IC}'"

POEMS

FIRST SERIES

POEMS

FIRST

SERIES

BY

J.

C.

SQUIRE

LONDON

MARTIN

SECKER

XVII

BUCKINGHAM

STREET

DEDICATION

Lord,Ihaveseenat_{harvest festival}

In awhite_{lamp-litAsking-village church,}

Hornthe_{poorfolk, lackingfine}decorations, Offerthefirst-jruitsoftheirvarious toils:

Not _{only fruit}and blossom _ofthe fields,

Ripecornandpoppies, scabious, marguerites,

Melons andmarrows,carrotsand_potatoes,

And

_{pale round}turnipsandsweetcottageflowers,

But_gifts

_of

other_{produce,heaped}brownnets,

Fine_pollack,silver_{fish with}umberbacks,

And

handsome_{green-dark-blue-striped mackerel,}

And

uglier, hornier creatures

from

the sea,

Lobsters, long-clawedandeyed,andsmoothflat crabs,

Ranged

with the_flowersuponthewindow-niches,

To

lieinthat_{symbolic contiguity}

While_lustyhymns

_of

_gratitudeascend.

Sol

Here

_offerallIhave_found:

A

_few

_brightstainless_flowers

And

richer, earthlierblooms, andhomelygrain,

And

roots that_grewdistorted inthe dark,

And

_shapes

_of

lividhueand_sprawling

_form

Dragged from

the deepestwatersIhavesearched.

Mostdiverse_gifts,yetall alike in this:

Theyareallthe natural_productsof

_my

mind

And

heartandsenses;

PREFACE

THE

title ofthis

book

was chosen for this reason.

Had

the volume

been

called and Other

Poems

it

_might

have given a false _{impression that} its contentswere_entirelynew.

Had

it

been

called Collected

Poems

the equally false impres-sion

_might

have _{been given} that there _{was something} of

finalityaboutit.

The

title selected

seemed

best to _convey

both the fact that it was a collection

and

that,under

Pro-vidence, other (and, let _{us hope, superior)} collections will

follow it.

The

book

contains all that I do not wish to _{destroy of}

the contents of fourvolumes of verse.

A

number

of small corrections have

been

made.

There

are added,also, a few

recent

_poems

not _{previously published.}

The

earliest of the

poems

now

reprinted is dated 1905, in

which

_year I

was

twenty-one.

Some

ofthesubsequentyears,suchas 1914

and

1915, contributednothingto this

book

: the greater

number

ofthe

_poems

werewritten in _1911-1912

and

1916-1917.

Some

ofthe

_{poems were}

not writtenasIshould

now

write

them;

and

_many

of

them

reflect _{transient, though mostly}

recurrent,

moods which

I

do

not_{necessarily thinkworthy} of esteem.

J. C. S.

YEAR PAGE DEDICATION 5 PREFACE 7 1905 IN A CHAIR 11

A

DAY

12 1907

THE

ROOF

14 1910

TOWN

16 FRIENDSHIP'S

GARLAND

21 1911

A

CHANT

24

THE

THREE

HILLS 25

AT

NIGHT

26

LINES 27

FLORIAN'S

SONG

30 1912 ANTINOMIES ON A

RAILWAY

STATION 31

TREE-TOPS 35 ARTEMIS

ALTERA

36 EPILOGUE 37 DIALOGUE 38 STARLIGHT 41

SONG

42 CREPUSCULAR 43

FOR

Music 44

THE

FUGITIVE 45 ECHOES 47

1913

THE MIND

OF

MAN

49

A

REASONABLE PROTESTATION 52 IN

THE

PARK

57 IN

THE

ORCHARD

₅₉

THE

SHIP . 60

ODE

: IN A

RESTAURANT

6l 9

FAITH 71

A

FRESH

MORNING

72

INTERIOR 73

1913-14

ON

A FRIEND RECENTLY DEAD 74

1916

THE

MARCH

80

PROLOGUE: IN

DARKNESS

81

THE

LILY OF

MALUD

82

1917

A

HOUSE

87

BEHIND THE

LINES ₈₉

ARAB

SONG

₉₀

THE

STRONGHOLD

92

To

A BULL-DOG ₉₃

THE

LAKE

₉₆ PARADISE LOST ₉₇ ACACIA

TREE

₉₈

AUGUST

MOON

100

SONNET

102

SONG

103

A

GENERATION 104

UNDER

105 RIVERS ₁₀₇

I SHALL

MAKE BEAUTY

...

115

ENVOI 116

IN

A

CHAIR

THE

room

isfull ofthe_{peace of night,}

The

small flames

murmur

andflicker

and

_sway,

Within

me

isneither_{shadow, norlight,}

Nor

_night,nor_twilight,nor dawn, norday.

Forthe brain strivesnot to_{the goal of thought,}

And

thelimbslie_wearied,

and

alldesire Sleepsfora while,

and

I

am

naught

Buta_pair of_eyesthat_gazeata fire.

A

DAY

I.

MORNING

THE

_village fades

_away

Where

I last_{night came,}

Where

_{they housed}

me

and

fed

me

And

never asked

_my

name.

The

sunshines _bright,

_my

_stepis _light, I,

who

haveno abode,

Jeerat the stuck,

monotonous

Black _postsalongtheroad.

II.

MIDDAY

The wood

is still,

As

here Isit

My

heartdrinksin

The

_peaceofit.

A

_somethingstirs I

know

_{not where,}

Some

quietspirit

In theair.

O

tall_straightstems!

O

cool

_deep

_green!

O

hand

unfelt!

O

faceunseen!

III.

EVENING

The

_eveningcloses in,

As

down

this last_longlane

I _plod; there patterround

First_{heavy drops}ofrain.

Feetache,legs ache,but

now

Step quickensas Ithink

Of mounds

ofbread

and

cheese

And

_somethinghottodrink.

IV.

NIGHT

Ah

!

sleepis _{sweet,but yet}

I will not_sleepawhile

Nor

fora_{space forget}

The

toil of thatlastmile;

But

lie

awake and

feel

The

cool sheets'tremulouskisses

O'erall

_my

_body

steal . . .

Is_sleepassweetas thisis ?

