Phrase search ignores case and repeated whitespace. All-words search finds whole words anywhere on the same page. OCR errors can affect results.
PERSONS CONCERNED THE WORLD OF GODS. Isis. Hathoor. THE WORLD OF MEN. Tannhauser. Elizabeth. An Unknown Minstrel. The Landgrave. Wolfram, \ Bertram, fA/ the Court of the Landgrave. Heinrich, ' A Shepherd Boy. Pilgrims, Foresters, Courtiers, etc. THE WORLD OF DEMONS. The Evil and Averse Hathoor, called Venus.
The evil, and the barren, and the vile, In God's undying smile ! Stoop not, O stoop not, to yon splendid world, Yon darkly-splendid, airless, void, inane, Blind confines in stupendous horror curled, The sleepless place of Terror and distress. Luring damned souls with lying loveliness, The Habitation and the House of Pain. For that is their abode, the Wretched Ones, Of all unhappiness the sons ! And when, invoking often, thou shalt see That formless Fire ; when all the earth is shaken, The stars abide not, and the moon is gone, All Time crushed …
The stars are buried in the mist of light. Beyond the hill the world is, and laments Existence —the wide firmament of woe ! And he—his heart was great enough for all, The fall of sparrows as the crash of stars, The tears of lonely forests, and the pain Of the least atom —all were in his heart. Was that indeed the truth ? that he should come At last a Christ upon the waiting world. Redeem it to more purpose than the last ! So fills his sorrow, and Her sympathy, My common soul, that I am fain to fall Upon my face, and cry aloud to God : " O Thou,…
…! Dread eyes ! Each flings its arrow of sharp sacrifice. Eating me up with poison ! I am hurled Far through the vaporous confines of the world With agony of sundering sense, beholding Thy mighty flower, blood-coloured death, unfolding ! Lithe limbs and supple shoulders and lips curled, Curled out to draw me to their monstrous world ! Warm breasts that glow with light ephemeral And move with passionate music to enthrall, To charm, to enchant, to seal the entrancing breath. I fall ! Stop ! Spare me !—Slay me ! [ Tannhduser enters into an ecstasy.…
…te light That dwelt and flickered in him in old time ; That Light, I say, that hides its flame awhile To shine more fully —to redeem the world ' I say, then, " I " ; and yet it is not " I " Distinct, but " I " incorporate in All. I am, the Resurrection and the Life ! The Work is finished, and the Night rolled back ! I am the Rising Sun of Life and Light, The Glory of the Shining of the Dawn ! I am Osiris ! I the Lord of Life Triumphant over death. — O Sorrow, Sorrow, Sorrow of the World ! Heinrich. This was my friend. Deep night descends, perfu…
…less moss Suddenly broke in passionate primroses ! Venus. Violets, violets ! Tannhauser. Or as if a man Lay in the fairest garden of the world, In the beginning : and grew suddenly A living soul at that caressing wind ! Venus. A living soul ! Tannhauser. So is Thy shade to me When sleep takes shape. 43
…soul of the Obscene Incarnate in the spirit : and above Hangs Sin, vast vampire, the corrupt, that swings Her unredeeming wings Over the world, and flaps for lust of Death —and Love! Venus. This man was drained of music ! Five new songs Chase the three ancient to oblivion ! Oh ! Love is grown fury ! TannhAuser. Kill me! Venus. In the kiss. [ Tannhduser sleeps. 63
Elizabeth. Oh no! Grant me one boon—the one that I shall ask Ever in this world ! Promise me! Tannhauser. Alas! One promise gave I once to woman — that Drove me to this illusion of your love, And broke your heart. Elizabeth. Oh no, I shall not die. Have I not Mary and the angels yet .'' Tannhauser. You are so pure, so pitiful —your word Cannot bring evil. Yes, I promise you ! Elizabeth. Go then the bitter pilgrimage to Rome, Gain absolution for this piteous past From him that owns the twin all-opening keys That bar your infinite on either side.…
…in uneasiness. Hunger and thirst, in His sweet Name — Tannhauser. Ah no! I have been shown another way than yours ! I am too old in this world's weariness, 80
