplendent
That starlike lit old cities, hills, and plains,
Are all for thee,—on thee they wait attendant:
Lo! Cleopatra burns within my veins.
That starlike lit old cities, hills, and plains,
Are all for thee,—on thee they wait attendant:
Lo! Cleopatra burns within my veins.
Holding my hand, quite fearless thou mayest enter
Strange bowers of love in many a far-off place:
For thee shall Fate with ardent touch concentre
All beauty in one incomparable face.
Strange bowers of love in many a far-off place:
For thee shall Fate with ardent touch concentre
All beauty in one incomparable face.
Wilt thou consent to make me mighty mother
Of timeless generations yet to arise?
Adam begat one world—beget another!
Make fruitful all the dark womb of the skies!
Of timeless generations yet to arise?
Adam begat one world—beget another!
Make fruitful all the dark womb of the skies!
Be father of the years beyond man's numbering;
Propel afresh the life-throbs of the race
Along the channels where life pauses, slumbering:
Behold new starlight, gazing on my face!
Propel afresh the life-throbs of the race
Along the channels where life pauses, slumbering:
Behold new starlight, gazing on my face!
147
Wilt thou consent, O mortal, firm, unfearing,
To crowd the lifeless heaven that o'er us gleams
With fleets of planets through the dark waves steering,
Lord of a kingdom mocking mortal dreams?
To crowd the lifeless heaven that o'er us gleams
With fleets of planets through the dark waves steering,
Lord of a kingdom mocking mortal dreams?
This thou canst do, and more,—the moment fateful,
August and solemn, calls thee to decide.
Above us loom vast starless heavens and hateful:
Around us stretch lone lifeless fields and wide.
August and solemn, calls thee to decide.
Above us loom vast starless heavens and hateful:
Around us stretch lone lifeless fields and wide.
Trust thou the power of fatherhood residing
Within thy soul to me—Disperse the gloom!
The winds of winter look to thee for guiding:
Raise the dead summers from their darkling tomb.
Within thy soul to me—Disperse the gloom!
The winds of winter look to thee for guiding:
Raise the dead summers from their darkling tomb.
Lo! at thy word the June-days bright and burning
Shall flash their spears once more against the sun:
Within new lovers' hearts shall wake the old yearning;
Win me! even so our daughters shall be won.
Shall flash their spears once more against the sun:
Within new lovers' hearts shall wake the old yearning;
Win me! even so our daughters shall be won.
New buoyant springs, whose young hearts leap for gladness,
Shall fill the warm pure air with scent of may:
New autumns, full of soft and tremulous sadness,
Feel at love's touch that sadness melt away.
Shall fill the warm pure air with scent of may:
New autumns, full of soft and tremulous sadness,
Feel at love's touch that sadness melt away.
148
Thou shalt be lord of all the circling seasons;
Lord of the summer, as of winter's snows:
Ruler and lord of all the dark sea's treasons;
Lord of the love that beckons from the rose.
Lord of the summer, as of winter's snows:
Ruler and lord of all the dark sea's treasons;
Lord of the love that beckons from the rose.
Thou, the creator of the new world's rapture,
Shalt share the passionate life that is to be:
Preside, it may be, at some new Troy's capture,
Hold the steep pass at some Thermopylæ.
Shalt share the passionate life that is to be:
Preside, it may be, at some new Troy's capture,
Hold the steep pass at some Thermopylæ.
New cities shall be thine, new Londons greet thee;
New fiercer life than that which throbbed of old
Along the madding streets surge round thee and meet thee;
New sunsets tinge their skies with stormier gold.
New fiercer life than that which throbbed of old
Along the madding streets surge round thee and meet thee;
New sunsets tinge their skies with stormier gold.
Aye, like the waves of their own seas let nations
Rise into light, flash high, then disappear,—
Calm joys succeed to stormy tribulations,
And golden springs to many a snow-clad year.
Rise into light, flash high, then disappear,—
Calm joys succeed to stormy tribulations,
And golden springs to many a snow-clad year.
New poets, mightier than the great who slumber,
Through the broad portals of the years shall move:
But all shall sing of me,—of all their number
Thorn-crowned, sin-marred, not one shall fail to love.
Through the broad portals of the years shall move:
But all shall sing of me,—of all their number
Thorn-crowned, sin-marred, not one shall fail to love.
149
Music shall seek the skies, a form imperial:
But, as more skilled time's strong musicians grow,
Still must love render the wild strings ethereal;
I sway them, whether their hearts will or no.
But, as more skilled time's strong musicians grow,
Still must love render the wild strings ethereal;
I sway them, whether their hearts will or no.
New sculptors, marble-moulding, still for ever
Their heavenliest impulse from my form shall take.
Shall one curve pass from human memory? Never!
Dead marble shall be deathless for my sake.
Their heavenliest impulse from my form shall take.
Shall one curve pass from human memory? Never!
Dead marble shall be deathless for my sake.
Anew the vast cathedrals where love sleeping
Waited love's longed-for resurrection morn
Shall rise, and hear the sound of women weeping,
The passionate prayers of races yet unborn.
