LII THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES LIPS OF MUSIC LIPS OF MUSIC BY CHARLOTTE PORTER NEW YORK THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1910 BY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & Co. Published September, 1910 THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. ' ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOR Poems here collected that were first printed in Ains lee's, The Atlantic Monthly, The Century, The Christian Register, Lippincotfs, The Outlook, The Pathfinder, and Poet-lore, thanks are rendered to the publishers of those magazines for the courtesy of their leave to reprint. A few of these Poems appeared under the pen-name, Robert Iphys Everett." Five of the " Green Bird " lyrics have been set to music by Helen A. Clarke; "Bertrand's Song" has been set to music by Margaret Ruthven Lang; "The Tragic Rapture ' ' has been set to music by Mabel Hill. TV] 626201 CONTENTS ARTEMIS PAGE To THE RED DOORS 3 THE GREEN BIRD 5 The Call 5 The Nest 6 Nest Song 6 The Over-Song 7 The Under-Song 7 Music's Shell 8 The Voice 8 The Everlasting n The Glimpse 10 Blessedness 10 The Cup 10 The " Twin-Flower " Garden n TheWildwood n Sun-Force and Moon-Charm 12 Flowing 13 The "Rote" 14 The Moon-Star 15 The God's Hand 15 The Sea-Gull 16 [vii] CONTENTS THE GREEN BIRD continued PAGE The Sloop 17 The Rock Pool . 18 The Star-Sown Night 18 The Veiled Aurora . 19 The Island at the Cliffs 20 "Burning-off " of the Fog 21 When the Goddesses Met 22 The Burthen 23 Moon Toil 24 The Harvest of Rest 25 The Waters under the Earth 27 The Day's Nurture 28 A Breath of Air 29 Island Magic 31 SELF-SUFFICEMENT 32 EARTH'S ARTISTS 34 THE BEAT OF A WING 36 THOSE BROWN MUMMERS 38 WEATHER WISDOM 40 THE MIRACLE OF SPRING 42 MOON GLAMOUR 44 AWARE 46 DAYLIGHT 47 AIRS OF SPRING 49 COME! 51 THE FLOWER ANSWERS 53 THE SECRET OF THE PLACE 54 MONHEGAN 56 [ viii ] CONTENTS PAGE INLAND 58 ISLE AU HAUT 60 WITH WAVES AND WINGS 62 THE CHILDE BY THE SEA 64 II SELENE PSALM OF THE RED DOORS 75 LOVE'S BANQUET 77 THE RETICENT STARS 80 THE HUSHED STRAIN 82 How SHALL I MY TRUE LOVE KNOW ? . . . . 83 LOVE, HELP THY LIEGEMAN! 85 IKAROS 87 THE SECOND VINTAGE 88 THE "UNEXPRESSIVE SHE " 90 KEEPING SCORE 92 FLITTING JOY 93 THE BANNERS 94 NIRVANA 95 THE WAY OF THE WIND 96 SATURN 98 LOVE'S HOLY DAYS 101 The Christmas 101 The Epiphany IO2 The Holy Thursday 103 The Easter Eve 105 [ix] CONTENTS PAGE THE ORDER OF PERPETUAL ADORATION .... 107 IMMORTALITY 108 BY THE SIXTH SENSE no INTERLUDE EPILOGUE SONGS. Written for Browning's "Return of the Druses " 115 DjabaPs Song 115 Anael's Song 116 IN PRAISE OF BROWNING 117 TRANSLATIONS Bertrand's Song to the Mariners. From Ros- tand's "La Princesse Lointaine " ... 119 Mila's Song. From D'Annunzio's "La Figlia di Jorio " 121 Prayer. From D'Annunzio's ' 'La Nave " . 122 III HECATE THE TRAGIC RAPTURE 127 AMULETS 128 MASTERY 128 WORK DAY PRAYERS 129 HOLY DAY PRAYERS 130 A GLAD LITTLE SORRY SONG 131 CRADLE SONG TO THE WORLD-MOTHER LIFE 132 THE HEARTH FIRE 134 THE LIGHTED FACE 137 [x] CONTENTS PAGE THE SUNLIT SHOWER 139 IN THE CROWD A SONG ! 140 WORK DAY SUNSET CHANT 142 CHELSEA 144 DOUBLE MOMENTS 155 THE MASTER-FATE 157 THE CALL OF MODERN TRAGEDY 159 LIFE'S RHYMES. A CORONA 161 Flux 161 Form 163 Growth 165 Motive 167 Desire 169 Power 171 Love 173 FAIRY GOLD 175 LIPS OF Music 176 RED DOORS 179 CHRISTMASTIDE BENEDICTION FOR THE DARK OF THE YEAR 183 [xi] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE ARTEMIS. The Rede from Callimachus 2 LA NASCITA DI VENERE. Sandro Botticelli . . 42 SELENE. The Rede from Homeric Hymn .... 74 NIRVANA. Simeon Solomon 95 THE VISION OF LOVE IN SLEEP. Simeon Solomon 108 HECATE. The Rede from Orphic Hymn .... 126 [ xiii ] I ARTEMIS STAND FACE TO FACE - FRIEND AND UNFEIL THE GRACE IN THINE EYES SAP HO [I] V-iELEBRATE Artemis, for she is not light to minstrels to forget, Virgin Artemis, whom all the gods alike invite, but who is throned beside Apollo. ... To her the bow and the wide choir and disporting on the mountains are a care, the mountains tressed with woods, toward Ocean ('T will be rare indeed when Artemis shall go down into a city), Pheraean goddess, watcher over harbors, companion of noble maidens, bringer of light! Adapted from Callimachus. \ TO THE RED DOORS The Lips of Whoso gives Words Life. \JlJT of the red doors in high triumph thronging, Bearing and sway, to new Ccesars belonging Out of the red doors resistlessly marching, As Ccesars of Rome from carven stone arching. Out of the red doors with vigor unswerving. Moulding the Soul to delight and deserving, Throbbing, thrilled through from the mouth's human curving, Eagles of empery, strong pinioned birds, True winged to their aim, come swift words, live words! THE GREEN BIRD To H. A. C. THE CAI;L IN town in May I heard the Spring's Soft foot fall: Then hushing from the heart of things, With flutter of returning wings, And her green gown's faint rustleings, I caught the strain her glad face brings The Song of songs the great Deep sings The root call. Oh, follow, when you hear the Spring's Soft foot fall, The Song of songs the great Deep sings The root call ! [51 LIPS OF MUSIC THE NEST JL HE round warm Isle is like a nest, A green bird's nest in nesting weather, Each fledgeling tree perks up his crest, And soft green down grows soft green feather. NEST SONG JL HE green bird feeds her fledgelings well ; Each day they fling their green plumes wider; The green bird croons a fairy spell, Her wide-winged nestlings sing beside her ! [6] THE GREEN BIRD THE OVER-SONG A.S fine leaves lilt a lighter over-lay Above the tone whereto the big boughs sway, So bird-and-bee-tunes brightly pipe and whir Across the Sea's profounder rhythmic stir. THE UNDER-SONG JjEEP in the pulsing of the vast Sea's push The whole World round and here, In swell and whisper of the great Wind's rush Far off and then quite near, I hear the voice of Being, whence all tended, Beating the borders of the Spheres along, Then in my heart so strong, "'Tis mine," I cry, "or with my Spirit blended: We are Life's under-song!" [7] LIPS OF MUSIC MUSIC'S SHELL 1 HE caverned Isle is Music's ancient Shell, Attuned of yore to sing and sob, Resound the tone of every thrill and throb Of Ocean's flowing fingers; The passion of her heaving bosom's swell, Her thunder-throe and tempest-start, Soothed and accorded in the Isle's deep heart, All harmony there lingers. THE VOICE O DEARER than dear face we love, Or deep dear eyes of lover, O dearer than the Isle we love, Or bending sky above her Is Voice of Isle; and Voice of Love, For there our hearts discover All graces our fond eyes do love And Music's grace moreover! [8] THE GREEN BIRD THE EVERLASTING 1 OU feel the Earth a planet here, She swings in airy space; You hear her sing a sister sphere With all her sky-born race! The Everlasting draws quite near, Its World-breath flows and sighs; And yet you meet It with no fear: Joy lives in Its wide eyes. LIPS OF MUSIC THE GLIMPSE O ALL the sky is beautiful, But in one cloud-rent space T is blue of blue, ethereal, The Soul from Heaven's face! BLESSEDNESS O BLESSEDNESS of feeling one With life of Sea and Wild, - To lay me down when day is done The Island's loved child! THE CUP \J JOY is like a magic cup, I lift it to the sky, And still the more I offer up The fuller joy have I! [10] THE GREEN BIRD THE "TWIN-FLOWER" GARDEN JL LABORED, delving, sowing, To plant a garden wee Of seedsman's flowers for showing: The wild-flowers laughed at me. I caught the witches growing Around a shattered tree A thousand twin-flowers meeting In fairy folk-mote there; They nodded me a greeting, And fragrance filled the air: "We came without your weeting, We thrived without your care." THE WILDWOOD Ji HIS garden was not sown nor planted, This garden no hands made, And yet no means were for it scanted Since Earth's first soil was laid, [ii] LIPS OF MUSIC SUN-FORCE AND MOON-CHARM 1 HY vital force, O golden Sun, Instill and bathe me! Thy charm, O Moon, thou Magic One, O'erthrill and swathe me! Let instant thought and impulse swift Empower, move me, Alluring grace, serene uplift Endower, prove me! [12] THE GREEN BIRD FLOWING FLOWING! Flowing! Flowing ever! Charm and Beauty, Sea, like thine, is there never! Flowing! Flowing! Flowing ever! Hush! her white lips said, "Thy life, mortal blinded, Flowing! Flowing! Flowing ever! Charm and Beauty like mine hath, wert so minded." Flowing! Flowing! Flowing ever! [13] LIPS OF MUSIC THE "ROTE" J. HE quick impressionable Sea takes note Long ere the storm winds rise And moans along the shore the wailing rote No tempest may surprise. Like thee, O trembling Heart, she surely knows When Fate's fleet stroke must fall, And thrills with prescience of the muttering throes The strong soul shall forestall. THE GREEN BIRD THE MOON-STAR \J THE Moon is entangled and caught in a cloud, And the frowning cloud jeers: "There you are!" But the Moon makes a glory of rose of her shroud, And peers out a new way, like a Star! THE GOD'S HAND JL SAW the hand of great Poseidon grasp The iron coast, a wave-washed, weed- swirled rock Shaped like a hand: Now, ever in the full tide's grip and shock I feel the god's compulsive clutch and clasp Moulding the land. LIPS OF MUSIC THE SEA-GULL O WHITE WINGS O White Wings! Far over waves and tossing seas, High above hills and swaying trees The Sea-gull flings Her wide white wings : O bright and light A foam-fleck's sprite A curled cloud's flight! The wind's true arrow, As straight and narrow! The spring tide's pull, As firm and full! Only desire within me flows As firm and free, as lightly goes, O White Wings ! O White Wings ! [16] THE GREEN BIRD THE SLOOP O GIVE the slim-keeled moon The gull's wide wing! So let the boat be hewn! So let her white sail spring! So shall the waves be drawn To close her round and fawn, All mad for her, The while her spread wings spur The comrade wind along, Yet she the Water's lure Lean over them secure, And moon-like, mild and sure, Her course keep calm and strong. [17] LIPS OF MUSIC THE ROCK POOL JjENEATH the siren sea who dares to peer And know the magic of her very face? But in the rock pool for her lovers dear She leaves her likeness in a locket's space. Within that limpid lens her lovers read By iridescent, shifting, gleaming traces Of tiny tentacle and wavy weed, The sorceries of her Medusa graces. THE STAR-SOWN NIGHT A HE stars from Heav'n seem falling tow'rd the Isle, Thick-sown and poised mid-air World-seeds the Sower's hand impels, the while They quick in