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_She sings._
Sleep, Sleep, sweet Sleep sleeps at the drifting tiller, And in our sail the Spirit of the Rain-- Love, love, my love, ah bid thy heart be stiller, And, hark! the music of the harping main.
What flowers are those that blow their balm unto us?
Bow white their brows' aromas each a flame?
Ah, child, too kind the love we know, that knew us, That kissed our eyes that we might see the same.
_He._
Night! night! good night! no dream it is to vanish, The temple and the nightingale are there; The thornless roses bruising none to banish, The moon and one wild poppy in thy hair.
_She._
Night! night! good night! and love's own star before thee, And love's star-image in the starry sea; Yes, yes, ah yes! a presence to watch o'er thee-- Night! night! good night and good the G.o.ds to thee!
5.
_Homeward through flowers: she speaks._
O simple offerings of the common hills; Love's lowly names, that make you trebly sweet!
One Johnny-jump-up, but an ap.r.o.n-full Of starry crowfoot, making mossy dells Dim with heaven's morning blue; dew-dripping plumes Of waxen "dog-mouths"; red the tippling cups Of gypsy-lilies all along the creek, Where dull the freckled silence sleeps, and dark The water runs when, at high noon, the cows Wade knee-deep and the heat hums drowsy with The drone of dizzy flies;--one Samson-flower Blue-streaked and crystal as a summer's cloud; White violets, milk-weed, scarlet Indian-pinks, All fragile-scented and familiar as Pink baby faces and blue infant eyes.
O fair suggestions of a life more fair!
Love's fragrant whispers of an untaught faith, High habitations 'neath a G.o.dlier blue Beyond the sin of Earth, in heavens prepared-- What is it?--halcyon to utter calm, Faith? such as wrinkled wisdom, doubting, has Yearned for and sought in miser'd lore of worlds, And vainly?--Love?--Oh, have I learned to live?
6.
_He speaks._
Would you have known it seeing it?
Could you have seen it being it?
Waving me out of the budding land Sunbeam-jewelled a bloom-white hand, Wafting me life and hope and love, Life with the hope of the love thereof, Love.
--"What is the value of knowing it?"-- Only the worth of owing it; Need of the bud contents the light; Dew at dawn and nard at night, Beauty, aroma, honey at heart, Which is debtor, part for part, Heart?
Thoughts, when the heart is heedable, Then to the heart are readable; I in the texts of your eyes have read Deep as the depth of the living dead, Measures of truth in unsaid song Learned from the soul to haunt me long, Song.
Love perpends each laudable Thought of the soul made audible, Said in gardens of bliss or pain: Moonlight rays in drops of rain, Feels the faith in its sleep awake, Wish of the silent words that shake Sleep.
7.
_She hums and muses._
_If love I have had of thee thou hadst of me, No loss was in giving it over; Could I give aught but that I had of thee, Being no more than thy lover?_
And let it cease. When what befalls befalls, You cannot love me less, Loving me much now. Neither weeks nor walls, With bitterest distress,
Shall all avail. Despair will find reprieve, Though dark the soul be tossed, In past possession of that love you grieve, The love which you have lost.
Ponder the morning, or the midnight moon, The wilding of the wold, The morning slitting from night's brown coc.o.o.n Wide wings of flaxen gold:
The moon that, had not darkness been before, Had never shone to lead; And think that, though you are, you are not poor, Since you have loved indeed.
From flower to star read upward; you shall see The purposes of loss, Deep hierograms of gracious deity, And comfort in your cross.
8.
_She speaks._
Sunday shall we ride together?
Not the root-rough, rambling way Through the woods we went that day, In the sultry summer weather,
Past the Methodist Camp-Meeting, Where religion helped the hymn Gather volume, and a slim Minister with textful greeting
Welcomed us and still expounded.
From the service on the hill We had rode three hills and still Far away the singing sounded.
Nor that road through weed and berry Drowsy days led me and you To the old-time barbecue, Where the country-side made merry.
Dusty vehicles together; Darkies with the horses by 'Neath the soft Kentucky sky, And a smell of bark and leather;
When you smiled, "Our modern tourney: Gallantry and politics Dinner, dance and intermix."
As we went the homeward journey
'Twixt hot chaparrals and thickets, Heard brisk fiddles, sc.r.a.ping still, Drone and thump the quaint quadrille, Like a worried band of crickets.--
Neither road. The shady quiet Of that way by beech and birch, Winding to the ruined church On the Fork that sparkles by it.
Where the silent Sundays listen For the preacher whom we bring, In our hearts to preach and sing Week-day shade to Sabbath glisten.
9.
_He, at parting._
Yes, to-morrow; when the morn, Pentecost of flame, uncloses Portals that the stars adorn, Whence a golden presence throws his Fiery swords and burning roses At the wide wood's world of wall, Spears of sparkle at each fall;
Then together let us ride Down deep-wood cathedral places, Where the pilgrim wild-flowers hide, Praying Sabbath in their faces; Where in truest untaught phrases, Wors.h.i.+p in each rhythmic word, Sings no migratory bird....
Pearl on pearl the high stars dight Jewels of divine devices 'Round the Afric throat of Night; Where yon misty glimmer rises Soon the white moon crystallizes Out of darkness, like a spell.-- Late, 't is late. Till dawn, farewell.
