Veinsofdergencies,convergencies,Ourbotanistinwomankindpercees;
Andifhehugsnowound,themancanprizeThatsplendidconsummationandsureproofOfmorethanheartinher,whomightdespise,Whodrownsherself,forpityupaloofTosoarandbelikeNature’spity:sheInstincteofwhatrtueinyoungdaysHadservedhimforhispilot-staronsea,Totroublehiminhaven。ThushisgazeCameoutofrust,andmorethantheschooledtongueWasgiftedtoencourageandassure。
Hegaveherofthedeepwellshehadsprung;
Andnameitgratitude,thewordispoor。
Butnameitgratitude,isaughtasrareFromsextosex?AndletithavesurvedTheirconflict,comesthepeacebetweenthepair,Unknowntothousandshusbandedandwed:
UnknowntoPassion,generousforprey:
UnknowntoLove,tooblissfulinatruce。
Theirtenderestofselfdideachoneslay;
Hiscloakofdignity,herfleurdeluce;
Herlilyflower,andhisabollacloak,Thingsling,slewthey,andnoarterybled。
AmomentofsomesacrificialsmokeTheypassed,andwerethedearerfortheirdead。
Helearnthowmuchwegainwhomakenoclaims。
AnightcaponhisflickerofgreyfireWasthoughtofhersharpshudderintheflames,Confessing;anditsconjuredimagedire,Oflove,thetorrentonthevalleydashed;
Thewhirlwindswathingtremulouspeaks;youngforce,sionedtoholdcorrectedandabashedOursenileemulous;whichrollsitscourseProudtotheshatteringend;withthesefewlastHotquintessentialdropsofbryonyjuice,Squeezedoutinanguish:allofthatoncevast!
Andstill,thoughhangskinforman’sabuse,ThoughnomoregloryinginthebeauteouswreathShotskywardfromabloodatpassionatejet,Repentingbutinwords,thatstandasteethBetweenthedlips;avassalset;
Andnumb,offormalvalue。ArewetrueInnature,nevernaturalthingrepents;
Albeitreceingpunishmentfordue,Amongthegroupofthisworld’spenitents;
Albeitremorsefullyregretting,oftCravenly,whilethescourgenoshudderspares。
OurworldbelievesitstablerifthesoftArewhippedtoshowthefacerepentancewears。
Thenhearit,inamoanofatheistgloom,Deploretheweedygrowthofhypocrites;
CountNaturedelish,andacceptfordoomThechasmbetweenourpassionsandourwits!
Affectinglunarwhiteness,patentsnows,Ittremblesatbetrayalofasore。
Hersistheglacier-conscience,toexposeImpuritiesforclearnessatthecore。
Shetoherhungeredthunderinginbreast,YESHALLNOTSTARVE,notfeeblydesignatesTheworldrepressingasaliferepressed,Judgedbythewastedmartyrsitcreates。
HowSin,amidtheshadesCimmerian,Repents,shepointsforsight:andsheavers,Thehoofedhalf-angelinthePuritanNighreadsherwhennobrutishwrathdeters。
Sinagainstimmaturity,thesinOfravenousexcess,whatdeeddidesManfromtality;thesebleedwithin;
Bleedinthecrippledrelicthatabides。
Perpetuallytheybleed;alimbislost,Apieceoflife,theveryspiritmaimed。
ButculpritwhothelawofmanhascrossedWithNature’sdubiouslywithinisblamed;
Despiteourcryatcuttingofthewhip,Oursherinthenightwhennumbersfrown,Webutbewailabrokenfellowship,Asting,anisolation,afall’ncrown。
Abjectofsinnersisthatsensite,Theflesh,amenabletostripes,miscalledIncorrigible:suchtitledowegeTothepoorshrinkingstuffwherewithwearewalled;
And,takingitforNature,placeinbanOurMother,asaPowerwanton-willed,Theshameandbafflerofthesoulofman,Therecreant,reptilious。DothoubuildThymindonherfoundationsinearth’sbed;
Beholdman’smindthechildofherkeenrod,ForteachinghowthewitsandpassionswedTorearthattempleofthecredibleGod;