flower flare! [18] THE GREEN BIRD THE VEILED AURORA EARTH-WRAITHS bewitch and blur the Sky's pure face, Yet cannot mask her soul; The spreading haze but dims the Moon's clear grace, Her beams transfuse the whole. Then streaming up the pinnacles of Space, Auroral light-waves roll, High Heaven's bended head they overlace With shimmering aureole. Above the reek, like Earth's good Angel there Abode the spectral white; The lower air but hid the vigil fair That blessed the sudden sight. Pierce, pierce ! thou vision of the upper air, Alive in spirit-light, Hold me, unbaffled in thy presence rare By phantoms of Earth's night! [19] LIPS OF MUSIC THE ISLAND AT THE CLIFFS ELSEWHERE as here she hath beauty and charm, Elsewhere hath gramarye sylvan, Elsewhere her Heart she uplifts pure and warm; Here she exalteth her Spirit. Elsewhere as here her grave lover the Sea Greets her with music and magic; Here, they meet holily, bowing the knee, Feeling the Infinite, near It! [20] THE GREEN BIRD "BURNING-OFF" OF THE FOG 1 SAW the wayward, moody Island breathe Out filmy breath, like hopeless gray clouds drifting, I saw the hopeless clouds flare forth and wreathe Out sudden airy-shapen trumpets, lifting Their windy lips to blow against the sun, And far to sea, a rosy music won From melancholy mastered: for my ear Too fine the lauds my list'ning soul can hear, But my rejoicing eyes their might behold The numbing, muffling, mourning mist up- rolled, Vanquished is all faint-heartedness and dolor By clear exultant clang of conquering color! [21] LIPS OF MUSIC WHEN THE GODDESSES MET 1VJ.Y Angel surely called me from the deep Of disembodied sleep, And so the Soul within mine eyes arose From her pure, still repose, And faced as one forevermore new born The marvel of that Morn : Between Night's hushing, violetted dream And Dawn's first clarion beam, Enwoven round in rosy, streaming wings, Apollo, waiting, flings, Dissolving Hecate's mystic glancing horn With Aphrodite borne, Burning in joy together, onward sweep In splendor up the steep. [22] THE GREEN BIRD THE BURTHEN IVEEP me in tune with all the powers that work, And sing the World's good will ! Let beat of flood and ebb, sunshine or murk My day's deeds spur and thrill, Grave joys, that in the World-song's burthen lurk, My steadfast Soul's song fill! [23] LIPS OF MUSIC MOON TOIL \J a thousand clouding troubles Shall you, like the Moon, pace through; When the old throng is surmounted, Like her, shall you front the new Circling thicker to impede you. So she, steadfast, steering true, Kept undaunted on her circuit, Climbing Heaven, cloaked from view, Trackless in great wastes of splendor, While Night's imps about her drew, Flitting wraiths, grotesque chimseras, Malice-multiplied that grew: Drifting, dreary, Earth-mist monsters Needed they her Heav'n to strew, Scudding over luring pureness, Smirching what must them subdue? Yes; to purge Air, Earth enhallow When she triumphs in the blue! [24] THE GREEN BIRD THE HARVEST OF REST J[ HE fog, the gray sun overswept And shut in daylight ever thicker, The night, the fog then overcrept, Nor let one starry eyelid nicker. The silence even fell asleep In Night's withdrawnmost dreamy dwell- ing, So Rest might Being's forces steep, And quicken to supremer telling The joys of Life, that but to reap The vasts of Quiet lay there darkling; Till strong with slumber from the Deep Dawn rose on dazzled wide seas sparkling: [25] LIPS OF MUSIC The shining Forest flashed awake, His goodly green boughs gladly swinging; Life's Joy in all things moved and spake, And sprang within me seeing, singing! O Rest and Quiet golden harvests make ! Rich gifts on souls reserved the gray gods shake! [26] THE GREEN BIRD THE WATERS UNDER THE EARTH JL HE veins of Earth with ichor flow The calm clear blood of gods : The crystal silver to and fro Beneath the passive purblind clay And heavy-lidded sods, Diviningly feels out the way And animates the sudden sway Of life within each embryo. With tendril-slender flowing force The drowsing germens stir And tides of Being swell and course Self-sure in each as kind must move, Nor ever can it err; No growth but shall fruition prove, No change but shall the traits behove The Waters christened from their Source. [27] LIPS OF MUSIC THE DAY'S NURTURE O DRINK the purling dawn, my Soul, drink deep! Devour the mellow day's maturing fruit; Let gladness in the like the Sun's fount leap, And ripeness crown thee, from that living root! [28] THE GREEN BIRD A BREATH OF AIR "\VlND-WINNOWED air, storm-pure! But with the Sea's salt drive, The Fir-wood's breath, alive! Caught up within thy lure, Earth's attar thou dost hold, The very soul of things Soars on thy vagrant wings, Rests in thy fragrant fold! O catch thou up, and lift The fire the body burns, When breath as incense yearns Far on thine upward drift! Winnow the Wind of Will! Lift it past bound and range Of drag, or check or change, The Spirit's reach to fill! [29] LIPS OF MUSIC So Earth-forgetting Isles Far, Sea-allured sail, Till in Heav'n's blue they pale, And Light enraptur'd smiles. Where boundless air beguiles, The moor'd Worlds sing and spin; Breath-wafted Spirit! win Where Soul all-reconciles. [30] THE GREEN BIRD ISLAND MAGIC .APART from din of cities, stir of men, The pure bright summer through, I leave the singing surf-wreathed Isle, and then, I am an Island, too! I feel the Sea's arms clasping me around, I hear song learned of her, Apart, although within the City's bound, And safe from din and stir. LIPS OF MUSIC SELF-SUFFICEMENT WHILE the Day was preparing her splendor, I slept; I was housed while the storm-bow was plot- ting the spring of his arc. Did I see the night-primrose in smith-work adept Forge her beads, bleeding gold, chaining anthers to stigma, ere dark? I peered close, yet the magic she wrought Still my eyes never caught. For no marking of mine, for no wages or show Was Earth moved from her stealth of devising the beauty of life ! Well sufficed her the passion for making, aglow [32] SELF-SUFFICEMENT At each sway of her finger-tips, willing the strife Of the Artist with matter: pure fire! Light in me, like desire! I exult in the proud self-sufficement of Earth, In the recklessly reticent craft-work of mid- night and morn, In the sculpturing urge of the sea, in mere mirth Spending rapture on islets unheeding, un- peopled, forlorn; Let me follow my soul's best behoof, As self-sure, as aloof! [331 LIPS OF MUSIC EARTH'S ARTISTS A PAINTER Autumn is, whose brush Shows earth's hot heart in each cool rush, Each bush flames underfoot, each tree A tossing torch flares high and free, Each plant would all a flower be. A Sculptor Winter is : his hand With icy chisel carves the land; He bares earth's pureness to the light, His keen strokes shape with rigor right The sudden goddess, hushed and white. Earth listens: her Musician, Spring, Afar, and timid, thrills his string: The goddess melts, a girl descends; Those stars her eyes, on his she bends, And deathless hope his luting lends. [34] EARTH'S ARTISTS But when the girl a woman turns, Within her soul all music burns; Her Poet, Summer, sings the word Her spirit had but inly heard, And life to know Life's joy is stirred. [351 LIPS OF MUSIC THE BEAT OF A WING UN and on! hurling through Fainting spaces of tranquil blue, I beheld in the Vast, remote and high, Soaring lonely, a strong bird fly. Oh, the sight was a song, Only no words belong To a call of the spheres; Only eyes waken ears To a song the gaze hears. Who will witness it? You! Heed the hushing song, see the singing sight Of a lonely bird's flight Through the sky's silent arc! Lo! with strain of the effort the wings shrink dark, [36] THE BEAT OF A WING With the beat of each motive they droop, drop stark, Of the glory bereft, the color, light, While they pulse the most might, Living buds of winged flower Urging on the ripe hour! Ah! the bloom of the effort now opens them bright! See, oh, see! Beat of motive now blossoms them white, And the feathery petals fling wide rays From the heaven-lit ways To the founts of desire in the solar blaze! I 37] LIPS OF MUSIC THOSE BROWN MUMMERS I SUSPECT the rocks of feeling: See those mummers by the shore! Yes; they practise double-dealing, Those brown mummers by the shore. Oh, I watched them while they waited, While the tide was round them wheeling, For the wave to wash them o'er, Flash its cool, wet, dripping fingers, With the touch that slips and lingers, Through their sea-weed beards all lank, Drooping down their stolid chins, Though they seemed to stare all blank, Stricken stony for their sins, Yet with yearning were they kneeling, Praying Love with hearts unsated, Craving Life forever more! [38] THOSE BROWN MUMMERS And, when all the tide was reeling Passionate on them, then, I saw How their beards wagged, how they laughed, Great draughts of uncaution quaffed, And were glad to be unstable, All unmoored and all unable To pretend the fixed is law! I suspect the rocks of feeling All Life's unrest to the core, I suspect of double-dealing Those brown mummers by the shore. [39] LIPS OF MUSIC WEATHER WISDOM JjEAR Earth! how lovable thou art to-day! How dreamily, yet warily aware, Beneath the magic of thy hand's warm sway, The pliant waters shimmeringly play All round the sun-kissed strand! But this thy hand was feverish yesterday, And heavily oppressed the sea to bear Its heat, while with a grasp of brass it lay On winds too faint to thrust the spell away, And heal the sun-pierced land. And angry was thy grip the day before, When all the wild winds, warring with the Sea, No truce obeyed nor cruelty forbore. Yet, Earth! what fault soe'er of aught day more Could mar thy flowing plan ? [40] WEATHER WISDOM The fierce days wrest, as prize, the days most rare From thy large clasp; in warmth hatched stealthily, A brood of rude days rise from days most fair. Oh, who from all thy moods finds one to spare. Nor mar thy flowing plan! t'4iJ LIPS OF MUSIC THE MIRACLE OF SPRING J. HE laughing little waves Love's will out- ran: Could any steeds less subtle race so well As these curved sea-lips kissing round Love's shell? Her flying cherubs, fleeting as they can, With puffing cheeks may only steer and fan The secret breezes that unseen impel Her shallop on, and they but heed the spell That stings her heart for Earth dear home of man. O quicken new the miracle of Spring! Ride, Love, all glowing from thy far sea- home! Rise, Earth, to clasp her in thine arms and thrill [42] MIRACLE OF SPRING With breeze-born touches, buds of spirit- wing! Then