Waited love's longed-for resurrection morn
Shall rise, and hear the sound of women weeping,
The passionate prayers of races yet unborn.
With kingly wealth impassioned Art combining
Shall raise bright palaces in many a land:
But ever love's shall be the heart designing,
And love's the shaping and adorning hand.
Shall raise bright palaces in many a land:
But ever love's shall be the heart designing,
And love's the shaping and adorning hand.
Nought shall evade us! by this sweet transgression,
This sin superb, if sin indeed it be,
We shall for ever stamp our own impression
On stars and sun, and towns and hills and sea.
This sin superb, if sin indeed it be,
We shall for ever stamp our own impression
On stars and sun, and towns and hills and sea.
150
Nor only heaven again in all its glory
Thou shalt compel time's hand to recreate:
Thou shalt rewrite the legend, the fierce story,
Of hell,—reprint man's epic poem of hate.
Thou shalt compel time's hand to recreate:
Thou shalt rewrite the legend, the fierce story,
Of hell,—reprint man's epic poem of hate.
Again shall Torquemada's spirit sinister
Flash forth upon the world, blood-stained yet grand;
Ambassador for God, yet Satan's minister,
Climbing the stairs of heaven with dripping hand.
Flash forth upon the world, blood-stained yet grand;
Ambassador for God, yet Satan's minister,
Climbing the stairs of heaven with dripping hand.
Again shall many a prelate's voice of thunder
Proclaim his own flock saved, the heathen doomed.
At hell's Bastille again shall sweet love wonder,
And weep for thousands in its vaults entombed.
Proclaim his own flock saved, the heathen doomed.
At hell's Bastille again shall sweet love wonder,
And weep for thousands in its vaults entombed.
Again shall man, invincible, eternal,
With thousand-throated laugh of mocking scorn
Roll back the gates barred by the hands infernal,
And flood night's dungeons with the sunlit morn.
With thousand-throated laugh of mocking scorn
Roll back the gates barred by the hands infernal,
And flood night's dungeons with the sunlit morn.
Again shall battle's fierce throbs course and tingle
Through ardent souls on many a future sea:
Again smoke-vomiting iron fleets commingle;—
Their guns await one signal-flash from thee!
Through ardent souls on many a future sea:
Again smoke-vomiting iron fleets commingle;—
Their guns await one signal-flash from thee!
151
Thou hast to speak the word that hurls an ocean
Of sword-points at some far-off Waterloo
Against calm squares: thine is the intense emotion
Of combat, ever-fierce and ever-new.
Of sword-points at some far-off Waterloo
Against calm squares: thine is the intense emotion
Of combat, ever-fierce and ever-new.
Thine is the fury of battle—thine for ever
Love's pleasure; young lips pause at lips most sweet,—
Apart, they wait thy mandate.—Wilt thou never
Speak the one radiant word that bids them meet?
Love's pleasure; young lips pause at lips most sweet,—
Apart, they wait thy mandate.—Wilt thou never
Speak the one radiant word that bids them meet?
Thou hast the power to bid wild passion waken;
The power to bid great countless stars arise
Upon the night wherethrough with heart unshaken
The maid who seeks her lover peers and flies.
The power to bid great countless stars arise
Upon the night wherethrough with heart unshaken
The maid who seeks her lover peers and flies.
Hand thrills not hand till thou dost join them—never
Without thy will can one love-deed be done.
Thou canst blindfold the watchers,—thou for ever
Canst bring sweet darkness, and blindfold the sun.
Without thy will can one love-deed be done.
Thou canst blindfold the watchers,—thou for ever
Canst bring sweet darkness, and blindfold the sun.
The woman tremulous in her moonless chamber
Dreads lest love's foot i'the darkness go astray:
But thou canst light love's lamp of golden-amber,
The summer moon that shows love's foot the way.
Dreads lest love's foot i'the darkness go astray:
But thou canst light love's lamp of golden-amber,
The summer moon that shows love's foot the way.
152
Thou hast the power to unbar the morning's portal:
Thou canst restore the sun's kiss to the wave.
Love, slain by Fate, will rise up, vast, immortal,
If thou wilt summon Love's form from the grave.
Thou canst restore the sun's kiss to the wave.
Love, slain by Fate, will rise up, vast, immortal,
If thou wilt summon Love's form from the grave.
Say to the drowséd waters, turning seaward,
“Awake!”—to heaven say, “Let the darkness flee!”
Scatter the soul's deep darkness, turning meward:
Lift up thine eyes, thy princely face, on me.
“Awake!”—to heaven say, “Let the darkness flee!”
Scatter the soul's deep darkness, turning meward:
Lift up thine eyes, thy princely face, on me.
Wilt thou consent to be the king-creator
On whom the eyes of the ages shall be bent,—
Wilt thou, my slave, be to all else dictator,—
Wilt thou consent to love me?
On whom the eyes of the ages shall be bent,—
Wilt thou, my slave, be to all else dictator,—
Wilt thou consent to love me?
The Man.
I consent.
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