Collected Works (Vol. III)

LIBER SECUNDUS VEL AMORIS 17! O Zeus,” I cried, ‘‘ art thou to rise Out of Olympus’ ecstasies ! Omnipotent ! but to control The first breath of a human soul !—” The thunder rolled through heaven again, Void was the spring-delighted plain Of that gigantic phantasy. I turned to my Eurydice Evenassheturned. The faint breath glows,— The lightning of a living rose. The bright eyes gleam—night’s spotless stars Glimmering through folded nenuphars. The red mouth moves, still to the word: ‘* Ves, love!” and ‘‘yes, love!” Then I heard No sound and saw no sight—the world Folded its mighty wings, and curled Its passion round us; bade forget The joy with which our eyes were wet. All faded, folded in the bliss ; Unfolded the first fadeless kiss. Then my soul woke, not sundering lips, But winged against the black eclipse Of sense: my soul on wings did poise Her glory in the vast turquoise Of the whole sky : expanded far Beyond the farthest sun or star, Beyond all space, all time. I saw The very limits of the law That hath no bounds: beheld the bliss Of that first wonder of the kiss In its true self: how very love Is God, and hath its substance of Pure light : and how love hath its cause Beyond religions, worlds, and laws; Is in itself the first : and moves All evolution, and disproves God in affirming God: all this In that one rapture of the kiss I knew, and all creation’s pain Fell into nothing in my brain, As I, remaining man, involved All life’s true purpose, and dissolved The phantoms (of itself create) In a mysterious sweet state, Wherein some tune began to move Whose likeness and whose life was love. Roll, strong life-current of these very veins, Into my lover’s soul, my soul that is! Thrill, mighty life of nerves, exultant strains Triumphant of all music in a kiss | Fade! fade, oh strenuous sense Into the soul intense Of life beyond your weak imagining ! And, O thou thought, dissever Thy airy life for ever While the bright sounds are lifted up to spring Beyond this tide of being, Shadows and sense far fleeing Into a shadow deeper than the Ocean When passes all the mind’s commotion To a serener sky, a mighty calm emotion ! The whole world fades, folds over its wide pinions Into a darkness deeper than its own. Silence hath shattered all the dream- dominions Of lifeand light : the grey bird’s soul is flown Into a soundless night, Lampless: a vivid flight Beyond the thrones and stars of heaven down hurled, Till the great blackness heaves An iron breast, and cleaves The womb of night, another mightier world. Lost is my soul, and faded The light of life that braided Its comet tresses into golden fire, Fade, fade, the phantoms of desire ! Speed, speed the song of love upon the living lyre! Lo! I abide not, and my lover's glory Abides not: in the swaying of those tides Gathers beneath some mighty promontory One mightier wave, deep drowns it, and abides. . Save that one wave alone Nought in the void is known, That wave of love, that sole exultant splen- dour Throned o’er all being, supreme; A single-shining beam . Burning with love, unutterably tender.