Part 3

How many Christs have we two crucified; How many prophets have we sawn asunder; What wild woe have we wrought: how deep, how wide The wrong committed! In the sky God's thunder Threatens, His lightning cleaves the clouds apart To show an awful Face-- The Judge is in His place Of Judgment! Oh, the love That we have lost! Above, Beneath and all around us sounds the cry Of Rachel weeping over little hands And little feet! Her babes are dead! You, I, Alone are guilty; for while error stands Must all the starry Christs be crucified!

Nay, do not hang your head: Though Christs be crucified, And Rachel's babes are dead, One river floweth wide Out of the urge of God; Of that eternal stream-- Its mother-bosom broad With vision and with dream-- Are you, Comrade and I! Yea, all its ancient shores That river runneth by Have we touched. Where it pours Past leagues of desert-sand, Jungles and miry places, Palms of an unknown land, Ferns and their fronded faces; Have we gone forth from God!

Where slimy serpents crawl, And crocodiles are torpid in the sun; Where snarling tigers sprawl, And elephants come slowly one by one Down the yellow ridges Of the banyan's broken bridges To the river where the little shells are strawed; Where chattering monkeys leap, And the flamingo struts among the reeds; Where parrots pause and peep, And all day long the greedy ibis feeds: We went flowing, flowing, And eternally out-going From the impulse of the mighty love of God!

Lift up your head, O my Brother, my friend! Know that your shame is the shame of the stream-- Memory floods all its banks, but the end-- What is the end? 'Tis a realized dream Dreamt in the depths of an infinite peace Ere the first star of the morning arose Over the earth! Since that river's release From the pure spring, how it flows! How it flows, Bears on its bosom the sorrows of man, Sin and the wreckage of faith and of truth, Lust and hot murder, the primitive ban: "Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"!

Yet that same bosom babe Moses did bare Safe in his cradle of wattles! Its tide Floated the tree on which Christ, crucified, Bled for His love of the stream and His share Of the Past!

Lift up your head and endure! Are we not part of the All, and as pure?

THE ONE OBLATION

God does not need your virtue Proclaimed in any place, Who knows a better beauty Than such a pious face! The stars keep His commandments, The suns observe His law And all the countless comets Bow down to Him in awe.

God does not want your temples, Whose domes are in the sky; With archangelic anthems How dare we mortals vie? One thing alone, my brothers, Rivals that bliss above: Not incense on an altar, But man's oblation--Love!

A QUESTION

Have you Christ found-- Whose eyes are cold And lips are set? How you forget That day of old, When on the ground He wrote one tender word: "Let him who has not erred Be first of these alone To cast a stone!"

COMBATANTS

My God and I met at the ford-- Lightning of wrath was on His face, And in His hand He held a sword!

He whom of old I had adored Now challenged me! I paused a space-- My God and I met at the ford.

Dauntless I stood, and daring poured Hot words of anger--stepped one pace; And in my hand I held a sword.

Steel clashed on steel! Together warred Comrades of old in that fell place! My God and I met at the ford.

One moment's thrust and He had scored; I of His mercy pleaded grace: God smiled on me and dropped His sword!

ON THE WIDE, WHITE ROAD

_The Question:_ Minstrel with a song On the wide, white road-- Loafing with the lilies of the June-- What makes you so strong Underneath your load, Lilting such a joyous little tune?

Tell me, little brother, What I want to know-- Why your lips are tremulous with joy-- Why you, like a mother, Soothe and love me so, As she used to when I was a boy.

All the way behind Fades into a dream Hideous with faces in the gloom; Phantom-terrors blind With a lurid gleam Glowing from Gehenna-gulfs of doom!

_The Answer:_ Comrade, I will tell you How I laugh and sing, Loafing with the lilies by the way. Comrade, what befell you That you missed the King Crowned with purple pansies of the day?

Brother, Him I know-- Lord of earth and star-- Find Him with the ferns beside the pool; All the splendours grow Dim and fade afar, When He walks at shut of day and cool.

Fear not to address Him-- Cosmic-Comrade He-- Lonely for the love He wants from you! Up at once and bless Him-- Lift a jubilee With the host of loyal hearts and true!

