The Star and the Garter
Never clang brutal on the gong, And lunch, man-eating tiger, wait Crouched in the jungles of my song; My gaze be steadfast on the star And never to the garter glide, And I on rapture’s nenuphar Sit Buddha-like above the tide.
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Never clang brutal on the gong, And lunch, man-eating tiger, wait Crouched in the jungles of my song; My gaze be steadfast on the star And never to the garter glide, And I on rapture’s nenuphar Sit Buddha-like above the tide.
… king Censed with innumerous orisons? So, by that grace, I recognized A something somewhere to be prized Somewhat. What portress studies song? My worthy concierge was wrong. 47
ACELDAMA. [Out of print. SONGS OF THE SPIRIT. THE TALE OF ARCHAIS. JEPHTHAH AND OTHER MYSTERIES, &c. JEZEBEL AND OTHER POEMS. (Out of print. “The Soul of Osi AN APPEAL TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE MOTHER'S TRAGEDY, &C. (Privately Printed) CARMEN SAECULARE. Tue Sout oF Osiris. TANNHAUSER. Of Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd, Dryden House, 43 Gerrard Street, W. Mostly reprinted in Also BERASHITH, [Out of print. Reprinted in “The Sword of Song.” SUMMA SPES. [Out of print. ‘the Chiswick Press, Tooks Court, B.C. [Out of print.
… of love that swells Little by little, and lights The overarching miracles Of love’s desire, and Night’s. It swells, it rolls to triumph-song Through luminous black skies ; Thrills into silence sharp and strong, Assumes its peace, and dies. There is the night: it covers close The lilies folded fair Of all your beauty, and the rose Half hidden in your hair. 26
…emn into the midnight? You Shone your inviolate violet eyes Into my eyes less sad, and drew Back from the slender witcheries Of word and song: and silence knew What splendour in the silence lies, The soul drawn back into itself. It was the deep environing Wood that then shielded us: the elf And fairy in an emerald ring, And hamadryad of the trees, And naiad of the sleepy lake, That watched us on the mossy leas Look on each other’s face, and take The secret of the universe 59
…— Is not dissimilar, usurps The very function I have given Blissful beyond the bliss of heaven— Aha! there is a bird that chirps Another song. Here’s paint and brush And canvas. I will paint anon The limb yon garter once was on ; Sketch you a nude—my soul—and nude The very human attitude We all assume—or else are posers. Such winners are the surest losers. I paint her picture, recognise— Dare you ?—one glimmer of her eyes Like yours, one shimmer of her skin Like that your flesh is hidden in, One laugh upon her lips enough Like yours for me to r…
…ll ye not also fail ? Ah! love! the strings are little; The cords are over strong ; The chain of life ts brittle ; And keen the sword of song. Will you not seize in one firm grip Now, as I hold you, lip to lip, The serpent of Event, hold hard Its slipping coils, its writhe retard, And snap its spine? Delicate hands 23
… and sing to the world; then silence soon Be about us clasped and furled in the light of the moon. Forget not, never forget the terrible song I have sung; How the eager fingers fret the lute, and loose the tongue Tinkles delicate things, faint thoughts of a futile past— We are past on eagle wings, and the silence is here at last. The last low wail of the lyre, be it soft with a tear 76