THE ROOF

I

WHEN

the cloudshide the sun

_away

The

tallslateroofisdull

and

_grey,

And

when

therain

adown

it streams

'Tis_{polished lead} with_{pale-blue gleams.}

When

the clouds vanish

and

therain

Stops,

and

thesun

comes

out again,

It

shimmers

_golden inthesun

Almost

too brightto_{look upon.}

But

soonbeneath the _{steady rays}

The

roofisdried

and

reftof_blaze,

'Tis_{dusty yellow}traversed_through

By

longthinlinesofdeepestblue.

Then

atthelast,asnightdraws near,

The

lines

_grow

faint

and

_disappear,

The

roof

becomes

a_purplemist,

A

greatsquare darkeningamethyst

Which

sinks intothe_{gathering shade}

Till _separateform

and

colour_fade,

And

it isbut a_{patch which mars}

The

_beautyof afieldofstars.

II

Itstandsso_lonely inthe_sky

The

_sparrowsnever

come

_thereby,

The

_glossystarlingsseldom stop

To

_preen

and

chatteron the_top. 14

Forawhole

week

sometimes

_up

there

No

_wing-wavestirs _{the quiet}air,

The

rooflies silent

and

serene

As

_though

no

life

had

ever

been

;

Till

some

_{bright afternoon,} athwart

The

_{edge two sudden}

shadows dart,

And

two

_{white pigeons with pink}feet

Flutterabove

and

pitch

on

it.

Jerkingtheirnecksoutasthey walk

They

talkawhiletheir_pigeon-talk,

A

low continuous

murmur

blent

Of mock

reproaches

and

content.

Then

cease,

and

sit there

warm

and

white

An

hour,tillin _{the fadinglight}

They

wake,

and

know

theclose _{of day,}

Flutter above,

and

flyaway,

Leaving the roof

whereon

theysat

As

_{'twas before, a peaceful}flat

Expanse,as silent

and

serene

As

_though

no

life

had

ever been.

TOWN

MOSTLY

in adull rotation

We

bearour loadsandeat

and

drink

and

_sleep,

Feeling no tears,

knowing

nomeditation

Too

tired to think, too_{clogged with}earth to_weep.

Dimly

convinced,poorgropingwretches, Like _eyelessinsects in a

_murky

_pond

That

out

and

out _{this city stretches,}

Away,

away,

and

thereis no beyond.

No

_{larger earth,}

no

loftier_heaven,

No

_{cleaner, gentler}airstobreathe.

And

_yet,

Even

tous sometimes is_given

Visions of things

we

other timesforget.

Some

_dayis _done,its labour _ended,

And

as

we

sit

and

broodat

windows

_high,

A

steady

wind

fromfar _descended,

Blowsoffthefilth that hidthedeeper sky;

There

are the

_empty

_{waitingspaces,}

We

watch,

we

watch, unwinking,pale

and dumb,

Till_gliding

_up

with _{noiseless paces,}

Nightcoversall thewidearch: _Night hascome.

Not

thatsick false_{night of the city,}

Lurid

and

low_{and yellow}

and

obscene, But

mother

_{Night, pure,}full of_pity,

The

_{star-strewn Night,}blue, potent andserene.

O,as

we

_{gaze the clamour}ceases,

The

turbid _{world around grows}

dim and

small,

The

soft-shed influence releases

Our

shrouded_spirits fromtheir_{dusty pall.}

No

more

we

hearthe turbulenttraffic,

Not

scornedbut

unremembered

isthe_day;

The

_Night,allluminous

and

_seraphic,

Has

brushedits _heavy

memories

away.

The

_{great blueNight}so clear

and

_kindly,

The

littlestars so_wide-eyed

and

sostill,

Open

adoorfor souls_{that blindly}

Had

_{wandered,tunnelling}theendlesshill;

They

draw

the_{long-untraversedportal,}

Our

souls_slipout

and

tremble

and

_expand,

The

immortal feels forthe_immortal,

The

eternalholdsthe eternal

_by

the hand.

Impalpably

we

are led

and

lifted, Softly

we

shake intothegulf ofblue,

The

last_environingveilisrifted

And

losthorizonsfloatintoourview. Lostlands, loneseas,lands thatafar

_gleam

With

_{a miraculous beauty,}faint_yetclear,

Forgottenlands ofnight

and

star-gleam,

Seasthat are

somewhere

but that arenothere.

Borne withouteffortor_endeavour,

Swifter

and more

ethereal_{than the wind,} In leveltrack

we

stream, whilst ever

The

fair_pale

_panorama

rollsbehind.

Now

fleetsbelow atranced moorland,

A

_sweep

of_{glimmering immobility};

Now

_craggy cliffand dentedforeland

Pass backandthere

_beyond

unfoldsthesea.

Now

wastesofwater_{heaving,drawing,}

Great_darklingtractsof_patternedrestlessness,

With

_{whitened waves round rough}rocks

_mawing

And

_licking islands in their fierce caress.

Now

coastswith capes

and

ribboned beaches Setsilent'neath the_{canopysapphirine,}

And

estuaries

and

riverreaches.

Phantasmalsilver inthe_{night's soft shine.}

Ah,

thesefair

woods

thespiritcrosses,

These

_quietlakes, these stretched dreamingfields,

These

undulate

downs

_{with piny} bosses Pointing the ridges oftheir_slopingshields.

These

_valleys

and

these heights that screen them,

These

tawniersands

where

grass

and

tree arenot,

Ah,

we

have

known

them,

we

have seen them,

We

saw

them

_{long ago and}

we

_forgot;

We

know them

all, these placidcountries,

And

what

the

_pathway

is

and what

_{the goal};

These

are _{the gates}

and

these the sentries

That

guard that ancientfortressof thesoul.

And

we

_speed

onward

flying, flying,

Over

the_{sundering waves}ofhilland_plain

To

where

_theyrear their_{heads undying}

The unnamed

mountains of old_daysagain.

The

snows

_upon

theircalmstill summits,

The

_chasms,thefilesoftrees thatfoot_{the snow,}

Curvinglike_inky frozen comets, Into_{the forest-ocean spread below.}

The

_glisten

where

the_peaksare hoarest,

The

soundless darkness ofthe

sunken

vales,

The

_{foldingleagues of}

_shadowy

forest,

Edge

beyond edge

till all distinctnessfails.

Soinvulnerable it is,so_deathless,

So

floodstheairthe lovelinessof_it,

That

we

_{stay dazzled,rapt}

and

breathless,

Our

_{beings ebbing}totheinfinite.