THAT ONE SHOULD LOVE ME

That one should love me is enough, Be my path smooth or be it rough; Though on my head no splendours shine, Love crowns me with the victor-vine.

If on my ears no plaudits fall Proclaiming me from stall to stall, Behind the scenes I wait my turn, Who saw two eyes with longing burn.

Somewhere within that audience Gleamed golden Love's magnificence; I stood triumphant for a space Held by the rapture on one face.

Out of the discord of to-day, Hark how the well-tuned harp-strings play! Peace, O my Soul! One song is true, Though thunder-clouds conceal the blue.

Down in the lowest deep of hell One word of love upon me fell; Forthwith my flame-scarred face was bold, Uplifted to a gate of gold.

Upon my path a phantom form Threatened with terror as of storm, Smote me with lightning; I was strong, Hearing the cadence of a song.

A while within an awful wood, Uncertain of the path I stood; A shout of laughter from a tree Where lurked a devil, frightened me.

Then there was whispering of leaves, Soft as of swallows under eaves: "I love you, love you!" Lo! a light Sundered the murkiness of night.

Three times I fell, three times I rose To face the menacing of foes-- What gave me strength again to stand? Out of the dark I felt a hand!

Out of the dark and dread of death, Upon my brow I felt a breath; And by the brink of that abyss The consolation of a kiss.

Past many moors of pain I trod Impeded by the clinging clod, Until within one waking morn Love in response to love was born.

Love in response to love was mine! The water-jar was filled with wine, The broken cruse again restored, And green had grown the withered gourd.

RAHAB

Rahab hath vermilion lips, Breasts of ivory, and her hips Taper down to little feet That go dancing on the street.

Gossips call dear Rahab bold; Say her love is bought for gold, Barters kisses for a purse: Well, some women have done worse!

Saw you ever Rahab's eyes-- All the blue of Canaan's skies Smiles a moment, and you see Beauty's best in Galilee.

Heard you ever Rahab's song, You would murmur: "Surely wrong Lives not in that lovely voice-- I with Rahab will rejoice!"

I came up the winding way Through the vines at shut of day Out of Orphir, bearing balms; And I saw among the palms

Rahab wistful by the wall: She was slender, she was tall, And I trembled as her eyes Turned on me in swift surprise.

Tyrian purple was her gown; Gold her girdle; and a crown Made of myrtle held her hair Oval on her forehead fair;

Little sandals shod her feet. Rahab, smiling, murmured: "Greet You, my brother! Are you come, Laden with sweet spice and gum,

"Out of Orphir?" and I said: "Rahab!" All the evening shed Light and perfume on her face Turned to me, I paused a space,

Breathless. Nothing I could say But her name. A dear dismay Of her beauty made me mute, Like a stringless harp or lute!

Then she laughed at me and flung High her hands! She tipped her tongue Saucily and danced along-- Feet in fellowship with song.

I pursued her through the vines Growing where the bank confines Jordan; followed her until I forgot my master's will--

Master of the Caravan Out of Orphir! As I ran, Love arose and went with me Through the grapes of Galilee!

Little leaves laughed as I sped After Rahab. Overhead Two white doves were on the wing, And I heard a throstle sing.

Where my feet fell on the brown, Furrowed vineyard, shaken down By her body from the vine, Grapes were crushed to make me wine!

Day was gazing from the west On high Hermon with confessed Love of her whose ample brow Crimsoned; and from every bough

Twilight twitterings were heard. How my pulses leaped and stirred-- Wild with longing for her lips, Like two red pomegranate pips!

I stretched forth my hands and cried: "Rahab!" and she turned aside From the vineyard where a wood Near a purple wine-press stood.

There she paused and looked on me, Laughing: "Boy, what do you see In my eyes, you tremble so?" "Fate!" I answered. "Could you know,

"Rahab, what is in my heart, You would pity, you would part With one kiss and one caress Here beside the purple press!"

"Boy," she murmured, "gossips say Rahab's poisoned lips will slay Whom she kisses; that her breasts Are two hidden adders' nests!"

"Though I die upon your mouth, Kiss me, Rahab! for the drouth Of the desert makes my soul Empty as an empty bowl.

"Dreary days of journeying Where the sands go billowing Miles and miles beneath the sun Leave me broken and undone.

