The Equinox (Volume III, Number I)

LIBER CORDIS CINCTI SERPENTE 23. The swan being silent, he answered: Then, if with no goal, why this eternal journey? 24. And I laid my head against the Head of the Swan, and laughed, saying: Is there not joy ineffable in this aimless winging? Is there not weariness and impatience for who would attain to some goal? 25. And the swan was ever silent. Ah! but we floated in the infinite Abyss. Joy! Joy! White swan, bear thou ever me up between thy wings! 26. O silence! O rapture! O end of things visible and invisible! This is all mine, who am Not. 27. Radiant God! Let me fashion an image of gems and gold for Thee! that the people may cast it down and trample it to dust! That Thy glory may be seen of them. 28. Nor shall it be spoken in the markets that I am come who should come; but Thy coming shall be the one word. 29. Thou shalt manifest Thyself in the unmanifest; in the secret places men shall meet with thee, and Thou shalt overcome them. 30. I saw a pale sad boy that lay upon the marble in the sunlight, and wept. By his side was the forgotten lute. Ah! but he wept. 31. Then came an eagle from the abyss of glory and overshadowed him. So black was the shadow that he was no more visible. 32. But I heard the lute lively discoursing through the blue still air. 33. Ah! messenger of the beloved One, let Thy shadow be over me! 73