There

as

we

pause, thereas

we

hover,

Still-poised in ecstasy,a

sudden

light

Breaksinour_eyes,

and

we

discover

We

sitat

windows

_gazingto the_night.

Wistful

and

tired,with eyesa-tingle

Where

still_{the sting ofBeautyfaintly} smarts ;

But

with our

mute

_{regrets theremingle}

Thanks

fortheresurrection ofourhearts.

O

nightsogreat thatwill not

mock

us!

O

stars sowise thatunderstand the

weak

!

O

vast_consoling

hands

thatrock us!

O

strong

and

perfecttongues thatspeak!

O

_{night enrobed}inazure_splendour!

O

_whisperingstars

whose

radiancefallslike

dew

!

O

_mighty

_presences

and

tender,

You

have_{given us}backthedreams our childhood

knew

!

Lulled by yourvisionswithout number,

We

seekourbeds content

and

void of_pain,

And

dreaming drowse

and dreaming

slumber

And

dreaming

wake

tosee the dayagain.

FRIENDSHIP'S

GARLAND

I

WHEN

Iwas a_boythere wasa friend of

mine

:

We

_thoughtourselves warriors

_{and grown}

folk swine, Stupid oldanimals

who

never understood

And

never

had

_{an impulse and}said "_you

must

_{be good}.

We

slanklikestoats

and

fled_{like foxes,}

We

_{put cigarettes in}the_{pillar-boxes,} Lightedcigarettes

and

lettersall aflame

the_surprise

when

the

_{postman came}

!

We

stole_eggs

and

_apples

and

made

fine_hay

In_people'shouses

when

_people

were

_away,

We

brokestreet_lamps

_{and away}

we

ran,

Then

I

was

a

_boy

but

now

I

am

a man.

Now

I

am

a

man

and

don't have

_any

_fun,

1_{hardly ever}shout

and

I_never, neverrun,

And

Idon't care ifhe'sdead thatfriend of_mine, For then I

was

a _boy

and

now

I

am

a swine.

II

WE

met

_{again the other night}

With

_people; you werequite polite,

Shook

_my

hand and

_spokea while

Of common

_things with cautious smile;

Paid the usual debt

men

owe

To

fellows

whom

_{they used}toknow.

But,

when

our eyes

met

full,yours dropped,

And

_sudden, resolute,you stopped,

Moving

with hurried_syllables

To make

remarksto

someone

else.

I _caught

them

_not,to

me

_they said:

" Letthe

dead

_pastburyits_dead,

Things

were

verydifferentthen, Boysarefools

and

men

are

men."

Severaltimes the other_night

You

did _yourbesttobe _polite;

When

intheconversation's round

You

heard

_my

_tongue's familiarsound

You

bentin _{eager pose}

_my

_way

To

hear

what

I

had

_gotto_say;

Trying,you thought with

some

success,

To

hidethe chasm's nakedness.

Bat

_{on your}eyes hardfilmsthere _lay;

No

mock-interest,no pretence Couldveil_{your blank}indifference;

And

if_thoughts

came

_{recallingthings}

Far-off, far-off, fromthose old springs

When

underneaththe

moon

and sun

Our

_{separate pulses beat}asone, Vagrant tender thoughtsthatasked Admittance foundthe _portal

masked

;

You

_spurned

them

;

when

I'd said

my

_say,

With

_laugh

and

nod

_{you turned}

_away

To

toss_yourfriends

some

easyjest

That

smote

_my

brow and

stabbed

_my

breast.

Foplishthoughit be

and

vain

I

am

notmasterof

_my

pain,

And

when

1 said_good-night to_you

I

_hoped

we

shouldnot

meet

_again,

And

wondered

how

the soul I

knew

Could change so

much

; have I

changed

too?

Ill

THERE was

a

man

whom

I

knew

well

Whose

choiceit

was

tolive in hell;

Reasonthere was

_why

thatwasso

But

what

it wasI

do

notknow.

He

had

a

room

_highin_{a tower,}

And

satthere _{drinking hourbyhour,} Drinking,drinkingall alone

With

candles

and

a wall ofstone.

Now

and

thenhe sobered

down,

And

_{stayed a night with}

me

intown.

Ifhe found

me

with a_crowd,

He

shrank

and

did_{not speak} aloud.

He

sat ina corner_silently,

And

others ofthe

_company

Would

note hiscuriousface

and

_eye,

His _{twitching face}

and

timid _eye.

When

_{they saw} the_{eye he}

had

They

thought, perhaps, thathe was

mad

:

I

knew

he

was

clear

and

sane

But had

a horrorin his brain.

He

had

_{much money}

and

onefriend

And

drank_quitegrimly tothe end.

Why

he choseto diein hell Idid notask, he did not tell.

A CHANT

GENTLY

_{the petals}fall as thetree_{gently sways}

That

has

known many

_springs

and

_many

_petalsfall

Year

after_yeartostrew the _green deserted_ways

And

the statue

and

the

_{pond and}

_{the low,}broken wall.

Faded

isthe

_memory

_{of old things done,} Peacefloats on the ruinsofancientfestival ;

They

lie

and

_forgetin the

warmth

of the sun,

And

a_skysilver-blue archesoverall.

O

softly,

O

tenderly, the heart

now

stirs

With

desires faint

and

formless; and,seekingnot,I find

Quiet thoughtsthatflashlike _{azure kingfishers}

Across the luminous,tranquil mirror of themind.

24-THE THREE

HILLS

THERE were

threehills thatstood alone

With woods

abouttheirfeet.

They

dreamed

quiet

when

the sun shone

And

_whispered

when

the rain beat.

They

wore

all threetheircoronals

Till

men

with houses

came

And

scoredtheirheads with _pits

and

walls

And

_thoughtthehills

were

tame.

Red

and

white

when

day shines bright

They

hide_{the green for miles,}

Where

are the oldhills

_gone

?

At

_night

The moon

looks

down

and

smiles.

She

sees the captors small

and

weak,

She knows

_{the prisoners strong,}

She

_{hears the patient}hills that_speak:

"

Brothers,it is not_long;

"

Brothers,

we

stood

when

they

were

not

Ten

thousand

summers

past.