Sacredthelettersofherlaws,andplain,Willshine,toguidethyfeetandholdtheefirm:
Then,asapathwaythroughafieldofgrain,Man’slawsappeartheblindprogresseworm,Thatmovesbytouch,andthrustoflinkingringsThewhichtoendowwithsion,liftfrommudToleveloftheirnature’saimsandsprings,Mustthose,thetwainbesideourtalflood,Nowonopposingbanks,thetwainatstrifeWhomthesorosyferrymanintesTojunction,andmid-channeloverLife,Unmaskedtotheghostly,muchasundersmites
InstructindeeperthanConvenience,Inhigherthantheharvestofayear。
OnlytherootedknowledgetohighsenseOfheavenlycanmount,andfeelthespurForfruitfullestadvancement,eyeamarkBeyondthepathwithgrainoneitherhand,HelptothesteeringofoursocialArkOverthebarbarouswatersuntoland。
Forusthedoubleconscienceanditswar,Theserngoftwomasters,falsetoboth,Untilthosetwain,whospringtherootandareTheknowledgeindision,plightatrothOfequalhands:norlongercirculateApioustokenfortheircurrentcoin,Togrowlattheexchange;they,mateandmate,FairfeminineandmasculineshalljoinUponanupperplane,stillcommonmould,WherestampedreligionandreflectepaceAstateliermeasure,andthehoopofgoldRoundstohorizonfortheirsoul’sembrace。
ThenshallthosenoblestoftheearthandsunInmunliketowavesonsavagesea。
ButnottillNature’slawsandman’sareone,Canmarriageofthemanandwomanbe。
V
Hepassedherthroughthesermon’sdulldefile。
Downunderbillowyvapour-gorgesheavedThecityandthevaleandmountain-pile。
Shefeltstrangepushofshuttle-threadsthatweaved。
Anewlandinanoldbeneathherlay;
Andforthtomeetitdidherspiritrush,Asbridewhowithoutshamehascometosay,Husband,inhisdearfacethatcausedherblush。
Anaturalwoman’sheart,notmorethancladBystationandbrightraiment,gathersheatFromnakednessintrustedhands:shehadThejoyofthosewhofeeltheworld’sheartbeat,Afterlongdoubtofitasfireorice;
Becauseonemanhadhelpedhertobreathefree;
SurprisedtofaithinsomethingofapricePasttheoldcharityinchalry:-
OurfirstwildsteptorighttheloadedscalesDisplayingwomenshamefullyoutweighed。
ThewisdomofhumanenessbestavailsForserngjusticetillthatfraudisbrayed。
Herburiedbodyfedthelifeshedrank。
Andnotanotherstrippingofherwound!
Thestartledthoughtonblackdeliriumsank,Whilewithhergentlesurgeonshecommuned,Andwoman’sprospectoftheyokerepelled。
Herburiedbodygaveherflowersandfood;
Thepeace,thehomelyskies,thespringsthatwelled;
Love,thelargelovethatfoldsthemultitude。
Soul’schastityinhonesty,andthisWithbeauty,madethedowertomenrefused。
Andlittledotheyknowtheprizetheymiss;
Whichistheirhappyfortune!ThushemusedForhim,thecynicintheSagehadplayAhazymoment,byabreathdispersed;
Tothink,ofallalemostweddedthey,Whomtimedisjoined!HeneededherquickthirstForrenovatedearth:onearthshegazed,Withhumbleaimtofootbesidethewise。
Lo,wheretheeyelashesofnightareraisedYetlowlyovermorning’spuregreyeyes。
’LOVEISWINGEDFORTWO’
Loveiswingedfortwo,Intheworstheweathers,Whentheirheartsaretied;
Butiftheydide,Otootrue!
Cracksaglobe,andfeathers,feathers,Feathersallthegroundbestrew。
Iwasbreastofmorningsea,Rosyplumeonforestdun,Ithelaughinrainyfleeces,WhilewithmeShemadeone。
Nowmustwepickupourpieces,Forthatthensowingedwerewe。
’ASK,ISLOVEDINE’
Ask,isLovedine,Voicesallare,ay。
Questionforthesign,There’sacommonsigh。
Wouldwe,throughouryears,Loveforego,Quitofscarsandtears?