let thy breast enfold Love's fire and foam, Thy living vesture, Love's bared beauty fill! [43] LIPS OF MUSIC MOON GLAMOUR JLS this the land we knew day after day? Can this be common grass earth-rooted fast? Or this, the well-defined familiar bay, Whose every isle and cove the chart had cast With reckoning marked where land-locked channels passed? No, this for all the worlds is water-way Through dreamed-of realms where death- less elves hold sway; No eye descries them, only ears that listen Catch the light laugh afloat past leaves that glisten. The Soul once loved this wonder, long ago, Shared converse with these elves no eye hath seen, Winged wide free flight where these strange sea-ways flow, [44] MOON GLAMOUR Divining what the wistful waves would mean, When down to them the faint stars seem to lean; Ay! This ecstatic light where swooneth Space In poured-forth rapture brimmed to Heaven's face Is the Soul's gaze transfiguring with glamour This frame of Earth whose soul doth Soul enamour. [451 LIPS OF MUSIC AWARE JL/ONG moonlit nights I watched, to slowly taste How perfect minutes in each minute melt. And now, long moonlit nights in sleep I waste; Yet all my dreams their flowing calm have felt Soothing the passion, silvering the rose Of life that still through darkened eyelids glows. Quiet serene! still hold me, heed my prayer; Ye kept my nights awake, keep them aware! Let conscious bliss my resting spirit bathe, And consecration white my whole soul swathe ! [46] DAYLIGHT And God said, "Let there be light!" Jl/VERY day the river dreams, Muddy ebb and all. Every day the city gleams Through the smoky pall. Every day my light within Laughs at little human sin, Smooths the darkened brow With its glad "How now!" Sin and smoke and turbid streams Glow, embraced in sudden beams, Lifted, lighted, shining-shod, In the footing light hath trod, Freed from any thrall. Love! thy light thus crowns a soul [471 LIPS OF MUSIC Till the flaws enhance the whole And the spirit laud; All the faults ye would destroy Glister, melt in light, in joy, Of the ray from God! [48] AIRS OF SPRING AlRS of Spring! Sway and swing, Free and fling The scarce unfurled green banners of the trees ! Playful breeze! Toss and tease, Loose and seize The curling plumed white pennons of the clouds Now straying, and now scampering in crowds Across the blue, Alive with you, Airs of Spring! Airs of Spring! Stir and sting, Will and wing [49] LIPS OF MUSIC Out to the light all joys in man that flow Ere he know, Longings slow, Fires that glow And blossom suddenly in deeds of flame, Sure of their right to be, sure of their aim; Man's might make new, More live than you, Airs of Spring! [50] COME O COME out in the Open Between the Earth and Sun! For Life hath called and holpen The buried flowers each one To burst their old year's leafage Their grave-clods dull and dead, And climbing through the cleavage To lift each fairy head. Could necks so frail, so tender, Such bodies soft and small, Through hard ground rise so slender? 'T is all a marvel, all! Unless the Spirit in them, Bolder than bodies are, Doth hearten them and win them To greet the great Day-star; LIPS OF MUSIC Unless Desire below them In Earth's deep breast of love Pour through and overflow them To meet the love above. O come out in the Open, Ye human flowers each one ! To grace and force be holpen, Re-born twixt Earth and Sun! 152] THE FLOWER ANSWERS The Man speaks: LlTTLE Flower, art thou lonely, Hand to pluck awaiting, Dear? Spending life in craving only, Lacking guest to reap thy cheer? The Flower answers: Little lordling, ye hear dully My voice chord with all Life's song: Need I greedy hand to cull me Who to Mankind's God belong? t53l LIPS OF MUSIC THE SECRET OF THE PLACE A. LITTLE path winds saunt'ring to our door, All through the clover; Sea touches soothe your cheek and kiss your brow, As you come over. The Sea and Earth embraced catch you up, too; Here they love each other. Here how they love You ! And all day long A little bird's song Interprets you the secret of the place: " Oh! but life is sweet, sweet! Life is sweet! Sweet!" [541 SECRET OF THE PLACE The Sea is like a tossing daisy-field, Darkling and whit'ning; The daisy-field 's a sun-flecked sea of foam, Threatening and bright'ning. All difFrences there are beneath the sun, How they melt in music! How they here are -One! Where all day long A little bird's song Interprets you the secret of the place: "Oh! but life is sweet, sweet! Life is sweet! Sweet!" [55] LIPS OF MUSIC MONHEGAN A LONELY land, fantastic, sphinxish, Full of freshness, full of fire. All day long the hot sun woos it, Kissing pallid flaunting grasses, Thrilling ruddy tiny prickles Armoring sun-dew in its marshes, v In its still deep-bosomed marshes. All night long the witch-moon soothes it, With white-handed gentle gestures, Lulling it to half awake it So it keep its passionate calm. All the days long, all the nights long, Lovingly the laughing ocean Round it flings his happy arms Arms that loosen in contentment Arms that clasp with fresh allurement [56] MONHEGAN Arms delirious with pleasure, Keeping yet a comrade's touch; While the wild glad land refrains not From response as free and flowing, Daring love, and love withholding, Ever his, while still her own! I 571 LIPS OF MUSIC INLAND iVJ. Y happy eyes have seen The Sun's far-spreading sheen Flash its bright wing and hover A joyous blissful lover Over the answering sea. Now may I turn and go Inland, contented, slow, Musing a lifetime's leisure Over an inward treasure, For mine eyes have seen the sea! My happy heart hath known The light deep love hath thrown, The instant flame and vision Turning all life elysian Within the answering soul. [58] INLAND Now may I turn and work, No steadfast toiling shirk, Each far-off aim the purer, For light within, held surer, Since my heart hath known Love's soul ! Oh! Who yet, having seen the Sea, If he then must inland go, Doth not eat his heart with yearning To behold its ceaseless flow? And who yet, having known Love's soul, If he then must parting go, Doth not thrill each breath with burning For its. ecstasy and glow? He, the sea within discerning, Of its secret urge hath learning, And no inland calm can know. [59] LIPS OF MUSIC ISLE AU HAUT V^/H! a million-million-masted ship, With millions of green sails spread, A prow of rock to the tide's fierce lip, And song at each mast-head, A prow of rock Where the breakers flock, And song to fling Where the sea-birds wing, Song of the trees, Song of the breeze, Song through all heaven to flow, A green-winged, rock-built, soaring ship Is Isle au Haut! Oh! a far sure voyage this ship fares On her swerveless upright keel, Through measureless seas of space she bears Aims true as the pole stars feel. Steady her helm, Though the wild waves whelm. [60] ISLE AU HAUT More firm her quest For their huge unrest; Vary and flaw Fixes the law Whereby all staunch ships go. A tireless voyage dauntless dares This Isle au Haut! A deep-eyed angel bares her brow Where the light spray leaps and laughs, And the gaunt cliff at the giant bow The sea's wine thirstily quaffs, The sea's strong wine In the wide sun shine, Or swooning calm Of the moon's white balm; Stormy or still, Good is the will In the angel's eyes aglow, God-wise, God-sure she guides the prow Of Isle au Haut! [61] LIPS OF MUSIC WITH WAVES AND WINGS \^J WAVES and Wings and Growing Things! As through the gladdened sight ye flow And flit and glow, Ye win me so In soul to go, I too am waves, I too am wings, And kindred motion in me springs. With thee I pass, glad growing grass! I climb the air with lissome mien; Unsheathing keen The vivid sheen Of spiring green, I thrill the crude, exalt the crass Fine-flex'd and fluent from Earth's mass. [62] WAVES AND WINGS And impulse craves with thee, Sea Waves! To make all mutable the floor Of Earth's firm shore, With flashing pour Whose brimming o'er Impassion'd motion loves and laves And livens sombre slumbering caves. Then soaring where the wild birds fare, My song would sweep the windy lyre Of Heaven's choir, Pulsing desire For starry fire, Abashing chilling vagues of air With throbbing of warm breasts that dare! [63] LIPS OF MUSIC THE CHILDE BY THE SEA Of the Will of the Childe and the Sway of the Sea Of the counselling Voice of the Soul that declareth the Plot of the Whole And the Vision that promiseth Har- mony. J. HE lips of the Wooer are white, The lips of the wild wooing Sea, With hisses of hatred he sharpens his tongue, Grim is his glee! With longing of loving his pleading is wrung, None woos as he! From stress of the spirit the human birthright, He lureth the Childe to be free. A kiss on his lips lies her Soul, The Soul of the Childe by the Sea, Her eyes would forget all their innermost light, [64] CHILDE BY THE SEA Freed would she be From stress of desire and the human insight, So lured her he! With passioning spent to be blent with the Whole, Full fain to lose self-hood is she! Then besought her the Sea, and he cried wooingly: "One blood with Mine, "My unrest Thine!" - And her heart rang in unison, echoingly: "One blood with Thine, "Thy unrest Mine! "For prison'd in flesh is the fire "The Powers that begat me instil; "It narrows the World to desire, "Yet mocketh the range of my will: "Thrill'd through with the sway and the urge [65] LIPS OF MUSIC "Of world-lapping, soft-singing surge, "How good to merge "Life's hungering, thirsting outgo "In boundless flow!" Then the whispering Sea cautioned cunningly: "Forbear thou, like Powers that begat thee, to deal "With chaos, continual shaping and strife, "The ceaseless Reel "Of Over-Life; "For who but thy Makers can master that Wheel? "And who but thy Makers from living may wrest, "The might in the bosom of Nature possess'd? "Seek thou thy nest, "My broad bare breast! "The age-long plan "But shaped forth Man [66] CHILDE BY THE SEA "To find him this "Serene, sure bliss!" So the whispering murmuring ebbs and sinks low in a hiss. And it swirls back subsiding in silence all subtly astir. All its waves fuse like words in one sense and one will, seeking her. The lips of the Wooer are white, The lips of the wild wooing Sea, With hisses of hatred he sharpens his tongue, Grim is his glee! With longing of loving his pleading is wrung, None woos as he! From stress of the spirit the human birthright, He lureth the Childe to be free. A kiss on his lips lies her Soul, The Soul of the Childe by the Sea; Her eyes would forget all their innermost light, [67] LIPS OF MUSIC Freed would she be