Brothers,

when

theyare _{clean forgot}

We

shall outlivethelast;

"

_One

_shalldie

_and

_{oneshall flee}

With

terror in his train,

And

earth shalleat thestones,

and

we

Shallbe_{alone again."} 25

AT

NIGHT

DARK

_fir-tops footthe

_moony

_sky, Blue moonlight barsthe drive;

Here

at the

_{open window}

I

Sit

_smoking

andalive.

Wind

in the branchesswellsandbreaks Like ocean ona beach;

Deep

inthe _{sky and}

_my

heart there

wakes

A

_thought I cannotreach.

LINES

WHEN

London was

alittle

town

Lean by

theriver's _marge,

The

_poetpacedit witha frown,

He

thought it_{very large.}

He

_{loved bright ship}and_{pointing steeple}

And

_bridge with houses loaded

And

priests

and

many-coloured people . .

But

ah,they

were

not

woaded

!

Not

allthewallscould shedthe_spell

Of

meres

and

marshes _green,

Nor any

chaffering

merchant

tell

The

_beautythat

had

been:

The

_{crying birds}atfall _{of night,}

The

fisher_{in his coracle,}

And,

grim on Ludgate's

windy

height,

An

oak-tree

and

an oracle.

Sickfor_{the past} his hairhe rent

And

_dropt atear inseason;

Ifhe

had

causefor his lament

We

have

much

betterreason.

For

now

the fields and_paths

he

knew

Are

coffined allwith_bricks,

The

lucid silverstream he

knew

Runs

_slimyas the _Styx;

-North

and

south andeast

and

west, Far asthe_{eye can}travel,

Earth witha sombre

web

isdrest

That

_{nothing can} unravel.

And

we

must wear

asblack a frown, Wail withas

keen

a

woe

That

London

wasa little

town

Five

hundred

_yearsago.

Yet

even this _{place ofsteamystir,}

Thispitof belch

and

swallow,

With

chrismof_gold

and

_gossamer

The

elements can hallow.

Ihave a

room

in

_Chancery

_Lane,

High

in a worldof_wires,

Whence

fallthe roofsa _raggedplain

Wooded

with

_many

_spires.

There

inthe

dawns

of

summer

_days

I _stand,

and

therebehold

A

cityveiledin rainbow haze

And

_spangled allwith_gold.

The

breezeswaftabroadthe _rays Shot by the

_waking

sun,

A

_myriad chimneyssoftly blaze,

A

_{myriad shadows}run.

Round

thewiderimin radiantmist

The

_gentlesuburbs _quiver,

And

nearerlies _{the shining twist}

Of

Thames,

a holyriver.

Left

and

_right

_my

visiondrifts,

By

yonder towersI _linger,

Where

Westminster'scathedrallifts

Its belled _{Byzantinefinger,}

And

here_against

_my

_perched

home

Where

hold wise converse_daily

The

loftier

and

thelesser

dome,

StPaul'sand the

Old

_Bailey.

FLORIAN'S

SONG

MY

soul,itshall not takeus,

O

we

will _escape

This world thatstrives tobreakus

And

cast us toits _shape;

Its chisel shallnotenter, Itsfire shallnot touch,

Hard

from rimtocentre,

We

will notcrack orsmutch.

'Gainstwords sweet

and

flowered

We

have an _amulet,

We

will _{not play the}coward For any black threat;

If

we

butgiveendurance

To

what

is

now

within

The

_{single assurance}

That

itis

_good

towin.

Slaves thinkit better

To

be

weak

than_strong,

Whose

hateisa fetter

And

theirlove a thong. But

we

will viewthose others

With

_eyeslike stone,

And

if

we

have no brothers

ANTINOMIES

ON

A

RAILWAY

STATION

As

I _{stand waiting}in therain

Forthe _{foggy hoot}ofthe

London

train.

Gazingat silent walland

_lamp

And

_post andrail

and

platformdamp.

What

isthis

_power

that

comes

to

_my

_sight

That

I_{see a night}without _{the night,}

That

Isee

them

clear,yet look

them

through,

The

_{silverythings}

and

_{the darkly}blue,

That

thesolid wallseemssoftas _death,

A

_wavering

and

unanchoredwraith,

And

railsthatshine

and

stones thatstream Unsubstantial asa

dream

?

What

sudden doorhas

_opened

so,

What

hand

_{has passed, that} I should

know

This

_moving

vision nota trance

That

_{melts the globe of circumstance,}

This _{sight that}

marks

not leastormost

And

makes

_{a stone a passing ghost}?

Isit _{that a yearago}

Istood

_upon

this_{self-same spot};

Isit_{that since a yearago}

The

place

and

I havealtered not;

Is itthatI half_forgot,

A

_yearago,

and

all _despised

For_{a space the things that} I had _prized:

The

raceof_life, the_glittering

show

?

Isitthat

now

a_{yearhas passed} 31

In vain pursuit ofglittering things,

Infruitless_{searching, shouting, running,}

And

_greedylies

and

candour_cunning,

Here

as Istand the _{year above}

Sudden

the heats

and

the_strivingsfail

And

fall _away,afluctuant_veil,

And

thefixed familiarstones restore

The

old_{appearance-buriedcore,}

The

_{unmoving and}

essential

_me,

The

_{eternal personality}

Alone enduringfirst andlast?

No, this I have

known

in_{other ways,}

In other_places,other_days.

Not

_only here,

on

thisone _peak,

Do

_fixity

and

_{beauty speak}

Of

the delusiveness of_change,

Of

_{the transparency ofform,}

The

bootlessstressofminds_{that range,}

The

awful calm behindthe storm. In

_many

places,

many

days,

The

invadedsoul receives_{the rays}

Of

countriesshe

was

nurtured in,

Speaksinhersilent_{language strange}

To

that

_beyond

whichisherkin.

Even

in_peopled streets attimes

A

_metaphysic

arm

is thrust

Through

the partitioningfabric thin,

And

tears

_away

the _{darkeningpall} Cast_{by the bright phenomenal,}

And

clears the obscured_spirit'smirror

From

shadows _{of deceptive error,} 32

And

showsthe bells

and

alltheir_ringing,

And

all the crowds

and

alltheir_singing, Carillons_{that are nothing's} chimes

And

dust thatisnoteven dust. . . . But_rarelyhold Iconverse thus

Where

shapesare bright

and

clamorous,

More

often

comes

the

word

divine In _{places motionless}

and

far;

Beneaththewhite_{peculiar shine}

Of

sunless

summer

afternoons;

At

eventideon_{pale lagoons}

Where

_hangs reflectedone _palestar;

Or

_deep

in the_green solitudes

Of

still erect entranced woods.

