Helen Redeemed and Other Poems Part 12

_1898-1912._

TO THE G.o.dS OF THE COUNTRY

Sun and Moon, s.h.i.+ne upon me; Make glad my days and clear my nights!

O Earth, whose child I am, Grant me thy patience!

O Heaven, whose heir I may be, Keep quick my hope!

Your steadfastness I need, O Hills; O Rain, thy kindness!

Snow, keep me pure; O Fire, teach me thy pride!

From you, ye Winds, I ask your blitheness!

_1909._

FOURTEEN SONNETS

1896

ALMA SDEGNOSA

Not that dull spleen which serves i' the world for scorn, Is hers I watch from far off, wors.h.i.+pping As in remote Chaldaea the ancient king Adored the star that heralded the morn.

Her proud content she bears as a flag is borne Tincted the hue royal; or as a wing It lifts her soaring, near the daylight spring, Whence, if she lift, our days must pa.s.s forlorn.

The pure deriving of her spirit-state Is so remote from men and their believing, They shrink when she is cold, and estimate That hardness which is but a G.o.d's dismay: As when the Heaven-sent sprite thro' h.e.l.l sped cleaving, Only the gross air checkt him on his way.

THE WINDS' POSSESSION

When winds blow high and leaves begin to fall, And the wan sunlight flits before the blast; When fields are brown and crops are garnered all, And rooks, like mastered s.h.i.+ps, drift wide and fast; Maid Artemis, that feeleth her young blood Leap like a freshet river for the sea, Speedeth abroad with hair blown in a flood To snuff the salt west wind and wanton free.

Then would you know how brave she is, how high Her ancestry, how kindred to the wind, Mark but her flas.h.i.+ng feet, her ravisht eye That takes the boist'rous weather and feels it kind: And hear her eager voice, how tuned it is To Autumn's clarion shrill for Artemis.

ASPETTO REALE

That hour when thou and Grief were first acquainted Thou wrotest, "Come, for I have lookt on death."

Piteous I held my indeterminate breath And sought thee out, and saw how he had painted Thine eyes with rings of black; yet never fainted Thy radiant immortality underneath Such stress of dark; but then, as one that saith, "I know Love liveth," sat on by death untainted.

O to whom Grief too poignant was and dry To sow in thee a fountain crop of tears!

O youth, O pride, set too remote and high For touch of solace that gives grace to men!

Thy life must be our death, thy hopes our fears: We weep, thou lookest strangely--we know thee then!

KIN CONFESSED

Long loving, all our love was husbanded Until one morning on the brown hillside, One misty Autumn morn when Sun did hide His radiance, yet was felt. No words we said, But in one flash transfigured, glorified, All her heart's tumult beating white and red, She fell p.r.o.ne on her face and hid her wide Over-brimmed eyes in dewy fern.

I prayed, Then spake, "In us two now is manifest That throbbing kindred whereof thou art graft And I the grafted, in this holy place."

She, turning half, with sober shame confest Discovery, then hid her rosy face.

I read her wilding heart, and my heart laught.

QUEL GIORNO PIu ...

That day--it was the last of many days, Nor could we know when such days might be given Again--we read how Dante trod the ways Of utmost h.e.l.l, and how his heart was riven By sad Francesca, whose sin was forgiven So far that, on her Paolo fixing gaze, She supt on his again, and thought it Heaven, She knew her gentler fate and felt it praise.

We read that lovers' tale; each lookt at each; But one was fearless, innocent of guile; So did the other learn what she could teach: We read no more, we kiss'd not, but a smile Of proud possession flasht, hover'd a while 'Twixt soul and soul. There was no need for speech.

ABSENCE

When she had left us but a little while Methought I sensed her spirit here and there About my house: upon the empty stair Her robe brusht softly; o'er her chamber still There lay her fragrant presence to beguile Numb heart, dead heart. I knelt before her chair, And praying felt her hand laid on my hair, Felt her sweet breath, and guess'd her wistful smile.

Then thro' my tears I lookt about the room, But she was gone. I heard my heart beat fast; The street was silent; I could not see her now.

Sorrow and I took up our load, and past To where our station was with heads bent low, And autumn's death-moan s.h.i.+ver'd thro' the gloom.

PRESENCE

When she had left us but a little while, I still could hear the ringing of her voice, Still see athwart the dusk her shy half-smile And that sweet trust wherein I most rejoice.

Then in her self-same tones I heard, "Go thou, Set to that work appointed thee to do, Remembering I am with thee here and now, Watchful as ever. See, my eyes s.h.i.+ne true!"

I lookt, and saw the concourse of clear stars, Steadfast, of limpid candour, and could discover Her soul look on me thro' the prison-bars Which slunk like sin from such an honest Lover:

And thro' the vigil-pauses of that night She beam'd on me; and my soul felt her light.

DREAM ANGUISH

My thought of thee is tortured in my sleep-- Sometimes thou art near beside me, but a cloud Doth grudge me thy pale face, and rise to creep Slowly about thee, to lap thee in a shroud; And I, as standing by my dead, to weep Desirous, cannot weep, nor cry aloud.

Or we must face the clamouring of a crowd Hissing our shame; and I who ought to keep Thine honour safe and my betrayed heart proud, Knowing thee true, must watch a chill doubt leap The tired faith of thee, and thy head bow'd, Nor budge while the gross world holdeth thee cheap!

Or there are frost-bound meetings, and reproach At parting, furtive s.n.a.t.c.hes full of fear; Love grown a pain; we bleed to kiss, and kiss Because we bleed for love; the time doth broach Shame, and shame teareth at us till we tear Our hearts to shreds--yet wilder love for this!

HYMNIA-BEATRIX