From stress of desire and the human insight So lured her he! With passioning spent to be blent with the Whole, Full fain to lose self-hood is she! "One blood with Thine, "Thy unrest Mine! "Yet ever a shudder restraineth my Will; "In the hiss of thy kiss glitters treachery's skill." Then her Soul called zuithin her, imperiously: " Forbear thou to yield me thy Soul to the Sea: "The Powers that begat thee through me bid thee strive, "Creation alone by thy striving shall thrive! "On thee alone falleth the sway and the urge "That gropes in the heaving and murmur- ing surge; [68] CHILDE BY THE SEA "Ay! all that it blindly would seek 1 1 Through thee, through thy Soul, must it wreak: "My impetus silent and sure "Dictateth a shadowy plot "Thine eyes of the flesh can see not; "Yet shall it, long ages endure, "Endure till Man's heart warm the flame, "Endure till Man's will point the aim "And master the might he must never refuse "Nor force; neither vield to supinely, nor bruise "For pleasuring under the foot, "But brotherly, lovingly use, "Till Sea and till Land and till Brute " Shall reap the full joy of the fruit "Of slow aspiration in Man "Completer of all they began. [69] LIPS OF MUSIC "Though yet thou divinest not how "Thy Soul to that dream bids thee bow. "To no other leading "Give ear, nor give heeding, "Lead thou! "I, regnant within thee, thy Soul, "Shall guide, through thy Will, and control "The dimly seen scheme, "To shape itself fair in the beam "That shines from thine unresting dream. "No Titan unrest of the Sea "Shall deaden that unrest in thee: "Nor ever shall his longing master "The longing in thee that is vaster: "To subtler unrest "Awake in thy breast, "Let his then its just tribute pour, - "Increase kindred force evermore! "Thy Will, for the Powers that begat thee, Life's Wheel [70] CHILDE BY THE SEA "Shall steer, through thy dream, for the World's livelong weal!" O'er the far-singing Voice of the Sea soars the Soul's Voice she knows, From their marriage in music together strange prophecy flows. She is stung with it, Pythoness-stung, with God's oracle glows, To the blue mounts desire, lost in light of the largeness that grows And enfolds it, as skies in dim rapture the toss'd seas enclose. Ah! so mounts, so enfolds her the promise wrung strong through her throes, Springing fair through long futures no instant of living but sows! [71] II SELENE LAMENTATION MAT NOT BE IN A POETS HOUSE SUCH THINGS BEFIT NOT US FAIR-FACED Selene, Daughter of Zeus; accomplished in the, sacred art of song, the wide wings of whose immortal head wrap up the circling Earth, the light of whose death- less brows dwells lingering in the stream of ocean when she bathes her silver bosom, while her far-off-sprinkling-Luster Evening wears, and the subtle air rejoices in the deli- cate splendor; divine Selene, yoking her glit- tering high-breasted steeds maned with curled flame! As she waxes, her beams exhale un- speakable glory: then from her do men divine and soothsay: Hail, queen! white-armed god- ess, blissful Selene, serene of heart and fair of tress, whom Muse-loved sweet-sung poets celebrate ! Freely adapted from the Homeric Hymn to the full Moon, with use of Chapman (1616) and Lang (1905). PSALM OF THE RED DOORS THE spell of the Red Doors is on me, And the Psalm of the Lips chanteth in me! 1 shall never forget how they opened, For their touch ever singeth within me. I was wooed of the Red Doors to enter; With my soul on my lips then I entered, And the soul on my lips was alive. And the wind of the Portal upcaught me; It enrapt me away then forever. And the flame of the Portal enseared me; It ensealed me and seared me forever! Still I shake with the wind of the Portal, With the breath of the Portal I quiver: Still I mount with the flame of the Portal, With the fire of the Red Doors I tremble, With their passionate star-fire I flower: [75] LIPS OF MUSIC Ever sheathed is the flame-bloom, enfolded, Ever holy of heart, ever growing, Ever holy of heart, ever fragrant; All its petals are pointed together, Praying hands that do point and aspire: All its blossoms are birds a-wing, singing, All its fragrance is breath and desire. O my Soul is a living torch lifted, Budding flowers of flame in mid-air, Burning incense and song in mid-air; Ever spiring with blossoming flame, Ever leaping with quenchless white fire, Ever restlessly soaring upborne On the Wings of the Wind and the Flame Of the open Red Doors of my Altar, Of the Doors of the Shrine of my life. O the ember-red taciturn Portal Hath enrapt me and seared me forever, It hath seared me and sealed me forever! Ay, forever and ever. Amen. , [76] LOVE'S BANQUET, One of the Banqueters, singing A OUR Love wine! Pour, pour! Brim Him more, ever more! Thrill the subtle veins of sense, Flood the soul-house till the dense Is as air, Vague as mist, Fierce as fire, Flung intense As a prayer On acquist Of pure desire! Loose the chains that weight the Soul! Fine the flesh to her control! Wing! Wing the whole! Pour Love wine! Pour, pour! Brim Him more, ever more! [771 LIPS OF MUSIC Another of the Banqueters rejoining, singing Fear the God! Fear, fear! Keep the Vision calm, clear! Scant Him to His thirsty lips, Look you that His beaker slips From His grasp, Ere the lees Stain the draught And shame strips From His clasp Ecstasies All spent, all quaffed! Counsel measure! wisdom led, Fear Love's madness, and, instead, Give Love bread, daily bread! " Fear the God! Fear, fear! Keep the Vision calm, clear! The voice of Love answering, singing Ay! Ay! Ye have said! Brim me wine! Feed me bread! [78] LOVE'S BANQUET Grudge no wholesomeness of wheat Gradual labor grindeth meet For my fare; Nor the bliss Sudden strong, Sweet and fleet, Festal rare, Let me miss When ardors throng, In the Earth's womb fostered long, Through the brown stalk pushing prong, In the grape's globe breeding song ! Ay! Ay! Ye have said! Brim me wine! Feed me bread! The One Banqueter and the Other, concordantly, singing Fear the God! Fear, fear! Keep the Vision calm, clear! Pour Love wine! Pour, pour! Pledge Him more! Ever more! [79] THE RETICENT STARS 1 HE love Love tells is but one gleaming star In deeps untold of stars that dumbly dwell In light not breathing yet to Earth its spell One radiant star where all those dark worlds are. Altnough no space can Light's sure arrow bar, They are so near God's Touch Love's boundless well They dare not yet their dazzling secret tell Blazon the pureness nearness cannot mar. Unerring, sacred, quenchless light of Love! Thy splendor Night's drooped eyelids feel and sheathe; Yet all thy reticent dark stars afar [80] RETICENT STARS In unimagined glory thronged above, May through the hush their pulsing bright- ness breathe, And, trembling, speak in but one gleaming star. LIPS OF MUSIC THE HUSHED STRAIN WHOSE heart is torn beneath his tran- quil cloak, Who wept at quiet coming of the dawn, To him at least the Lord of Heaven once spoke Hushed strain! his fine ear list'ning holds, withdrawn. [82 HOW SHALL I MY TRUE LOVE KNOW? JVJ.Y True Love's name is Pain. Her black brows frown. Breath of her mouth is Doubt: It chills her own fire out. Where her lips' touch hath lain Love's bliss to crown, The transport's edge hath slain! Fear smote us down. My True Love Pain! Dear Pain! Wouldst thou with me I wonder, Test how the Soul bears strain The Body falters under? Must I my True Love know By this deep scar? I, craving joy as air, Risks free as frank winds dare, [83] LIPS OF MUSIC From her doubt learn this woe Myself to mar! And tossed thus to and fro, Estrange my star! My True Love Pain, dear Pain! Wouldst thou with me I wonder, Prove how the Soul reaps gain From throes that cleave asunder! Yea ! I my True Love know By wounds and fears; Yet since of Love they came, I hail them in Love's name; I crown with calm each throe, Stanch shining tears, Choose shame above the show Of lighter years. My True Love Pain, dear Pain! Riches of thee I plunder, Such sweetness I am fain To win, my Soul hath wonder. [84] LOVE, HELP THY LIEGEMAN! For a Beatrice Nuova, with lingering memory of Dante's Ballad LORD LOVE! Go thou, for me with her to dwell And foster that in her to reap not seek Her sweet compassion, swift as thou to know, What else 't were best to hide from chilling glance : How strange as life love is in me, beyond All strength of man to vanquish, ere again It rise unvanquished; like that angel might \ The thews of Israel grew ever strong From wrestling with, yet never threw, and still Drew blessing from, the awful kiss of God Branding the foeman who such grappling dared. Yet foster not in her, Lord Love! if this [85] LIPS OF MUSIC She learn through thee, aught that may vex her peace, Or trouble her pure eyes, with pain for me; But tutor her how woe from thy deep soul Is richer than the shallow happiness Thy careless shorter-lasting moods lets fall Thy flying fingers; in whose grasp and wrench My heart rests marked, aye shapen to her will In pride, though scored with flames of thine through her, The brand of angel-struggle in my soul. And Love, Lord Love! if thou so far in her Compassion stir; ah! if thy whitest beam Uncloak like woe in her, like strife of bliss To chord with mine; lead her to freely spend Her face eyes rapt, on mine; thereafter what Twain ways of life but we should conqu'ring march, Nor fail to meet forever, parting thus! [86] IKAROS JjE loved and love! till out of joy A prouder transport springs To master bliss, dare ardors cloy, Dare Soul fling wider wings: Such wondrous wings Must outsoar God, Before His Face the Man-heart laud ! Yet if Love chanced to smile, content; Or craved he, quenchless, more, He alien stayed, though with God blent, So faint a heart he bore! Too faint heart bore To ride the Sphere : He sank to find his dwelling here! [87] LIPS OF MUSIC THE SECOND VINTAGE JLJ.OW may I think you false, Dear? How can I call you light ? 