O,inthe

woods

alone_lying, Scarcea

_bough

in the

wind

_sighing,

Gaze

I_{long with} fervid

_power

At

leaf

and

branch

and

_grass

and

flower,

Breathe Ibreaths of_{tremblingsight}

Shed

from _{great urns ofgreendelight,}

Take

I _{draughts and} drink

them

up-Poured from

_many

a stalk

and

_cup.

Now

do

I burnfor_nothing

more

Than

thusto_{gaze, thus}toadore This_{exquisiteness of nature} ever Insilence. . . .

But

withinstant_light

Rends

thefilm; withjoy I quiver

To

seewith

new

celestial _sight

Flower

and

leaf

and

grass

and

tree,

Doomed

barks on aneternalsea,

Flit _phantom-likeastransientsmoke. Beauty herself her spellhas broke,

Beauty, the herald

and

thelure,

Her

message told,

may

notendure;

Her

portal opened, she hasdied,

Supreme

immortalsuicide.

Yes,sleeplessnature soundlessflings Invisible_grapplesroundthesoul,

Drawing

her through the

web

of things

To

_{the primal}

end

ofher_journeyings,

Her

ultimate

and

constantpole.

For Beauty with her handsthat

beckon

Is _{but the Prophet}of a_Higher,

A

_flaming

and

_ephemeral beacon,

A

Phoenix perishing

by

fire.

Herself from _{us herself estranges,} Herself her

_mighty

tale dothkill,

That

all_{thingschange yetnothingchanges,}

That

all_things

move

_yetall are still.

Icannotsink, I cannotclimb,

Now

that I see

_my

_{ancient dwelling,}

The

central orb untouched_{of time,}

And

tastea_peace allbliss _excelling.

Now

I havebroken _Beauty's wall,

Now

that

_my

kindred world I _hold, I care_{not though} the cities fall

TREE-TOPS

THERE beyond

my

window

_ledge,

Heaped

against thesky, a

hedge

Of

_{huge and waving}

tree-tops stands

With

multitudes offluttering hands.

Wave

_{they, beatthey, to}

and

fro,

Never

stillness

_may

_they

_know,

Plunged by

the

wind

and hurled

and

torn

Anguished, purposeless,forlorn. "

_O

ferocious,

O

despairing, Inhuddledisolation _faring

Through

ascattered universe,

Lostcoinsfrom the_{Almighty'spurse}!

"

"

No, below you do not see

The

firmfoundations of the tree;

Anchored

to arock beneath

We

_laughinthe

_hammering

_tempest's teeth.

"

Boughs

like

men

_{but burgeons}are

On

an adamantinestar;

Men

are_{myriad blossoms on}

A

staunch and cosmicskeleton."

ARTEMIS

ALTERA

O

FULL ofcandour_{and compassion,}

Whom

love

and

_{worship both}

would

praise,

Love

_{cannot frame nor worship}fashion

The

_image

of_your fearless

_ways

!

How

show

_{your noble} brow'sdark _pallor,

Your

chivalrous_casque of

ebon

hair,

Your

_{eyes' bright strength,your}lips' softvalour,

Your

_{supple shoulders}

and

handsthatdare?

Our

souls

when

naivelyyou examine,

Your

sword of innocence,naming, huge,

Sweeps

overus,

and

thereis famine

Within _{the ports of subterfuge.}

You

hate

_contempt

and_{love not laughter};

With

_{your sharp spear ofvirgin will}

You

_{harry the} wicked_strong; butafter,

O

huntress

who

could neverkill,

Should they be trodden

down

or_pierced, Swift, swift,you flywith burning cheek

To

place yourbeauty's shield reversed

EPILOGUE

THAN

farthest stars

more

distant,

A

mile _more,

A

milemore,

A

voice crieson insistent: "

_You

may

smile

more

if_youwill;

"

You may

sing too

and

spring too;

But

numb

atlast

And

dumb

atlast,

Whatever

portyou clingto,

You

must come

at lasttoa hill.

"

_And

_{never a}

_man

you'llfindthere

To

_{take your}

hand

And

_{shake your}

hand

;

But

when

you go behind there

You

must

make

your

hand

a sword

"

_To

_{fencewith a}

_foeman

swarthy,

And

swink there

Nor

shrink there,

Though

cowardly

and

worthy

Must

drink there onereward."

DIALOGUE

THE ONE

THE

dead

man's _{gone, the} live man's sad, the dying leaf

shakes onthe tree,

The

wind

constrains the _window-panes and

moans

like

moaning

ofthe sea,

And

sour's the taste

now

culled in haste of _lovelythings

I

won

too late,

And

loud

and

loud above the

crowd

the Voice of

One

more

strongthan we.

THE OTHER

This Voice you hear, this call _{you fear,} is it _unprophesied

or

new

?

Were

_you so insolent to think its _rope

would

never circle

you?

Did

_{you then} beastlike live

and

walk with ears and _eyes that

would

not turn?

Who

bade

_you

_{hope your} service _'scape in that eternal retinue?

THE ONE

No

; forI swear

now

bare's the tree

and

loud the

moaning

ofthe wind,

I

walked

no rut with _eyelids shut,

my

ears and _eyes

were

neverblind,

Only

my

eager thoughts I bent on

_many

_things that I

desired

To make

_my

greedy heart content ere flesh and blood I

leftbehind.

THE OTHER

Ignorance, then, was all _your fault

and

filmed _eyes that could not

_know,

That

half discerned

and

never learned the _temporal

_way

that

men

_{must go}

;

You

set the

_image

of the world high for _your heart's idolatry,

Though

with yourlips

you

called the world atoy, a ghost,

a passingshow.

THE ONE

No, no; this is not true;

my

lips spoke only

what

my

heart believed.

Called I the world a _toy; I spoke not echo-like or

self-deceived.

But

that I _{thought the toy} was

mine

to _{play with,}

and

the passing

show

Would

sate at least

_my

_passinglusts,

and

did not, therefore

am

I

grieved.

