| LET me go forth, and share |
|
| The overflowing Sun |
|
| With one wise friend, or one |
|
| Better than wise, being fair, |
|
| Where the pewit wheels and dips |
5 |
| On heights of bracken and ling, |
|
| And Earth, unto her leaflet tips, |
|
| Tingles with the Spring. |
|
| |
| What is so sweet and dear |
|
| As a prosperous morn in May, |
10 |
| The confident prime of the day, |
|
| And the dauntless youth of the year, |
|
| When nothing that asks for bliss, |
|
| Asking aright, is denied, |
|
| And half of the world a bridegroom is, |
15 |
| And half of the world a bride? |
|
| |
| The Song of Mingling flows, |
|
| Grave, ceremonial, pure, |
|
| As once, from lips that endure, |
|
| The cosmic descant rose, |
20 |
| When the temporal lord of life, |
|
| Going his golden way, |
|
| Had taken a wondrous maid to wife |
|
| That long had said him nay. |
|
| |
| For of old the Sun, our sire, |
25 |
| Came wooing the mother of men, |
|
| Earth, that was virginal then, |
|
| Vestal fire to his fire. |
|
| Silent her bosom and coy, |
|
| But the strong god sued and press’d; |
30 |
| And born of their starry nuptial joy |
|
| Are all that drink of her breast. |
|
| |
| And the triumph of him that begot, |
|
| And the travail of her that bore, |
|
| Behold they are evermore |
35 |
| As warp and weft in our lot. |
|
| We are children of splendour and flame, |
|
| Of shuddering, also, and tears. |
|
| Magnificent out of the dust we came, |
|
| And abject from the Spheres. |
40 |
| |
| O bright irresistible lord! |
|
| We are fruit of Earth’s womb, each one, |
|
| And fruit of thy loins, O Sun, |
|
| Whence first was the seed outpour’d. |
|
| To thee as our Father we bow, |
45 |
| Forbidden thy Father to see, |
|
| Who is older and greater than thou, as thou |
|
| Art greater and older than we. |
|
| |
| Thou art but as a word of his speech; |
|
| Thou art but as a wave of his hand; |
50 |
| Thou art brief as a glitter of sand |
|
| ‘Twixt tide and tide on his beach; |
|
| Thou art less than a spark of his fire, |
|
| Or a moment’s mood of his soul: |
|
| Thou art lost in the notes on the lips of his choir |
55 |
| That chant the chant of the Whole. |