'T was bliss to be but near, Dear, Our souls had such clear sight. May what was once so true, Dear, Know any change indeed? I scout the chill-eyed fear, Dear, That makes my faint heart bleed. Let me but free this anguish, And yield my scorn right scope! Ah! love can never languish Although it lose all hope. The rage and scorn pent in me Flare tumult through my brain; Thine eyes on mine look strangely: My soul is fierce with pain. [88] SECOND VINTAGE" Yet doubting love is treason; I '11 rend some veil away, And find the gnawing reason That frets the old love's sway. I wait in abject weakness; I probe the secret truth, I prove my pain with meekness, I tear my breast with ruth. Not Love's deep look, mere Pity's I crave kind torture? No! Too high were once our blisses; I drink my tears, and go! But all that wine divine, Dear, Our souls quaffed solemnly. I pledge anew with thine, Dear, Alone, triumphantly. A victor shall I say, Dear? I win, whate'er the cost; But bleed my heart away, Dear, For human comfort lost. [89] LIPS OF MUSIC THE "UNEXPRESSIVE SHE" JjEEP blue seas are certain eyes, Basking in them Love's Soul lies; That strange world the sense-world flies, Beaming from them; Will to suffer yet to rise; Energy to climb the skies, Streaming from them. In those seas who looks deep cries "All I hoped would prove Life's prize Here exceeds my best surmise!" Deeming of them Was the ray to light the wise, And the love beyond all ties, Dreaming of them ! [90] THE "UNEXPRESSIVE SHE" For they harden while you look, No deep question will they brook, What you brought them that you took Seeming of them! From your yearning self arise Those deep joys Love's wish espies, Dreaming of them. LIPS OF MUSIC KEEPING SCORE 'THROUGH many days, Her gracious ways, Familiar to me grown, In richer store Shall heap the score Of love for her I 've known." Ah! so I said; But nearness led To love past all before, Until I knew, Than now I do I could not love her more! [92] FLITTING JOY r LITTING Joy drew near and hovered Till my gladness hers discovered : Then she yielded to my drouth; Freely gave her happy mouth Fragrant with the sun-kissed South, Mixed with mine her sun-lit eyes Till no doubt of them could rise Nor their look from mine could stray Evermore, and went her way! Did she go? How strange her leaving! Flitting so was scarce bereaving: Mourning o'er it long and long Heartens me and makes me strong; Joy I nevermore can wrong, With her lips my words I speak, With her eyes my Heaven seek. Did she go? or does she stay? Ever with me, aye and aye ! [931 LIPS OF MUSIC THE BANNERS THY heart shall hold love folded in, As timid leaves in May Hold tremblingly, all moulded in, On each sky-seeking spray, Through cloud and cold, through storm and calm, Close-crumpled in each furled-in palm The banners broad of June. Thy heart, as they, shall curb desire, Through cloud and cold, till Sun, Of ripeness born, unfurl the fire From Spring's reluctance won: God's moment then shall win the way To fling from timid clasp of May The banners broad of June. [94] NIRVANA JVJ.Y Heart is wreathed around with wings, With wings close-furled, From my Heart's brow a Lotus springs, With tears dew-pearled; From my Heart's eyes the tears are shed, Lids, hide the throes! O my Heart's lips, on kisses fed, No love disclose, Hide my Heart's Rose! [95] LIPS OF MUSIC THE WAY OF THE WIND "So is every one that is born of the Spirit." MY Spirit seized thine as the Wind of God Whence It wisteth flowing, Where It listeth blowing; With swift-born silence and secrecy shod, We followed the way the still footing trod, My Spirit and thine, as the Will of God, Nor the wherefore knowing, In a transport going! What law in thy Soul then pierced mine like Fate, As it listeth smiting With its carven writing? Wavered the Wind of the ecstasy late; Faltered the Music no music could mate: Now plod we wayfaring in lonely state, With wings drooped alighting From a dream of plighting. [96] WAY OF THE WIND Yet wait we as waiteth the passive tide; When it wisteth surging, As it listeth merging The docile waters, that its will abide, Resistless in one trend who yet hath tried To rend aside, when they in glory ride, Well assured, their scourging Works the round earth's purging? Arise God's wind! Breathe again from the deep, Whom thou listeth sealing With thy swift revealing! Bind the white tide as thy yoke-charger, sweep On to one bliss our souls of love who keep Sacred the hest that bids them wait, nor reap The great rush of feeling Save from God's lips reeling! [971 LIPS OF MUSIC SATURN IN a shining space Her face! In other spaces A world of faces, Outside! As the rings that ride In their dusker state Round the Star of Fate, Their dim whorl afar From the central star Alone My own ! My heart of pure white, My well-spring of light, All the sky a waste To hold thee more graced, The shrined and chaste. O Thou ! the lone moved, The firm-hearted, pure, [98] SATURN Immaculate, proved To abide and endure, From whom thunders deep, Implacable, leap, And the secret might Of the Father-born In blue-brilliant night Lifts her glancing horn, Hecate, holding In Thine her Sire's name, The seeds of live fire, In her wide breast's folding, The spell of desire, The flower of flame, And the spirit-dower In her hands' control Of the winds that scour Beyond Earth's pole, In thy rings embrace Her face! Sire Saturn, thy thunder [99] LIPS OF MUSIC Guard ever the wonder! Immure In Fate's cincture sure Forever the sense Of the touch intense! And Hecate, thou, Who the Deep can plough And spur The stir Of the leaping water, O Father-born daughter, Up-summon the coal Flame-seed in the Soul When thy great winds roll! The undying ember Thy look's fecund spell Shall rouse, will remember The God no gods quell, Who 'mid the still regions Of starry legions Girt with shining hides, Alone-moved abides. [100] LOVE'S HOLY DAYS THE CHRISTMAS 'Wo man hath seen God. . . . The only begotten son which is in the Bosom . . . hath declared him." J. HE very Christ once with us dwelt, Born in a quiet lowly; Only a star sang, and we knelt. The meagre room was holy. Our lips touched, as angel-wings touch O'er the crib where they hover, The love born within us was such As the Christ-child they cover. A babe it was, helpless and meek, Our gifts and tendance craving, - Yet a god withal, we must seek To find strength for our saving. [101] LIPS OF MUSIC THE EPIPHANY "Lo t the star went before them, . . . and they rejoiced, . . . and opened their treasures, and presented gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh." HE heart of the glow of our star, Ever calling us hither, Is guiding us on from afar, Sure are we It knows whither! No treasure so rich, overwrought With travail of the giver, But, counting its pricelessness nought, Haste we on to deliver! The gold of our hearts still we give, Yet are never the poorer; The breath of each instant we live, Yet of life are but surer. With fragrance of frankincense, myrrh, Of love's bitterness burning, From anguish most keenly astir, Measureless sweetness earning. [102] LOVE'S HOLY DAYS THE HOLY THURSDAY "And he said, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. . . . And he withdrew from them, and prayed, say- ing, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me!" A HIS is anguish, early, late, Ceaseless love of one to hate; All unmeet for hearts below; Only Gods should bear such woe, Only Gods such secrets know. Such the anguish, thine, Christ, Piercing love that far out-priced Rood and nails and spear-thrust through, Scorn of those thy pity knew, Those who wist not what they do! [103] LIPS OF MUSIC Shrink, my lips, from cup of strength Making man scarce man at length; All unmeet for hearts below; Only Gods should bear such woe, Only Gods such secrets know. Oh, to honor, not look down On the soul thy love would crown, Know the Christ of flesh and pain By compassion, equal, fain, Not by lonely spirit gain! [ 104] LOVE'S HOLY DAYS THE EASTER EVE The next day the Pharisees came together, . , . saying, That deceiver said, while he was yet alive, ... 7 will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure. . . . Pilate said, ICe have a watch. Make it as sure as ye can" ALL-LOVING love is in his tomb, Half-loves alone are living; For such may earth-born men yield room, Denying Heaven's giving. All-loving love from heaven sent, Must have his mission scouted, And share what scant-breathed life is lent Earth-loves that may be doubted. All-loving love hath bent his head Nor sought his due exalting Beyond the hope those body-led Allot to love's assaulting. [105] LIPS OF MUSIC Earth-love whose life is through each child Renewed with half defeature, That knows not yet the undefiled Undying spirit-nature. Doubt's soldiery gross-guards the tomb, Sees not above it hover Faith's angel, watching, too, till doom Obey the Master-lover! [106] THE ORDER OF PERPETUAL ADORATION THERE is an Order in the Church Permits no sun nor season, No hour nor minute Time could search, No slight nor weighty reason To stop the praise adoring ever The touch Divine Whose hallowing none may dissever From bread and wine. Within the heart like order held Ordains each lesser feeling, Or sudden joy or throe up-welled From deeps of Life's revealing Shall celebrate and still assever The touch divine Of Love supreme, forgetting never Lips once its shrine. [1071 LIPS OF MUSIC IMMORTALITY A.LL guarded round with floating beams Of inward light, My Angel, inly listening, dreams, With inmost sight: And thrilling for a singing flight Up visioned ways, Around her head an aureole Of wide wings rays; Within them Power beats and burns, As underneath her eyelids yearns Her dreaming Soul. With ardors of imagining, Caressed apart, Deep spirit-piercing raptures wring My Angel's Heart Seed-fires that visibly up start In flames of bloom, [108] THE VISION OF LOVE IN SLEEP. IMMORTALITY Whose waving blossoms gladness wrest From rankling gloom; Her shining brow around they wreathe, Each uplift of her life-breath breathe, Forever blest! [109] LIPS OF MUSIC BY THE SIXTH SENSE V-J I see, I see the tears of blood In the lotus bud, Though it blooms on thy brow, O so whitely now, Proud Saint! O I see, I know The stabbing woe And hidden stain Of conquered pain, Dear Saint! O then feel with me how fierce the wind When the wings sprang twinned, Though they beat round my brow O so lightly, now, Proud Saint! [no] THE SIXTH SENSE Only thee I show The torture-throe And dragging drain Whence strong wings strain, Dear Saint! If we cancel, thus the bitter debt, May we quite forget How the tears still endure In the lotus pure, Proud Saint! How the scar still stings 'Neath soaring wings Whose mounting flight Is thy soul's height, Dear Saint! from struggle ever wrest we strength Bringing peace, at length! Be it so, or I fear, Ever lonely here, Proud Saint! [in] LIPS OF MUSIC I shall strive my best, Yet feel, o'erpressed, My wings, thy token, Fall broken broken! Dear Saint! [112] INTERLUDE LIPS OF MUSIC DJABAL AND ANAEL Epilogue songs written to accompany Browning's "Return of the Druses." DJABAL'S SONG A.ND am I not Hakeem, though man? Needs it a God