It is all dark and dank, a mourning of earth and heaven, Sorrow-laden, life-weary, long-lost, death-craven, A day lost to time, a light more baleful than night.

No dead these, but a living death seeking peace From the furies--their own thoughts--sorrow--surcease, Kissing the lashing wind thinking it to be the breeze.

Pour, pour, pour, O relentless, exhaustless pain!

To the measure of thine own agony, thy woe's refrain, These desolate streams of thy music, thy pangs of a million seas.

46

EVENING WORSHIP

The amber west melts into saffron, The east, a misty vision of rose: Like the sun, our souls seek repose.

The mountains, empurpled priests, The river, the chant from their lips, Sunlit the pine-candles' crimson tips.

At this hour of worship Shadows spread their wings; Silently the breeze-bell rings.

The stars put a silver riband round night's tresses, The light fades like a receding song As fall soundless sounds from Nature's moon-gong.

47

The rosy mist stilly polishes the round mirror, The moon; Golden her face

Reflecting the cool sweet glory of a Baby sun When dangling

His short golden arms in the cradle of the sky After night Gave him birth,

And herself died as day dies to see the moon, This golden Rose-washed stone

That the unseen hand puts on the crown of night Beside it puts Bits of white--

The star-jewels like million fancies, worshipping The G.o.ddess Of dream.

48

The sun's golden spear, The violet cloud writhing in pain; Golden the tint of the sky, The tall trees wave their green-gold hair.

Music of this hour!

The zephyr's perfume-laden argosy Drifts with the song of lutes Down the sunset-stream that falls from heaven's bower.

Another flow of light, Tinkling like the intangible bells of paradise, Flows out of my heart Into the mysterious love-perfumed ocean of night.

49

TRUCE

A field of battle--this sky, The sun, the hero bleeding to death; The shadows and lights hurl their Hosts of clouds ceaselessly: No peace?

Warfare all?

Nay, lo! she cometh-- The Spirit of Truce, The Evening Star!

50

A PARALLEL

Time has pa.s.sed, since Shadows trembled to watch Twilight sweep the earth For the phantoms to trip and mince.

A dark breeze the forest-heart stirs; Yet merry the face of the sky-- Twinkling in joy Its innumerable eyes, the stars.

Hushed the music within; Pleasure's silver laugh, dead; Thought lost in reverie-- Reverie receding into nothing.

The taper of dreams flickers Out, leaving the soul in dusk By the altar of love, Flower-laden as the night with stars.

51

"Nothing endures," you said; "None can die," quoth love; "In the firmament of loving No stars set, no meteors fall."

Yet, nothing endures, nothing, Naught but dust; Naught but regret and vain desire The twin monuments of life,

Reared by time, by wrecking All that we seek and find.

Its relentless waves of years Break even the impregnable wall of memory That thought builds On the embankment of hope.

Pa.s.s all away, even we who loved, Dreamt as none dreamt before-- Borne by the tide of life-- But, lo! from our defeated destiny Rise our seeds reared by time Consecrated to love and living!

52