What

did I do that I

must

bear this _{lifelong tyranny} of

my

fate,

That

I

must

writhe in _{bonds unsought} of accidental love

and

hate?

Had

chance butjoined different dice, but once or twice,

butonceor twice,

All lovely things that I desired I should have held before toolate.

Surely I

knew

that flesh

was

_grass nor valued

overmuch

theprize,

But

all_{the powers} of chance _conspired to cheat a

man

both

just

and

wise.

Happy

I'd been

had

I but

had

_my

due _reward,

and

not

asword

Flaming

in diabolic

hand between

me

and

_my

Paradise.

N

THE OTHER

No

hooded

band

of fates did stand _your heart's ambitions

to_gainsay,

No

_flaming brand in evil

hand

was ever thrust across _your way,

Only

the thingsall

men

must

_meet,the

common

attributes

of

_men,

That

men

_may

flinch to see or, seeing, deny, but avoid

them

no

man

_may.

Fall the dice, not once or twice but always, to

make

the self-same

sum

;

Chance

_{what may,}

a life's a life

and

to a _{single goal}

must

come

;

Though

a

man

search far

and

wide, never is _hunger

satisfied;

Nature _brings her natural _fetters,

man

is

meshed and

the wise are

dumb.

O

vain all art to assuage a heart with accents of a mortal tongue,

All earthly words are _incomplete

and

_only sweet are the songs unsung,

Never

yet was cause for regret, yet regret

must

afflict

usall,

Better it were to _{grasp the} world 'thwart which this world

isa curtain_flung.

STARLIGHT

LAST_nightI

lay inan

open

field

And

looked atthestarswith _lipssealed;

No

noise

moved

the windlessair,

And

Ilookedatthe starswith steadystare.

There were

some

that_glittered

and

some

thatshone

With

a soft

and

equalglow,

and

one

That queened

it _{over the sprinkled round,}

Swaying

the hostwithsilentsound.

"Calm

_things," I_thought,

"in

_{your cavernblue,} I will learn

and

hold

and

_{master you};

I will

_{yoke and}

scorn_you asI can,

For_{the pride of}

_my

heartis _{the pride of a} man."

Grass to

_my

cheekinthe

_dewy

field,

I_layquite still with_lips sealed,

And

_{the pride of a}

man

and

his rigid gaze Stalkedlike swords on _{heaven's ways.}

But

_througha sudden _{gate there}stole

The

Universe

and

_spreadin

_my

soul;

Quick went

my

breath

and

_quick

_my

heart,

And

I lookedatthe starswith _lipsapart.

SONG

THERE

isa

wood

where

thefairies dance All nightlongin aring of

mushrooms

daintily,

By

each treebolesitsa _{squirrelor a mole,}

And

the

moon

_throughthebranchesdarts.

Light onthe grass theirslim_{limbs glance,}

Their shadows inthe _{moonlightswing}in _{quiet unison,}

And

the

moon

discoversthat_theyallhavelovers,

But they never breaktheirhearts.

They

never_grieveat allfor_{sands that run,}

They

never

know

_regret fora

deed

that's_done,

And

_{they never} think of_goingtoashed with a

_gun

At

the _risingofthe sun.

No

creature stirsin thewide fields.

The

riftedwesternheaven_yields

The

_dyingsun's illumination.

This isthe houroftribulation

When,

with _{clear sight} of_{eve engendered,} Day's

homage

to_{delusion rendered,}

Mute

ather

window

sits thesoul.

Cloudsand skies

and

lakesand_seas, Valleys

and

hills

and

grass

and

trees,

Sun,

moon, and

stars, allstandtoher

Limbs

ofone lordless _challenger,

Who,

without deigningtauntorfrown,

Throws

a _{perennial gauntlet}

down

:

"

_Come

conquer

me

and take thy toll."

No

cowardice orfearshe _knows,

But,asonce

more

she _girds, there _grows

An

_{unresigned hopelessness}

From memory

offormer stress.

Head

bent, she

muses

whilst he waits:

How

with such

_weapons

dint_{his plates}?

How

quell this vast

and

sleeplessgiant Calmly,immortally defiant,

How

fell_{him, bindhim,}

and

control

FOR

MUSIC

DEATH

inthe cold _grey

_morning

Came

tothe

man

where

he_lay

;

And

the

wind

shivered,andthetree shuddered

And

the

dawn

was_grey.

And

thefaceofthe

man

_{was grey} inthedawn,

And

_{the watchers by} the

bed

Knew,

as _{they heard} the_shaking ofthe leaves,

THE

FUGITIVE

FLYINGhis hair

and

his _eyesaverse,

Fleet arehisfeet andhis heart_apart.

How

could our_song hischarmsrehearse?

Fleet arehis feet

and

his heart_apart.

High

on

a

down

we

found

him

last,

Shy

as_{a hare,}

he

fled as fast;

How

could

we

_clasp

him

or everhe_passed?

Fleet arehisfeet

and

hisheart _apart.

How

could

we

cling to hislimbs that shone,

Ravishhischeeks' red_gonfalon,

Or

the wild-skin cloak thathe

had on

?

Fleet are his feet

and

hisheart_apart.

Forthe

wind

ofhis feetstill_{straightlyshaping,}

He

loosedatour breasts fromhis _eyesescaping

One

crookedswift_glance like _{a javelin leaping.}

Fleet arehisfeet

and

hisheart_apart.

And

hisfeet_passedoverthesunset land

From

the place forlorn

where

aforlorn

band

Watching him

flying

we

still did stand.

Fleet arehis feet

and

hisheart_apart. 45

Vanishing

now who

would

not_stay

To

the blue hillson the _verge of_day.

O

soft! soft! Music

play,

Fading away, (Fleet are his feet

And

his_{heart apart)}

Fading away.

ECHOES

THERE

isafar_unfadingcity

Where

bright immortal peopleare;

Remote

from hollow

shame and

_pity,

Their_portalsframe

no

_guiding star

But

_{blightless pleasure'smoteless rays}

That

_{follow their footsteps} as_{they dance}

Long

lutanied _{measures through}a

maze

Of

flower-like _song

and

dalliance.