to plot and plan And pour his heart and brain and soul Through lonely patient scheming years, intent By small slow conquests to control And bring to birth, at last, the purpose meant? Is it no marvel earth-like stuff Compacts a sun night's blackness to rebuff? A man who leads is miracle enough! LIPS OF MUSIC ANAEL'S SONG I KNEW thy secret from the first, When thy heart's fire upon me burst, With music led me on and on Through anguish, gropingly to prove the clew, Till sight and soul in unison Beheld the Secret from the first I knew. No triumph with the God be mine! Hakeem, in Djabal only, I divine Love in that sin-shamed human breast of thine! fii6] IN PRAISE OF BROWNING loveliness, and all the fair In Life, the perfect, choice, and rare The bloom of deeds Most poets tell: They with the love of Beauty swell The heart of Man; and this is well. But Browning moves to love of Life, Oft-failing yet aspiring strife Tow'rd Beauty's seeds The sleeping spore Such love of Life can wake to soar Within each heart: O this is more! With growing light through ages shine The vision of the Love Divine Of God made Man: So seers still win [117] LIPS OF MUSIC A hope for mortals, spite of sin, And Life is bless'd since that hath been. But Browning's vivid eye discerns God in each heart where pure love burns: Where Spirit ran, Flashing strange spells, Transcendent love in might upwells; God's witness thus in each Soul dwells. [118] TRANSLATIONS BERTRAND'S SONG TO THE MARINERS From Rostand's "La Princesse Lointaine." AGAIN then I tell you how fair Is one we shall gaze on soon. The golden sun laughs in her hair, Dreams, in her eyes, of the moon. Her floating hair veils and unveils A brow so starlit and pure No other devotion but pales, All other love seems unsure. Her charm sole, subtle, a flower Hidden yet haunting the air, Is charm of a saint, with power Of a sorceress to snare. LIPS OF MUSIC And simple ways her will behooves, But rich resources on them wreaks, She like a swaying blossom moves, Like a forest spring she speaks. So fair, and yet half faerie, Surely Frank, yet Moabite, Is Melissinde of Tripoli In her palace whelmed in light. And thus we there shall see her soon, Unless all lies the tattling Of pilgrims false, their cloaks and shoon With scallop shells all rattling. [120] TRANSLATIONS MILA 'S SONG From D'Annunzio's "La Figlia di Jorio." JjIDED mute the patron angel From the walnut woodblock carven, Deaf the wood stayed, secret, sacred, Saint Onofrio vouchsafed nothing. Till said one apart, a third one (O have pity on us, Patron!) Till said one apart, the fair one, Lo! my heart all willing, waiting! Would he quaff a draught of marvel? Let him take my heart's blood, quaff it! But of this make no avowal, But of this make no revealing. Suddenly the stump budded branches, Out of the mouth a branch sprang budding, Every finger budded branches, Saint Onofrio all grew green again! [121] LIPS OF MUSIC DEDICATORY PRAYER From D'Annunzio's "La Nave." HEARKEN, Lord God, tremendous, dire, Cry of our Sires' stupendous ire Battling on deck: This I kindle with fire is the Beacon and Pyre. 'Twixt Pola, Albona, hard by Quarnaro, The bold pine I cleft, the bay's bitter marrow And the sacred oak with twin-edg'd steel arrow of wedge-axe narrow. And when the wood of the masts over casting And wood of the hull with wreaths everlasting Victory's wreaths; ah! then I remembered all of our dead Gulfed in the Deep, all of our dead Gulfed in the swallowing Deep that fed on the brave in their caravels: [122] TRANSLATIONS But said I: O God of birth and renewals Of stocks by Sea, and of ruins and strewals, The living, living, shall they ever be who upon the Sea Shall magnify Thee, who upon the Sea Shall glorify Thee, who upon the Sea Burn myrrh on Thine altar and blood- sacrifices Where the Ship's beak rises. make Thou of all of the Oceans Our Sea! Amen. [123] Ill HECATE DEATH IS EVIL THE GODS HAVE SO JUDGED HAD IT BEEN GOOD THEY WOULD DIE SAPUO I 125 1 HECATE I CALL Hecate of the Ways, of the Cross- ways, of the Darkness, of the Heaven and the Earth and the Sea; saffron-clad goddess of the grave, exulting amid the spirits of the dead, kindling new life, Perseia, lover of loneliness, Hecate of the shining head-tyre . . . thinking delicate thoughts; Queen who holdest the Keys of the World, ... be pres- ent at our pure service with the fulness of Joy in thine heart. From Orphic Hymn, as given by Gilbert Murray, and Homeric Hymn to Demeter. [126] THE TRAGIC RAPTURE \VlNNOW me, Life! winnow and sift me! Harrow me, Fate! harrow and lift me! Hallow me, Love! wring me and rive me! Aught but the best, purge me from, shrive me! Lightning-sure Aim! nothing less shift me! Lightning-sure Touch! thrill me and gift me! Life! smite thy tragic full chord in me, Let it be potently lord in me, Through my soul glorying float; Pour through my triumphing throat Song of the dominant note! [127] LIPS OF MUSIC AMULETS IF thou shalt ever see with inner sight, No outward gaze of thine but will be bright, Kindling in thee and all who meet thee light! If thou shalt ever feel with heart awake, No sin and tears but shall thy sorrow slake, And round the evil good's fair halo make. MASTERY SOMETIMES, alone, along the peak, The Angel in me hears God speak; Sometimes, unknown, it journeys down And strives among men in the town. Sometimes, it is so strong, I bear God's word to me where all men fare: O best! if in the battling street Life's harshest voice to me rings sweet! [128] WORK DAY PRAYERS GOD of Love, God of Work! Touch me with fire! For all dross within me, fill me with ire! So with pure passion I cleave to my Star, Speed my work, daily, toward the mark far! God of Love, God of Work! Breathe in me -air! Blue and breeze-swept spaces brighten my care! So each swirl of effort leave my hand calm, So each heart meeting mine only feel balm! [129] LIPS OF MUSIC HOLY DAY PRAYERS GOD of Light, God of Joy! Kindle my gaze! So it dart, arrowy, threading the maze Glooming, confusing my soul's right and rash Gleam to Thy Heaven it sees in one flash! God of Light, God of Joy! Bless thou my bliss Arrogance, shrivel! lest mar I or miss Joy of heart-joy in the sudden capture Sharing on earth here the human rapture. [130] A GLAD LITTLE SORRY SONG v-JH, full cause, full cause have I To be sorry, to be sad; Yet my tears are almost dry !. And my soul in me is singing, And my will is clinging, clinging To long plans it has to try Plans for all a future's bringing! Oh, what cause, what cause have I To be sorry, to be sad, Who am still so glad, so glad, Quite without a reason why? LIPS OF MUSIC MAN'S CRADLE SONG To the World-Mother Life. O THOU World-Mother, Life ! Press me close to thy breast! I would nourish my lips with thy milk human kindness: And be lulled with thy murmurs to halcyon rest, I would nest in thy breast with true faith's profound blindness, And awake, I would take, with a will, task and strife, If thou nurture me, cradle me, mother me, Life! f O thou World-Mother, Life! Mould me meek to thy plan, [132] MAN'S CRADLE SONG I would shrink from no dint of thy hand's hardest pressing, If it shaped me to use in the service of Man, I would know all the woe for my Soul's caressing, That would, soothed, tremor smoothed, rule the cure of Pain's knife;- If thou chastened and scourged, but to mother me, Life! O thou World-Mother, Life! Tell me stories of yore! I would watch thy lips move, I would see thine eyes glowing: Till thy marvel and vision each new morn- ing more Spurred my will to fulfil thy heroical showing: Then requite thy child-knight for his day with deeds rife; Then embrace me, and lavish thy love on me, Life! [133] LIPS OF MUSIC THE HEARTH FIRE ELOQUENT heads of haughty trees, Talking with clouds, wreathed with the breeze, Long cherished on the breast of fruitful earth, Felled for the pyre be ye, shorn for the hearth ! Lie ye low, fallen prone, Bound on man's altar-stone! The windy locks, wide-tossed, be furled, - Let curling flames in eddies whirled, Mock with their narrow, vortexed, parching glare The fresh free gestures of uncabined air! Renounced be life of kind and seed! Let green fire bleed for human need, [134] HEARTH FIRE The green fire fertile in the sun-god's look Be red fire barren in the chimney-nook! Bleeding sap, tongue of flame, Sing thy joy, sing thine aim! The paeons chant of living wood, Exalted, gods in lowlihood, Sibilant, sacrificial embers dying, Jubilant spirit-splendor prophesying! And you, ye flaunting heads of high desires Let red flame sway! Burn ye to feed in me life's purer fires, And purge the clay Down by the root close-clinging! Let branching pride sky-springing To greater gods of secret spirit-power In sacrifice be shorn! Nor shrink nor mourn The nurture of life's lesser dower Earth's breast, the beacon-sky, Love's, Pride's full flower: O no! destroy, destroy [ 135 3 LIPS OF MUSIC Sky-glory and Earth-clearness so keen pangs deploy Life's hidden force and free the flame-winged blossom Joy! 1 136 ] THE LIGHTED FACE \J P the street, down the street, through the town faring, Everywhere, anywhere, not a lane sparing, Only the lighted face searching for, caring! Only the lighted face; Is the quest so daring? Sharpened face, muffled face, face of boy, maiden, Flower face, not a trace Grief or trouble-laden. Pigeon face, vulture face, prinking, or scheming, Bargain-bent, profit-pent, rigid with seem- ing, [137] LIPS OF MUSIC These I find; let me find, inwardly beaming, Somewhere the lighted face, Soul from in it streaming! Life is good, aim is good, deeper soul's yearning Out must chase cravings base; Face! Thy Soul keep burning! [ 138 ] THE SUNLIT SHOWER OQUALID and foul the city street, Low'ring the sky and sour; Suddenly HeavVs compassion sweet Fell in a sunlit shower, Sprang from its heart a rainbow pure, To make the world of beauty sure. [1391 LIPS OF MUSIC IN THE CROWD A SONG! O THROUGH the streets the crowds go all hurried, all harassed; Life means to them but barter, but selling, spending pelf; One question fitly sums it, and bent upon it passed The worried jostlers near me; " Now what have you amassed? " O Life besides means nothing, No; noth- ing in itself! But, hark! above the traffic, the good green Common near, Fly past the first Spring bluebirds, song falls from one bright elf I 140 ] IN THE CROWD Full sure of life and loving and Springtime each new year. O daring flight face Northward with com- rades singing cheer! So, Life means singing, loving, is some- thing in itself! LIPS OF MUSIC WORK DAY SUNSET CHANT