Ah,butno,no,no!
’JOYISFLEET’
Joyisfleet,Sorrowslow。
Love,sosweet,Sorrowwillsow。
Love,thathasflownEreday’sdecline,Lovetohaveknown,Sorrow,bemine!
THELESSONOFGRIEF
Noterethebitterherbwetaste,Whichagesthoughtofhappytimes,Toplantusinaweepingwaste,RingswithourfellowsthisoneheartAccordantchimes。
WhenIhadshedmygladyear’sleaf,IdidbelieveIstoodalone,TillthatgreatcompanyofGriefTaughtmetoknowthiscrangheartFornotmyown。
WINDONTHELYRE
ThatwasthechirpofArielYouheard,asoverheaditflew,Thefarthergoingmoretodwell,Andwingourgreentowedourblue;
Butwhethernoteofjoyorknell,NothisownFather-singerknew;
Noryetcananymortaltell,Saveonlyhowitshersthrough;
Thebreastofusasoundedshell,Thebloodofusalighteddew。
THEYOUTHFULQUEST
HisLadyqueenofwoodstomeet,Hewandersdayandnight:
Theleaveshavewhisperingsdiscreet,Themossywaysinte。
Acrossalustrousringofspace,Bycoverthoodsandcaves,IspromiseofhersecretfaceInfilmthatonwardwaves。
Fordarknessisthelightastrain,Astrainforlightthedark。
Agreymothdownalarches’laneUnwindsaghostlyspark。
Herlamphesees,andyoungdesireIsfedwhilecloakedsheflies。
ShequersshotofoletfireToashatlookofeyes。
THEEMPTYPURSE——ASERMONTOOURLATERPRODIGALSON
Thou,runtothedryonthiswaysidebank,Tooplainlyofallthepropellersbereft!
Quenchedyouth,andisthatthypurse?
EvensuchlimpsloughasthesnakehasleftSlacktothegaleuponspikesofwhin,Forcast-offcoatofalifegoneblank,Initsframeofagrinattheseeker,isthine;
AndthinetocraveandtocurseThesweetthingoncewithin。
Accusehim:somedelcommittedthetheft,Whichleavesoftheportlyaskin,Nomore;oftheweightyawhine。
Pursuehim:andfirst,tobesureofhistrack,Overdeouswaysthathaveledtothis,Inthestream’sconsecuteline,LetmemoryleadtheebackTowherewavesMorningherfleur-de-lys,UnflushedatthefrontoftheroseatedoorUnopenedyet:nevershadowthereOfaTartaruslightedbyDisForsoulswhosecryis,alack!
Anorycradlerocks,apeepThroughhiseyelashes’laugh,abreathingpearl。
TheretheyoungchiefoftheanimalsworeAlikenesstoheavenlyhosts,unawareOfhisloveofhimself;withthehoursatleap。
Inadingleawayfromaruttedhighroad,Aroundhimtheearliestthrostleandmerle,Ourhumansmilebetweenmilkandsleep,EffervescentofNaturehecrowed。
Fairwasthatseason;furloverfurlThebannersofblossom;adancingfloorThisearth;veryangelstheclouds;andfairThouonthetabletsofforeheadandbreast:
Careless,acentreofgilantcare。
Thymotherkissesaninfantcurl。
Theroomofthetoyswasaboundlessnest,Akingdomthefieldofthegames,Tillenteredthecrangformore,Andtheworshippedsmallbodyhadaims。
Agoodlittleidol,asrecordsattest,WhentheytellofhimlightlyappeasedinascreamBysweetsandcaresses:hegavebutsignThattheheirofapurse-plumpeddominantrace,Accustomedtoplenty,notdumbwouldpine。
Almostmagician,hisearliestdreamWaslordoftheunpossessedForalook;himselfandhischase,Asonpuffsofawindatwhirl,Madeoneinthewinkofagleam。