There

_{always glows the vernal sun,}

There happy

birds forever_sing,

There

faint

_perfumed

breezes run

Through

branchesof eternal spring;

There

faces

browned

andfruit

and

milk

And

_{blue-winged words and rose-bloomed}kisses

In_galleys

_gowned

with _gold

and

silk

Shake on

_{a lake of dainty} blisses.

Coyness is_{not, nor bear they thought,}

Save_{of a shining gracious}flow;

All natural joys are temperate sought, For calm desire there _they

_know,

A

fire_{promiscuous, languorous,} kind;

They

scornallfiercerlusts

and

_quarrels,

Nor

blow about on_anger'swind,

Nor

burn with love,norrustwith morals. 47

Folkin thefar _{unfadingcity,}

Burning with lusts

_my

sensesare,

I

am

tornwith love

and

shame

and_pity,

Be

to

_my

heart a_guiding star:

Wise

_youths

and

maidensin _{the sun,}

With

_{eyes that}

charm and

_lips that_sing,

And

_gentlearms _{that rippling run,}

THE MIND

OF

MAN

I

BENEATH

_my

skull-bone

and

_my

hair,

Coveredlike _{a poisonouswell,}

There

is aland: if

_you

lookedthere

What

_{you saw you'd quail to}tell.

You

that sit_{there smiling,}

you

Know

that

what

I _sayis true.

My

headis_{very small} to _touch,

I feelitallfromfront toback,

An

earedround that_{weighs not}

_much,

Eyes, nose-holes,

and

apulpy crack:

Oh,

how

small,

how

smallit is!

How

could countries be in this?

Yet,

when

I watch with _{eyelids shut,}

It_glimmers forth,

now

dark,

now

clear,

The

_{cityof Cis-Occiput,}

The

marshes

and

the _{writhing mere,}

The

_{land that every}

man

Isee

Knows

inhimselfbut not inme.

II

Upon

theborders ofthe weald

(I

walk

therefirst

when

Istepin)

Set in _green

wood

and

_smilingfield,

The

city stands,unstained ofsin;

White

_{thoughts and} wishes _pure

Walk

the streetswith _stepsdemure. 49

Inits_{clean groves}and _spacioushalls

The

_{quiet-eyed inhabitants}

Hold

_{innocent sunny}festivals

And

_mingleindecorousdance;

Things that destroy,distort,deface,

Come

nevertothat_{lovely place.}

Never

could evilenter _thither,

Itcouldnotlivein thatsweetair,

The

shadow

ofanill

deed

must

wither

And

fall

_away

to_nothing there.

You

would

_sayas there_you stand

That

allwas beautyin the land.

But

_{go you}out

_beyond

the _gateway, Cleave

_you

the

woods and

_{pass the plain,}

Cross

_you

thefrontierdown,

and

_straightway

The

trees will _{end, the grass} will_wane,

And

_you

will

come

to a wilderness

Of

sticks

and

_parched barrenness.

The

middleof the land is_this,

A

_tawny

desert

midmost

set,

Barrenof_livingthingsit is,

Savingatnight

some

vampires flit

That

nest

them

in the farthermarish

Where

all save vilest_things

must

perish.

Here

in this_{reedy marsh} of_green

And

oily pools,

swarm

insectsfat

And

birdsof_prey

and

beasts obscene, Thingsthatthetravellershudders at,

All _{cunningthings that creep}and _fly

To

suck men'sblooduntil _theydie.

Rarely fromhence does aught escape Into theworldofouter_light,

But

now

and then

some

sable _shape

Outward

willdash in sudden_flight;

And men

stand stonied or_distraught

To

know

_{the loathly}

deed

_{or thought.}

But,ah !

_beyond

the

marsh

_{you reach}

A

_{purulent place}

more

vilethan_all,

A

_{festering lake too}foul for_speech,

Rotten

and

black,with coils_acrawl,

Where

writhe withlecherous _squeakingsshrill

Horrors that

make

the heart stand still.

There, 'neath aheaven _{diseased,it lies,}

The

mere

alive with_{slimy worms,}

With

_perverseterrible_infamies,

And

murders and _repulsiveforms

That

have

no

name, butslidehere _deep, WhilstI, theirholder, silence_keep.

A REASONABLE

PROTESTATION

\ToF., whocomplainedofhis_vaguenessand lack_of

dogmaticstatement]

NOT, I _suppose, since I

_deny

Appearance

is_reality,

And

doubt thesubstance of the earth

Does

_{your remonstrance}

come

to birth;

Not

thatatonce Ibothaffirm

"Tisnotthe skin that

makes

the

worm

And

_everytactile _thingwithmass

Must

find its_symbolinthe _grass

And

witha cool_{conviction say}

Even

acritic's

more

than_clay

And

_every

_dog

outlives his_day.

This kindof_vaguenesssuits_yourview,

You

would

notcarpatit; foryou

Did

neverstandwiththose

who

take Their_pleasuresin a_{world opaque.}

For youa tree

would

neverbe Lovely wereitbuta tree,

And

_{earthly splendours}never_splendid

If_by transienceunattended.

Your

_{eyes are}ona farther shore

Than

any ofearth; nor

do

adore

As godhead

God's dead _hieroglyph.

Nor would

_{you be perturbed} if

Some

_{prophet with} avoice ofthunder

And

avalanche

arm

should blast

and

founder 52

The

_{logicalpillars} thatmaintain

This visible worldwhich loads the_brain, Loadsthe brain

and

withers the heart

And

holds

man

from his

God

_apart.

But

stillwith

_you

remains _{the craving}

For

some more

solid_{substance, having}

Surfaceto_{touch, colour tosee,}

And

form

_compact

in _symmetry.

You

arenotsatisfiedwith these

Vague

throbbings, namelessecstasies,

Nor

_{can yourspirit}find _delight

In_{an amorphicgreat}white _light.

Not

with suchsickles can

_you

_reap;

Ifa denseearth _{you cannot}

_keep

You

want

adense heavenassubstitute

With

trees of

_plump

celestial _fruit,

Red

_{apples,golden pomegranates,}

And

a river_flowingby tall

gates

Of

topaz

and

ofchrysolite

And

wallsof

_twenty

_{cubits height.} Frank, youcry out against the age!