GRAY-BLUE swims the air in the sky's upper height, Gray-blue flows the sea-dreaming river, Dull red glow the lights ere their hour to shine bright Athwart the blue stream where they quiver. The arm of the Working-Day strikes his last stroke, His forge-embers glimmer to Westward; The swart wolf-throat factories belch their last smoke, The trolley-kites screech their prey rest- ward. WORK DAY CHANT All day wolves and kites of Life's drudgers took toll; They miss now a mintage far better; The skill of the Worker earns pay in his Soul, The purpose to smite off Toil's fetter. His sigh for free joy in work soars to God's sky, Lo, there! where the blue glows intenser, And mixed with black forge-smoke purged pure, spiring high, It breathes out that prayer in God's censer. [143] LIPS OF MUSIC CHELSEA "All that a man hath will he give for his life" (Chelsea Fire, April 12, 1908; San Francisco, April 18, 1906.) Jt)UT one among a thousand sister towns Unmarked of Fame, A hive of life no excellence renowns Beyond the daily, tame Prosperity of lowlihood In mart and home and fane, But one among a thousand Chelsea stood Beside the Eastern Flood: Now one from thousands falls she branded, charred, Supremely scarred! The tragic dignity of Doom's fierce frown Sears round her mediocre brow a crown [144] CHELSEA Whose blood-red glowing gems grow cinders black; And in her helpless hand Calamity doth thrust The sceptre of her lack, Her need's grim Must! Outstretched to all the land, Commanding alms from ruin, ashes, dust. What eminence of pain The giant hand of Woe hath on her lain! O dear young Land on whom such perils wait, For what deep seal and sign Doth lowly Chelsea to the Golden Gate, Whose town imperial lay shaken late Beside the Western Brine, By flames in Earth's deep flanks so doomed, So scored, so razed, and utterly consumed, Now. echo back the grisly watchword "Fate"? Behold on what ironic trifle fell The semen of Fate's mighty quell! [145] LIPS OF MUSIC A refuse cast-out heap of rags that mouldered, That tradesmen deemed of every value rifled, On that ignoble bed, where life lay, smoul- dered, Where unsuspected force hid, slighted, stifled, The young Spring wind disdained to touch, yet fawned Upon; there, viewlessly the Fire-djinn spawned. And as the Arab Genii, once kept pent Within a phial, whining to be lent His freedom, spread his sway Out of the jar with omen swart, The sun athwart, This Djinn uprears his crafty head And spurns his narrow bed. His eyes' red wrath devours his prey, His snorting nostrils' fumes are shafts of smoke [146] CHELSEA That pillar up the sky, With wings of wind on-leaps his flail's wide stroke, And emptiness is left to know it by. The startled townsmen scarcely weigh their woe, Nor guess how life may for them fare (If life be left them!) of all chattels bare, The dear familiar household ware, Accumulation through their lives their care. But some who lavished all of life in pains To have and hold no other than such gains, To valuations new, instinctive start: With all the toiled-for trash now would they part, The misprised life they spent it for, to spare: While others, still pelf-mastered, habit-led, With dullard wit, half unaware How imminent the dread, Scuttle to garner up and pack, LIPS OF MUSIC With haste too slow, too slow! Wild-eyed or stolid, on they move, To hunt new lack! The courser at their back O'ertakes them on their track; And whom he wills he spares, Whom not he snares; Nor may be known the urn Where whom he slew doth burn, Nor how another Out-thrived the smother. Through scathe, through scape, the Foe Unshakable yet whimsical doth prove, Implacable as Hate and swift as Love. O now that Cheisea lies so low, The monster desolation greatens her, And o'er her abject grave doth laurels strow. A quiet holds her walled amid the stir Of greater Boston, that here seems to come From far-off, throbbing like a muffled drum, To make her stillness mourn. [148] CHELSEA O now doth Chelsea boast the look Of sites where pomp hath gloried, Immortal Capitals Time's mace down-strook And Fame's scroll storied. The gaping cellar and foundation-stone, Uncumbered bare and lone, Of bounds and signs of superstructure shorn, Severe, content the eye with simple show And summon up a state Commensurate With her grim fate. Lo! monumental emblems of this hap Stay rooted in her breast; Bold monoliths of death-in-life to mark With shuddering: her trees, in April, stark! Black from the mouthing flames' coercive lap, All hope of gladsome green from in them pressed Forever out! Against the April blue They rigid write Memorials in each man's sight. [149] LIPS OF MUSIC With barren naked stumps of arms. No longer may they sway And sing With winds of Spring Their old-time April way; Yet now of what they dumbly say The winds of Spring resounding echoes borrow. O Land of April, hear! The rune is true They moan to you, Oracular and stern; Befits the heart to learn, The blithesome spirit thrill with deep alarms, Attentive struck, and heed, Against a morrow Of worser sorrow Sprung from a subtler seed! 0P O Land of April, youngest of the Earth, Thine own life-giving April holds such dearth Within her smouldered heart. [150] CHELSEA The social refuse of thy life oppressed, Engend'ring vengeance in its sullen nest, Can at the will that no man lists up start And from the scorned neglected swarming heap With wings of Whirlwind leap ! O goodly young new April-world! Beneath thy careless trampling feet That to and fro Up-building substance go, More palaces and luxuries to show How proudly like the old world thou dost grow, Unseen, beneath, lurks force more fleet Than all the prospering thou lovest so, To prompt the wronged and reckless with life-lust To shake thee with their shout "Unjust! Unjust!" To rend thee whence they grovel in the dust, LIPS OF MUSIC Make totter thy tall towers, and mock thy spires With innermost and fundamental fires; Till things chaotic in due chaos hurled Obey the struggling Order in them furled Crying for birth! Yea! Out from hoards safe built on as the earth The Spirit that makes matter for its mirth To use or else lay low, Can crushing ruin for the worldling breed, Proclaim, by utter loss, His treasure, dross, With grim derision let his life-blood bleed To prove its higher worth, Then rise and light a better Day hereafter With beams of Dawn shot from that scarlet laughter. Dear April Land, thy human inward life Hold dear! hold dear! CHELSEA Black is the trunk the life breath leaves Numb to the rising sap that only weaves! Within perpetual growth. No inert product of thy matter-strife Account so near That thou may'st e'er deprive For arid need Of barren greed The growth of weakest child of thine alive ! O loath, most loath Are these thy prophet-woes at East and West That thou shalt learn by inward death That Life is best: Like those self-withered Nations who, Time saith, Their own dishonored children sold For gold. Youngest of Mother-nations, blight not thou By any tricksters' stealth, [153] LIPS OF MUSIC Whence self-consuming dooms like theirs have sprung, Thy human for thy sordid commonwealth! Hold pure the vision of thine early vow! Impartial love shine from thy morning brow! Life-breath of all thy children keep thee young! : [154] DOUBLE MOMENTS SUNLIGHT lingers .'through the day, all day long; But in dawn and twilight dwells, Inter-weaves, with hidden spells, Days of deed and nights of dream, Fuses in Time's fleeting stream Shining vision, shadowed gleam : So, together, Night and Day make life strong. Love gives gladness all through life, all life long; But love's darkness with love's glow Lift to rapture each deep throe, Sun and cloud intensely met, Mingling splendor with the threat, Magic mutual beget: So, together, bale and bliss make love's song. [155] LIPS OF MUSIC Progress beckoned through the years, ages long: Up the steep with laurels spread One by one the heroes led; One by one they scale the height; Still far-off the peaks shine white, Challenging that moment's might When together, heroes mount with the throng. [156] THE MASTER-FATE A POURED out my heart in a throbbing lay, One half-happy day, And after I wrote it a wind arose, A trickstering time-serving wind of prose And swept it away. O far and away, out of grasp, of reach! It seemed that all speech, Sweet fruitage of song to redeem the pain, The barren soul lost with that heart-wrung strain : It could not beseech: The Written was written : the Lost was lost. By Fate calmly crossed, The grief was too sore for a sorrow more. The windfall of Fate then a new fate bore, And back the scroll tossed! [157] LIPS OF MUSIC Take counsel, wild Heart! See how still Soul stays Through half-happy days! By nature all unaware wise to wait The ripening stroke of the master-Fate No Fate but obeys! I 158 ] THE CALL OF MODERN TRAGEDY W HAT is out there all moaning, troubled, With passions vast on passions doubled, With unknown forces darkly tossing And chartless counter-currents crossing? The hearts are these of souls immortal; Sea-way is this to Art's high Portal. But child's play on the strand our playing While we were blind to wrecked hands praying, And faces white like wild birds swaying, Upturned to tempests, mute, past speaking. O leave mere toys, small pleasure-seek- ing, Life's shallows leave; the full flood breasting, For manly Art strive, stern, unresting! Heed, heed the call! Who dare clasp sorrow I 159 ] LIPS OF MUSIC That Angel strength grow theirs to- morrow? That Angel joy from Art's high heaven Shall every brother's sorrow leaven? Latter-day men, their God shut in them, Await transfiguring shall win them, Unveil them where their new might reigneth, Might to wax strong when old might waneth. Like huddling waves their heads uprearing Darkly to dream of far light nearing, Like wistful waves for moonlight longing, Range upon range the playhouse thronging, Men line with life floors, walls, to ceiling, And passive, wait their right revealing ! As on black night, the storm-wrack rifting, Peace from the Moon's pure face falls drifting, So on Man's sea of ardors shifting Shine! Tragic Art, for Soul's uplifting! I 160 ] LIFE'S RHYMES "Through worlds and races and terms and times . . . musical order and pairing rhymes," FLUX ' ' The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters. . . And God said Let the Firmament divide the Waters from the Waters" 1 HEAR Unending Being sing Life's rhymes ! The rhyme with centred Earth of weaving Water, Who vexed Her fixed frame, whose flux still caught Her; Her