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…. His armour was of triple proof, His voice out-shrilled the storm. Behind him all the Furies whirl and all the Harpies swarm. The first face spake and said : “ Welcome, O King, art thou ! Await thy throne a thousand dead ; A crown awaits thy brow, A seven-sting scorpion ; for thy rod thou hast a bauble now.” The next face spake and said : “ Welcome, O Priest, to me ! I
18 THE SOUL OF OSIRIS. JEZEBEL. PART I. LION’S mane, a leopard’s skin Across my dusty shoulders thrown ; A swart fierce face, with eyes where sin Lurks like a serpent by a stone. A man driven forth by lust to seek Rest from himself on Carmel’s peak. A prophet with wild hair behind, Streaming in fiery clusters ! Yea, Tangled with vehemence of the wind, And knotted with the tears that slay ; And all my face parched up and dried, And all my body crucified. Ofttimes the Spirit of the Lord Descends and floods me with his breath ; My words are fashio…
…h strange virtue over mortal things. I freely give it for thy stirrup’s dower. ” I left the presence. Now the buffeting wind Gladdens my face—I leave the court behind. Am I Stark mad ? My face grows grim and grave ; I see—O Mary Mother, speak and save ! I stare and stare until mine eyes are blind— There was no jewel in the ring she gave ! Oh ! my pure heart ! Adulterous love began So subtly to identify the man With its own perfumed thoughts. So steals the grape Into the furtive brain—a spirit shape Kisses my spirit as no woman can. I love her—y…
THE COURT OF THE PROFANE. 37 And slip half-conscious to the old embrace. And now you will not let me see your face Or hear your voice or touch you. Ah ! the hour ! He moves. Come back, come back, my life’s one flower ! Come back. One kiss before you leave me. So ! Stop—turn—one little kiss before you go ; It is my right—you must. Oh no ! Oh no !
…e old prophet in whose tawny hair The very breath of the Jehovah were To smite the Syrian, and to smite, and smite, And splash the sun’s face with the blood, for spite Of his downgoing, till I had made fair All glories of my master, I could bear To sink myself in the abundant night. O if these words were lightnings, and their flame Deluged the world, and drowned the seed of shame In these ill waters where alone Truth’s ark May float, where only lovers may embark, I were contented to abandon fame And live with love for ever in the dark. O
… Burns for my crownéd crest ; Burns, as the murmuring orison Of waters in the west. What angel from the silver gate Flames to my fierier face ? What angel, as I contemplate The unsubstantial space ? Move with my lips the laws of Fate That bind earth’s carapace ? No angel, but the very light And fire and spirit of Her, Unmitigated, eremite, The unmanifested myrrh,
…igh-strung air Must save itself by trembling—if it dare. Then a long shudder ran across the space ; Each man ashamed to see his fellow’s face, Each troubled and confused. He did not spare Our fear—he spake not yet a little space. After a while he took the word again : “ Go thou then moonwards on the great salt plain ; So to a pillar. Adamant, alone, It stands. Around it see them overthrown, King, earl, and knight. There lie the questing slain, A thousand years forgotten—bone by bone. T
… blood shall dye thee robes of red, Hell’s cries thy litany ! Thy mitre sits, divided strength, to end thy church and thee ! ” The third face spake and said : “ Welcome, O Man, to Death ! Thy little span of life is sped, Sighed out thy little breath. The worm that never dies is thine ; the fire that lingereth ! ” “ Three voices has thy frame, Their music is but one. Fool-demon, slave of night and shame, That canst not see the sun ! I am the Lord thy God : make thou homage and orison ! ” The wild heads sank in fear : Then, troubled, to those eye…
…RY. 57 The wind is amorous of the sea, The sea’s large limbs to its embrace Curl, and thy perfume curls round me, An incense on my eager face. I see, beyond all seas and stars, The gates of hell, the paths of death Open : unclasp the surly bars, Before the voice of him that saith : “ I will ! ” Droop lower to my knees ! Sink gently to the leopard’s skin ! I must not stoop and take my ease, Or touch the body lithe and thin. Bright body of the myriad smiles, Sweet serpent of the lower life, The smooth silk touch of thee defiles, The lures and lan…
… My trembling lips curled back to curse ; Laughed with strong scorn, whose music knelled The empire of God’s universe. And on my haggard face upturned She spat ! Ah God ! how my cheek burned !
26 THE SOUL OF OSIRIS. I crept like sleep toward the place That held for me her evil head ; I bent like sin above her face That dying she might kiss me dead. I whispered : “ Jezebel.” She turned, And her deep eyes with hatred burned. “ Ah ! prophet, come to mock at me And gloat on mine exceeding pain ? ” “ Nay, but to give my soul to thee, And have thee spit at me again ! ” She smiled—I know she smiled—she sighed, Bit my lips through, and drank, and died ! Her murders and her blasphemies, Her whoredoms, God has paid at last ; Upon my bosom clos…
…s ; I thought I heard An evil laugh, a mocking word. The gates swing open at The Name, Without a warder roused from sleep ; I pass, with face of burning flame, That is not quenched, although I weep. (For even my tears are tears of fire, For loathing, madness, and desire.) Ah God ! the traps for fervent feet ! The morrow beaconed, and I came By where the golden groves of wheat In summer glories fiercely flame ; To those white courts, by princes trod, Where Ahab sat, and mocked at God. Where Ahab sat, but lo ! I saw No king, no tyrant to be curst…
…steeps of symphony. There is an angel who is guardian. Surely her wings are rosy, and her feet Black as the wind of frost ; but oh ! her face ! Whoso may know it is no more a man, But walks with God, and sees the Lady sweet Whose body was the vehicle of grace. III. Eternal beauty in eternal truth, Isis ! And Thoth, the scribe of destiny, And Mary’s excellent virginity ! Ye are the witness of the ageless youth That crowns the sonnet. In your wondrous eyes Lie hidden all the secrets of the world, And as the lightning of your look is hurled So gle…
… purple stain Hides his laced throat—I sober at the sight. “ King, you are touched ! ” “ Fight on, Earl Lecherer ! ” I cursed him to his face—the added spur Sticks venom in my lunge—a sudden thrust ! No cry, no gasp ; but he is in the dust, Stark dead. The queen—I hate the name of her ! So grew the mustard-seed, one moment’s lust. I too was wounded : shameful runs the song. She nursed me through that melancholy long Month of despair : she won my life from death. Ah God ! she won that most reluctant breath Out of corruption : love ! ah ! love is…
…ok the firmament With foolish cheers. I knelt before the queen And wept in silence. Then, as it had been An angel’s voice and touch, her face she bent, Lifted and kissed me—oh ! her lips were keen ! Her voice was softer than a virgin’s eyes : “ Go ! my true knight : for thither, thither lies The only road for thee ; thou hast a prayer Wafted each hour—my spirit will be there ! ” Too late I knew what subtle Paradise Her dreams and prayers portend : too fresh, too fair ! I turned more wretched than myself knew yet. I told my nameless pain I shoul…
…ause I can never love you, I cannot do you wrong. I saw in your dying embraces the birth of a new embrace ; In the tears of your pitiful faces, another Holier Face. Unknowing it, undesiring, your lips have led me higher ; You have taught me purer songs that your souls did not desire ; You have led me through your chambers, where the secret bolt was drawn, To the chambers of the Highest and the secrets of the Dawn ! You have brought me to command you, and not to be denied ; You have taught me in perfection to be unsatisfied ; You have taught me …
…he stars to reflect a single sun— Not burning suns themselves, in furious regular race, But mirrors of midnight, lit to remind us of His face.