Nor

_younorI _{can disengage}

Ourselvesfrom thatin

which

we

live

Nor

seize

on

_things

God

does not_give. Thirstyasyou, perhaps, I_long

For_{courtyards of eternal song,}

Even

as_yours

_my

feet

would

_stray

In a_city

where

'tis_{always day}

And

a_{green spontaneous leafygarden}

With

God

inthe middle fora

warden

;

But

though I

_hope

_{with strengthening}faith

To

taste

when

I havetraversed death

The

_{unimaginable sweetness}

Of

certitude ofsuch concreteness,

How

should I

draw

thehue

and

_scope

Of

substances I _only

_hope

Or

blaze

_upon

a _paperscreen

The

evidence _{of things}notseen?

Thisart of ours_{but grows}

and

stirs

Experience

when

it_registers,

And

_you

know

wellas I

know

well This

autumn

oftimein which

we

dwell

Is_{not an age}of revelations Solidasonce,butintimations

That

touchus with

warm

_mistyfingers

Leavinga nameless sense thatlingers

That

_sight isblind

and

Time's a snare

And

earthless solidthan the air

And

_deep

belowall

_seeming

_things

There

sits_{a steadykingof kings}

A

radiant agelesspermanence,

A

_quenchlessfount ofvirtue

whence

We

draw

ourlife; a sense that

makes

A

staunch conviction_{nothing shakes}

Of

our

own

_immortality.

And

_though,being

_man,

with certain_glee

Ieat

and

drink, though I suffer pain,

And

love

and

hate

and

_{love again}

Well

orin

mode

_{contemptible,}

Thus

shackled

_by

the body's spell I see_{through pupils of the beast}

Though

itbe faintand blurred withmist

A

Star thattravels in the East. I see

what

I _can,not

what

1will.

In things thatmove,things that are still;

Thin

motion, evencloudier_rest,

I see the_symbols

God

hathdrest.

The

movelesstrees,thetreesthat

wave

The

clouds that _{heavenlyhighwayshave.} Horsesthat run, rocks that arefixt,

Streamsthathave rest

and

motion mixt,

The

main

with its_{abiding flux,}

The

wind

that _up

_my

_chimney

sucks

A

_mounting

waterfallof_flame,

Sticks,straws, dust, beetles

and

that

same

Old

_blazing sunthe Psalmist

saw

A

testifierto thelaw:

Divinely to the hearttheyspeak Saying

how

they arebut weak,

Wan

_{will-o'-the-wisps}

on

the_crystalsea;

But

_staysthatseastill darktome.

Did

I

now

gliblyinsolent

Charttheulterior_firmament,

Would

_{you not}

know

_my

words

were

lies,

Where

not

_my

_{testimonial eyes} Mortalor_{spirituallodge,}

Mere

uncorroborated_fudge?

Praiseme,

though

praise I do not want,

Rather, that Ihavecast

much

_cant,

That

what

I see

and

feel I_write,

Read what

I canin this

dim

_light

Granted

to

me

in nether _night.

And

_though I

am

_vague

and

shrinkto_guess

God's_{everlastingpurposes,}

And

neversaveinperplext

dream

Have

_caughtthe least _clear-shapen

_gleam

Of

_{the great}

_{kingdom and}

thethrone In theworld thatliesbehindour _own,

I havenotlacked

_my

certainties,

I have not_haggard

moaned

theskies,

Nor waged

unnecessary strife

Nor

scornednorovervaluedlife.

And

_{though you say}

_my

attitude

Is_questioning,concede

_my

mood

Does

never_bring to_tongue or_pen

Accents of

_{gloomy modern}

men

Who

wail or hail the death of

God

And

_weigh

and

measure

man

the clod,

Or

_saythey

draw

reluctant breath

And

_musically

mourn

that

Death

Isa

_queen

_omnipotentof

woe

And

Life herleancicisbeo,

Abject

and

pale,

whom

vampire-like

She

_playethwith ere sheshall strike,

And

_posesad riddles to the _Sphinx

With

raven quillsinpurple inks,

Then

sendthe _boytofetch

more

drinks.

IN

THE

PARK

THISdense hard

_ground

Itread.

These

iron bars that_{ripple past,}

Will_they

unshaken

stand

when

I

am

dead

And

_my

_deep

_thoughts outlast?

Isit

_my

_{spirit slips,}

Falls,like this leafI kick aside;

Thisfirmnessthat I feelabout

_my

_lips,

Isitbut

_empty

_pride?

Mute

_knowledge

_conquers

me

;

I _contemplate

them

as _theyare,

Faint earth

_{and shadowy}

barsthat shake and flee,

Less hard,

more

transientfar

Than

thoseunbodied hues

The

sunset_flingson the calmriver;

And,

as I _look,a swiftness thrills

_my

shoes

And

_my

_{hands with empire quiver.}

Now

lighttheground I tread,

Iwalk not

now

but ratherfloat;

Clearbut unreal isthescene_outspread,

Pitiful, thin,remote.

Poor vapouristhe _grass,

So frailthe trees

and

_{railingsseem,}

That, didI

_sweep

_my

hand

_{around, 'twould pass}

Through

them,as in adream. 57

Godlike I fear_{no changes};

Shatter theworld with thundersloud,

Still would I_ray-likeflitabout_{the ranges}

Of

dark

and

_ruddycloud.

IN

AN

ORCHARD

AIRY and

_quick

and

wise

Inthe shed_light ofthe sun,

You

_clasp with _friendlyeyes

The

_{thoughts from}

mine

thatrun.

But

_{something breaks} the link;

I_solitary stand

By

a giantgully'sbrink

In

some

vast

_gloomy

land.

Sole centralwatcher, I

With

steadfast sadness

now

In thatwaste _placedescry

'Neaththe awfulheavens

how

Your

life doth_{dizzy drop}

A

little

foam

offlame

From

a

_peak

without_{a top}

To

a _pitwithouta name.

THE

SHIP

THERE

was no song norshout _{of joy}

Nor

beam

of

moon

or _sun,

When

she

came

_{back from the voyage}

Long

ago

begun

;

But

_twilighton the waters

Was

_quiet

and

_grey,

And

_{she glided steady, steady}

and

_pensive,

Over

the

_open

_bay.

Her

sails

were

brown and

_ragged,

And

hercrew _hollow-eyed,

But

their silent _{lipsspoke content}

And

their _{shoulders pride};

Though

she

had no

_captives on herdeck,

And

in herhold

There

were

no

_heapsof corn ortimber

Or

silksor_gold.