captive-captor was He tireless times: Her world-rule challenging from all worlds' primes, Island and headland carven firm He wrought her, [161] LIPS OF MUSIC And trophies won for Her the while He fought Her: So, in them, likeness with unlikeness chimes. Thrilled through their battling music, pangs of Fire From her pent heart! Mystic breast of Birth, Ye only know wherefrom, forever twinned, Swaying the concord of their world-desire With soaring rhythms, answering ardent Earth, Played o'er his restless soul the wide- wing'd Wind! [162] LIFE'S RHYMES FORM ' 'Let the dry land appear. . . . Let there be lights in the heavens." CLAYED o'er his restless soul the wide- wing'd Wind: With stealthier pinion occult Motion stirred The smelted Earth and Water, smithy- slurred With seething wet, to structure crystallined. In flux like his the rock-floods rayed, and spinned Tow'rd centred hearts like hers: their World-child heard The parent rhyme and lived the molten word Whereto the twy-fold substance streamed akinned. [163] LIPS OF MUSIC So Motion wooed through Form to finer pact, Till slow, instinctive Substance inly yearned 1 For frame more shapely-rare, and sure troth-plight To ceaseless Motion, bodied forth in act The radiant Energy that in her burned: Responding realms of Comrade-worlds beamed Light! [164] LIFE'S RHYMES GROWTH "And God saith Let the Earth bring forth." RESPONDING realms of Comrade-worlds beamed Light! Quivered the dreaming eyelids of the Sea ! Startled Earth's brooding brow forebod- ingly As blindly brightened with dim seed of sight! And secret offspring quickened to the rite Of chrism in the sky-born sympathy: The germ divined the force that bade it be, Felt, fold on fold within, replying might. It groped in slime, salt ooze, and weathered rock; And, climbing blankness, dared to face the sun, [165] LIPS OF MUSIC Sought for what rhyme with light plant- life pairs true: Of Earth the nursling root! Of Heaven the stock! Vague Airland steadfast Earth built up as one, O glad from singing Earth-mouths plant- life grew! [166] LIFE'S RHYMES MOTIVE "The moving creature that hath life let the Earth bring forth" \J GLAD from singing Earth-mouths plant- life grew! It thrived on fever spared the tortured soil, And from the bitter Waters' tossed turmoil Through all its fluting reed-throats sweet draught; drew. The growth alchemic leavened Nature through With vital ferment: Titan forest-spoil Stored Heaven-brought fire to serve yet unborn toil; Witch-working flotsam sought Life's next rhyme You, [167] LIPS OF MUSIC O embryonic Will, your chemic leap In thirsty fibre-tip, in hungry sac, That burst Earth's mother-cord to fare alone, In wine-dark caverns of the moorless Deep, Adventured forth marauding films to track The Life self-moved, enhungered for its own. [168] LIFE'S RHYMES DESIRE "Let us make man." JL HE Life self-moved, enhungered for its own, Through strange shapes roamed, each rest- less want fulfilled, Divergence craved, and groped with bent instilled For sense more inward, in more free form thrown. Insatiate of types through ^Eons strown, The vortexed Life-fire, centred Earth- forms build, The windwinged Life-flow, weaving Water willed, Still seek the Heir to reap the seed-traits sown. [169] LIPS OF MUSIC Worm-shapes that wave-wise aim in nervous lines, Molluskan sphere-shapes massing inward force, Beast, fish, amphibian, insect, bird, all deed To Life their fierce-fought functions and designs, Whose branching pattern and heaped-up resource For mastership empower'd a Man shall breed. [170] LIFE'S RHYMES POWER 11 And let him have dominion." Jr OR mastership empower'd a Man shall breed : Who must out-trap, out-toil, out-watch, out-lust His prowling, cunning, lusty brothers, must All wants that shaped them all out-do or feed! So grows he, inchmeal, to attain and lead, Erect himself, like plant-life, from his dust Ensky his brain-fraught brow, and onward thrust In untried realms, and strain for spirit-speed. Yet out of violence and rapine whelped, Nor violence nor rapine can he spurn Whom ripening soul but slowly thrones above, [171] LIPS OF MUSIC Whose every step was beast and body helped; Transcending ill by ills must he discern; Till knowing Good from 111 he shall learn Love! [172] LIFE'S RHYMES LOVE "Man is become as one of us to know good and evil . . . lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and live forever . . . he placed cherubims and a flam- ing sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life." "But . . . he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith : To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life." I ILL knowing Good from 111 he shall learn Love; Through affluence of power, understand; Through inborn sympathies at last com- mand The wild and bestial wills he forced and drove. Till all by which unwillingly he throve Ay, occult energies of Sea and Land, Of Fire and Air come tuned to his hand To make the Music whither Being strove. [173] LIPS OF MUSIC The gods of Love and Knowledge shall create In him; new life the breast of Death shall thrill: By like to unlike linked Life's Poem climbs, And leaps to Joy when Love and Power mate Incarnate in the sleepless human will. I hear Unending Being sing Life's Rhymes ! [174] FAIRY GOLD A DIVINATION .L/IFE shall be richer in you more and more, And each New Year, far surer than before, The Soul in you shall find, Responsive to her sight, Resource of Heart and Mind Her Treasure- trove of might That each Day's need had sought, With each new Sun divined, Full ready to be wrought! Her mystic rod of light Shall tremble and dip down to your pure ore, And show it waiting secretly and true, A mine of unsuspected gold in you! The sensitive witch-hazel of each sun, Sparkling the darkling mood, Shall find your Fairy Gold, and make it one With all your life holds good! [1751 LIPS OF MUSIC LIPS OF MUSIC " 1 URN, Life, and face me! Under smiling masks "You gleam, but you escape. Dares only Death, "Dumb Death, front eager Man? True- touch me, Life, "To hear your hidden mouth of melody, "Your lips of music!" Life stood before me, smiling masks torn off: Those stars, her eyes' were living wells of tears, The iron entered eating to her soul, And yet but moved her mouth to melody, Her lips to music. "Know, then," she said, "it only marks life true "When stars the brighter beckon under tears, [176] LIPS OF MUSIC "When rapture wingeth passion up from pain, "And trembling souls move mouths to melody "And lips to music." Then, first I felt Life's force and staleless lure, And read the meaning lighted in her eyes. Her wine to hearten heroes feeds from wounds, And conquest moves her mouth to melody, Her lips to music. "Ay! Heed!" she said, "No wound shall sap my founts "But they shall pour the heartening wine of Health, " Retrieval, Rescue, feed the mastership "Inspiriting all mouths to melody "All lips to music. "No wrong shall hurt my children, but shall spawn "Delivering heroes; smite renewing wine [177] LIPS OF MUSIC "Out with the steel of harm to feast good will, "And wake the happy mouth to melody, "The lips to music." So, of her will to save the over-borne, The stunted, pillaged, want-dogged, wing- hurt ones; Of joy she yearns to wrest even from woe, Loud rang her prophet-mouth of melody, ' Her lips of music. RED DOORS I. AM the Lips of Man, the Way of Breath; With form and strength I dower inmost things That own no substance, yet outweigh the World. The universal Elements, create And uncreate, were made for serving these Most strong weak things, whose spirit-path of will, Whose way of breath my living doors unfold. Through me the puny wail of new-born babe To world-cold naked, through me God's Spirit That breathes as Wind upon the Waters' face And quickens Universes into frame Unendingly, push with the self-same pulse. The Portals of the Fire of Life am I. [179] LIPS OF MUSIC I wait upon each Word the Heirs of Life Shall seek to father as they Fathered were I serve the faltering tongue-tethered flame That flickers forth and faints in dull air out; I glow and thrill when rushing inward fire Springs like a seed and grows, unfurls, and spreads Out wings enkindled into flashing spires Of blossoms of the soaring human soul, Outclimbing Earth's deep-rooted firmament, Transcending range and thoroughfare of space, Companioning the reaches of the air, Where swaying seas and reeling spheres but swing For that the gladder up their azure steeps, The swifter in their spiral tow'rd the Sun, . With subtler music, more harmonious trend. The Portals of the Fire of Song am I. The fire, like fire I harbor, I must seek. I open to the inward flow of fire Akin to outward streams I pour; that ebb [180] RED DOORS The body's life to flood its spirit-power; Till each renewed, returning throb of love From hidden founts, is quenchless as the Will Behind the ebb and flooding of the Sea, The tidal sea-lips, wave-curved, all athirst, Forever in a tumult to kiss Earth, As my lips thirst to kiss the lips I love. The Portals of the Fire of Love am I. The Life and Love I utter double force When anguish rends the deeps of Life and Love, And energies volcanic, fate-suppressed, Chastised and chastened, subtlest singing find. The nether fires pierce through the gloom to glow, The ashes stir with conquest, ember-red. The Portals of the Fire of Woe am I. Through me upwell the hidden gyres of grief: Sobs and psalms shake me through the dark of life: [181] LIPS OF MUSIC I lift up Alleluias in Fate's face That shine like starry blossoms in Life's sun. I am the pain-wrung praying Mouth of Man The bleeding lips that shout the hero's cry, From woe of Life and Loving wresting Joy. Red doors of Man's aspiring Soul am I, The Portals of his Fire of Triumph, I! [182] THE DARK OF THE YEAR A CHRISTMAS-TIDE BENEDICTION VyUT of the measureless spaces, Out of the regions unshown, Beam on thee all the hid graces, Will of thy Spirit hath sown! Out of thy reticent powers, Out of thy hesitant will, Blossom the triumphing flowers, Dreaming desires in thee thrill! So from the germinant sources, Locked through the dark of the year, Gather in quietude, forces Bringing earth's blooming near. [183] LIPS OF MUSIC So from the Ages' long silence, Furling humanity's dearth, Sprang to bid darkness defiance, Bloom of man's spirit Christ's birth. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los An igeles iasr d ' URL APR 22/966 FEB22 REC'D LD-URL 03 FormL9-42m-8.'49(B5573)444 ate stamped below. RECEIVED UHL THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES