Jephthah and Other Mysteries

go , MYSTERIES: And, following fair and fast, The north wind drove us under such a sky, Faint with the sun’s desire, And clad in fair attire Of many driving cloudlets; and we flew Like swallows to the South. The ocean’s curving mouth Smiled day by day and nights of starry blue; Nights when the sea would shake Like sunlight where the wake Was wonderful with flakes of living things That leapt for joy to feel The cold exultant keel Flash, and the white ship dip her woven wings ; Nights when the moon would hold Her lamp of whitest gold To see us on the poop together set With one desire, to be Alone upon the sea And touch soft hands, and hold white bosoms yet, And see in silent eyes More stars than all the skies Together hold within their limits gray, To watch the red lips move For slow delight of love Till the moon sigh and sink, and yield her sway Unto the eastern lord That draws a sanguine sword And starts up eager in the dawn, to see Bright eyes grow dim for sleep,