"All my youth was in the sere, Dim the eye and deaf the ear Unto beauty until now; Rahab, harken to my vow:

"Give me vision, give me sense Of lost beauty's immanence-- Give me these and I will pay, Careless of what gossips say,

"All you ask in turn for this: Soul of you within one Kiss!" Rahab's eyes were suddenly Misted over, and to me

Came her whisper: "O my Heart! Take the minstrel's gift--his art-- With my lips on yours; the price Be your spirit's sacrifice--

"Pain of vision! You shall know Summits of eternal snow, Depths of fire! You shall be torn, Twixt the twilight and the morn,

"By strange dreams of angel-faces Bending from their starry places, Blent with devils out of hell!" Rahab kissed me--! Lo, there fell

Veils of violet and gold From the sunset--fold on fold-- Till the tangled vines were caught And with mist the fields were fraught;

Notes that I had never heard In the tall bulrushes stirred, Trembled from the swaying trees, Fluting strange, wild melodies.

Rahab's kiss and tender glance Taught me earth's significance; Opened wide eternal doors, Where the flood of beauty pours

Out of heaven! out of God! Quickening the stone and clod, Leaf and shrub and bird and beast For the artist--nature's priest,

Sleepless when her altar lights Burn through balmy summer nights, Wakeful when upon the day Pours the pollen smoke alway!

* * * * *

Rahab kissed me by the press-- Bound me with dear Love's duress-- Laughed and clapped her hands in glee Mid the grapes of Galilee.

ON GUARD

Halt! Who comes there? _Care_.

Word, friend or foe! _Woe_.

What is thy will? _Ill_.

Who sent thee here? _Fear_.

Where doth he dwell? _Hell!_

Name me his mate! _Hate_.

What is their palace? _Malice_.

What are their crowns? _Frowns_.

Show me the way! _Nay;_

_One from above, Greater than Wrath, Stands in thy path._ Who is he?--_Love!_

THE PLOUGHMAN

The upper and the lower springs, The summer-fountains fail; A frowning sky his challenge flings With thunder through the hail; The autumn holds her mantle-folds To veil a pallid brow-- She pities me and mourns to see My pain upon the plough: For I must down the furrow fare And cleave the clod with sharpened share.

Witless of wind that finds my face, I lean against the blast And plough to my appointed place-- Yon sapling like a mast; I plough this way till shut of day, Steady upon the mark; Reckless of cold, the handles hold From dawn until the dark-- This thing my duty: cleave the clod, Ploughing the field alone with God!

DEAR LITTLE MAID OF DREAM

Dear little Maid of Dream, My heart, dear Heart, is breaking; Things are not what they seem, And sorrow comes with waking!

I yearn to hold you fast, My Dream, but then comes waking; The silver moment past, And then--the sad leave-taking!

Dear little Maid of Dream, My heart, dear Heart, is breaking!

THE VIOLET TO THE ASTER

Said the Violet to the Aster All on a summer's day: "Your colour is the same as mine, Come marry me, I pray; Your bridesmaids shall be lilies, A rose the vested priest, And harebells ring the changes To call us to the feast."

Said the Aster to the Violet: "What shall the dowry be, And what my stated fortune, If I should marry thee?" "Your fortune?" sang the Violet, "The fragrance of my breath!" The Aster swayed and murmured: "I will be yours till death!"

MAGIC

There is magic on the meadow And a witch has won the wood, Elfin laughter from the water As it rolls a rhythmic flood; For a spirit meets my spirit With a flash of iris-wings, And all the world's a garden Glad with many blossomings!

THE KING AND THE MAID

"O love"--cried the King On a day in spring, As he went through the leafy wood-- "I must be away To the court this day!" And he threw back the purple hood From his royal brow That was paling now With the pain of the parting hour: For the maid was dear, And her lips were near To his lips, like a crimson flower.

"I shall be alone On a gilded throne In the midst of my nobles all; From my diadem To my garment's hem, I shall ache for your light footfall: 'Tis no little thing, Dear, to be a king With love of a man for a maid, And to play the part With an empty heart, Like a scabbard without its blade."

But the maid was wise, And her hazel eyes Were brave with the light of her love: "God save thee, my King, From great suffering, Grant thee of His grace from above! Canst thou play thy part With an empty heart, If I fill it full to the brim Of the wine of prayer From the bowl I bear?" And his eyes with the tears were dim!