…hAuser {aside). This is my punishment ! This faith, this hope, this love—to me —to me ! Elizabeth. Yet, once my word went forth into the world. Suddenly came the fear that you were still Accessible to men —mig^ht hear, misfht come ! The kind, grave face of you— that light outshone The mystical ideal. Therefore too I minded me of our old baby-love, And —marriages are made in heaven, you know ! Besides—Our Lady shewed me in a dream How you would come. TannhAuser. And now .-' So sure are you The loving word you spoke an hour ago Came from the hear…
…annhauser. Heinrich! my friend, my old true-hearted friend ! Fear not ! I am not ghost, but living man ! Ah me, ah me, the sorrow of the world ! Heinrich. Thou, Tannhauser ! what miracle is this ? Your body glows —with what unearthly light ? Tannhauser. I did not know. Ah ! sorrow of this earth ! What tears are falling from the Pleiades ! What sobs tear out Orion's jewelled heart ! Ah me ! As these, as these ! Heinrich. Speak, speak to me ! Else, I am feared. Why run these tears to earth .■* 136
…not drag her down ; I will return. Venus. To lose thee for one hour Is my swift death—so desolate am I ! I have not got one lover in the world, Save only Tannhauser. And he will go. Tannhauser. One lover ! Who makes up the equal soul Of all the wickedness beneath the sun ? Lilith ! Seek out thy children to devour ! Leave me. I go to my Elizabeth. Venus. no ! It kills me ! That is naked truth. 1 am the soul and symbol of desire. Yet individual to thy love. Stay ! Stay ! One last caress, and then I let thee go, And — die. I fear, and I detest, th…
…aces, that might not abide ; Flicker, and are foredone. So were they caught within the spacious tide, The sleepy waters that encased the world. Monsters rose up, and turned themselves, and curled Into the deep again. The darkness brooded, and the bitter pain Of chaos twisted the vast limbs of time In horrid rackings : then the spasm came : The Serpent rose, the servant of the slime, In one dark miracle of tlame Unluminous and void : the silent claim Of that which was, to be : the cry to climb, The bitter birth of Nature: uttermost Night Dwelt, …
…ovided ! Twin souls are we, to one Star bound in Heaven ! Not to thy presence in the veil and vision Of solemn lies that men miscall the world ; Not to thy mind the lightnings truthward hurled I turn. I laugh dead distance to derision !— Spirit to spirit : there our loves are curled, Not to thy presence in the veil and vision ! 6
…esperate ; And Heaven bridges the great gulf of Hell. Thy life is met with mine, Transmuted, grown divine. Even in this, the evil of the world ! What agony is this. The first undying kiss From jewelled eyes and lips in passion curled ? O sister and O serpent and O mate. Strike the red fang of hate Steady and strong, persistent to the heart ! So shall this song be made more terrible With the soul-mastering spell. Choke, stagger, know the Evil, Beauty's counterpart ! Whose long-drawn curse runs venom in my veins ? What dragon spouse consumes me w…
…my head, and cried— I heard his voice Most like the dweller of the hurricane Calm, small, and still, directing desolation ; Death to the world athwart its path.— So he Cried out upon me " Till this barren staff Take life, and bud, and blossom, and bear fruit, And shed sweet scent — so long God casteth thee Out from His glory !" Stricken, smitten, slain— When—one unknown, a pilgrim with the rest. Darting long rugged fingers and deep eyes. Reached to the sceptre with his word and will — Buds, roses, blossoms ! Lilies of the Light ! Bloom, bloom, …
…d I see what mystery, What ninefold forest, shade impassible, Surrounds Thy heart, as with a core of light Shut in the mystery of a dead world. Thou formless sense of gloom and terror ! Thou Upas, new tree of life—by sinister 38
… aptness and transfiguring power of the rhythms . . . plastic and intensely dramatic . . . this poet is authentic and will reveal to the world much new beauty. . . ." "A kind of middle-class .Swinburne at second-hand . . . morbid unpleasantness of Mr Crowley's taste." " Much to attract and not a little to repel. A very singular and striking piece of work . . . undoubted power and originality . . . vigorous mastery and daring conception . . . we are compelled to read even where the subject matter fails to attract . . . several glaring crudities …