LIBER PRIMUS VEL CARMINUM 133
Ruthless, fearless, Their forces that wander
Imperial, peerless, No God-voice know they !
Creep I or climb. Their bridals they squander !
Nought withstands me, Unknown is their way !
Bursts me or brands me ; The sky’s heart? beyond her
Nor Ileaven commands me, Sweet bosom they stray.
Nor Space, nor Time. Shall these then obey me and hear? Shall
Above, the supernal !
Below, the infernal !
Of all am I master.
On Earth, the diurnal !
In all things eternal !
Life, love, or disaster !
Abiding unshaken,
I sleep and I waken
On wonderful wings;
In depth and in height,
In darkness and light,
In weakness and might,
In blindness and sight,
In mercy and spite,
In day and in night,
Averse or aright,
For dule or delight,
I am master of things.
ORPHEUS.
O mother, I fear me!
The might of the lyre !
They tremble to hear me,
The powers of the fire.
Come near me to cheer me!
Be near and inspire !
Be strength in my heart and good courage,
and speed in the single desire !
The fire knows its master !
They flicker and flare,
Dread dogs of disaster,
Wild slaves of despair.
Faster and faster—
My soul is aware
Of a sound that is dimmer and duller, wide
wings adrift of the air.
the tameless ones hear and obey?
From secretest places
Whence darkness is drawn,
Where terrible faces
Enkindle the dawn,
From wordless wide spaces,
The ultimate lawn,
Come forth! I invoke thee, O wind, come
forth to me fleet as a fawn.
THE WINDS.
From fourfold quarters,
The depth and the height,
We come, the bright daughters
Of day shed on night ;
The sun and the waters
Have brought us to light ;
The sound of him slaughters
Our soul in his sight.
We hear the loud murmur; we know him;
we rest 5
We breathe in his breast.
ORPHEUs,
By sunlight up-gathered
As dust of his cars,
By moonlight unfathered,
Unmothered of stars,
Unpastured, untethered,
Unstricken of scars,
Come forth! I invoke ye, O clouds! ye
veils ! ye divine avatars !
THE CLOUDS.
Sun’s spirit is calling !
We gather together,
White wreaths, as appalling
Pale ghosts of dead weather,