"On that ivory throne Shalt thou be alone, If my thoughts are a-wing to thee; If upon thy brow That is paling now, My lips mark where the crown shall be?" So the King rode south From her crimson mouth Through the forest, field and the fells; And his voice was strong With words of a song To a chime of the bridle-bells.

A WOMAN'S PRAYER

God of the heaven and earth, Bring to the birth Soul of the man that I love; From the Above,

Send Him the light of Thy face; Grant to him grace, Brave in the battle, his shield Never to yield!

God of the zephyr and gale, That is a nail Holding the hand of my dream Hard to the beam!

God of the good Paraclete, Both of his feet Bleed while the sentinels toss Dice near a cross!

God of the magic of morn, Crimsoning thorn Crowns him! Oh, hark to his cry: "Sabachthani?"

God of the laughter and tear, That is a spear Stained with the red drops that start Under his heart!

God of the glamour and gloom, Into the tomb Low is he laid; see, a stone Leaves me alone!

God of the lily and vine, Is he not mine? Balms for his body I bear, Myrrh for his hair.

Love! who rolled the stone away? Bright as the day, Shineth thy brow, and thy face Gleams with a grace

Caught from the whispering wings Of One who sings: "There is no death!" Lo, the tomb Breaks into bloom!

God of a woman's wide love, Under, above, Over the earth there is light Sprung from the night;

Now is the heart of me filled, Soul of me stilled; Glad of Thy shepherding care, Answering prayer!

FOEMAN

I stand With drawn sword in my hand To face You for a space--

You! You! Comrade, can this be true That I Must yield or die?

Those eyes, Gray like November skies, I feel Sharper than steel....

One word Before sword clash on sword And stern Wrath in us burn

Recall The swift footfall And mirth, When the awakened earth

Grew glad Of what we had-- Love, life, Not this tremendous strife.

Rose-red Petals were shed With bloom Of lilies in that room,

Where we Stood silently And heard Heart-music stirred

On chords By minstrel Lords Whose wings Moved to the strings.

Why--why Dared we to try, To prove Our love?

Wrong! Wrong! When we knew song And light And spirit-might.

So now With paling brow And set Hard lips, we two are met

To kill! Ah, would your will Make mine As grapes bruised for the wine?

Seek you To run me through? I take My sword and break

The blade-- Strike! I have made Of it a cross, Counting that loss

Which holds Me from your garment-folds: The sign Proves me forever thine;

Proves that I give Self that our love may live!

GERAINT

Open, dear Lady, the little red door-- The little red door to me! Night is all cold and my feet are sore; I have made a long journey.

Leagues have I travelled, the mountains crossed Eager for love of thee; Lady, I fear that thy love is lost: Open thy heart to me!

Open thy heart and I will go in The red door silently; There I shall find what I seek to win, Dear Lady, thy love for me!

GRIEF

My heart is pain, My spirit dearth; Tears are the rain Upon the earth: And all the over-clouded sky Is not more darkened than am I.

A while ago I watched the snow, And laughed to see Its witchery; Now that your face is turned away, Winter's white magic melts from day.

The casement wide, This wan Yuletide, I opened--heard One little bird A-piping on a crystalled bough, But he will pipe no longer now;

For when he saw The stricken awe Upon my face, He left his place And winged into the upper air-- My visaged grief he could not bear.

A little child, By me beguiled But yesterday From busy play, This morning hurried from these eyes-- He could not look where courage dies!

Under the sun Two selves are one: Sorrow and I! Oh, let me die, And never meet the month of May-- Now that your face is turned away!

THE EMPTY ROOM

Out of the storm I hurry in To find an empty room; I call and call, but no footfall Answers across the room: Vainly your eyes I seek to win, You are not here! O dear--my dear, There is no sound and stir of you! I know not what to do.

I know not what to do or say, I stand with vacant stare Upon the brink of pain to think: "Love, whither dost thou fare?" An echo answers: "Gone away!" Your roses red their petals shed Upon the book of verse I gave, Like tears down on a grave!

LOVE ETERNAL

Let us walk together, lass, (Lean upon me--so!) Through the field of feathergrass (How the daisies grow!) Till we find the word to say What is in our hearts to-day.

Yes, I loved you from the first. Dear, there is surprise Blent with hunger and with thirst In your eager eyes, And you whisper: "Is it true?"-- Knowing that I always knew!

Let me tell you how it came: Voices through the room; Then one spoke to me your name (Take this wild rose bloom-- I will place it in your hair) And of you I was aware.

"She is of a slender grace, Like my Maid of dreams!" To myself I said--"Her face With that beauty gleams-- Beauty of that One I know In the Land of Long-Ago!"

Did you, dearest, understand Why the scarlet grew On my forehead, when my hand Your fair fingers knew? Oh, the world went very still While on me you worked your will!

Worked your will? Do not deny; For your heart was wise-- Ah, you shake your head and try Vainly to disguise What was on your lips to say When we met that fateful day!

For from all eternity We are pledged to love, Bound in all our lives to be True to what above All the turmoil and the din Strives that starry tryst to win.

Sit with me upon this stone Underneath the bough; Let the blossoms to us blown Learn our ancient vow-- Vow we made before the stars Strove to break Night's prison-bars.

Lift your head and meet my gaze. Do you not recall Somewhere in a golden haze, Vistaed vast, a hall Paved with diamond and domed Blue above a fount that foamed

With the water from the well Guarded, so they say, By the angel Israfel? Water of eternal bliss Sprinkled on the lips that kiss!

There we lived before the suns Led the planets up; There we pledged the winged Ones In a crystal cup, Ere we left that pillared home Through the field of Time to roam.

"Why," you ask me, dearest, "why Did we leave that place-- Is it such a thing to die?" Ponder for a space: What if love must lose to gain, Find eternal peace in pain?

"But I want the Ever-Now!" Dear, do you not know They who drive the patient plough And the furrows sow, Own the sinews of the strong-- Reap the harvest with a song?

"Let the scattered fragments be Gathered from the feast, Nothing lost"; thus speaketh He Who is Love's High Priest, And He knows who from a cross Pledged return for every loss.

Thus, my Maid of long ago, Here within the field Let me tell what you would know: How I came to yield To your eyes, your lips, your hair, When the guests were gathered there

In the room that day we met, Found amid the talk Light of ancient suns which set AEons ere the chalk Cliffs of Dover gleamed upon Merchant-prows from Babylon.

Love and Life eternal are, Fill unfathomed space, Bind with rapture star to star, Gleam from every face, Soar with angels, plunge to hell: Lucifer and Israfel!

So above the choric spheres, At the knees of God You and I beyond the years Kissed, then clove the clod With our spirit's sundered flame; Till amid the talk your name

Fell seraphic, smote me through With unearthly pain: I was I and you were you-- Met on earth again, Bound to live and bound to love By that oath we made above!

AFTER THE FEAST

I have drunk deeply of the cup, Fared well and fed; The guests with whom I sat to sup, Are gone to bed: A broken harp lies on the floor, Its tangled strings will sound no more-- The wine-stained linen I deplore.

Here is a little trampled rose, A violet; Here is a hyacinth, and those Are mignonette: They looked so proudly from their place, First at the feast--with tears I trace Now but a vestige of that grace.

Upon the table is a crown-- Where is the King? The little leaves that tremble down, Cover a ring; A vase of crystal shattered lies Against a goblet, where the wise Talked through the laughter. How time flies!

It is not very long ago, Here in the hall, When to the tapers' tangled glow The rise and fall Of voices over nuts and wine Murmured like wind through leaf and vine; And there was joy of me and mine.

I snuff the tapers one by one. The darkness falls. Alas, for feasting and for fun! My madrigals Are ended. I will not again Sing. Sound of wind and weeping rain Is now the interlude of pain!

Yet it was good to know the feast, To be a guest; Though at the table I was least Among the best. Blindly I grope unto the door, Gather a flower from the floor-- I will come back here never more!

What! Never more go gladly back? Ah, foolish me! When down the winding starry track The company, With laughter their lord following, Shall yet return to greet the King Who claims the crown and wears the ring!

And though I have put out each light, Gathered one flower, Bravely I fare forth into night-- What is an hour, A day, a year, if, after all The silence, those dear comrades call, And there is harping in the hall?