Renascence: A Book of Verse — The Sirens Three CXXI - CXL
CXXI
Alone I stood in that still house of Time, All swept and bare it was as at the prime, And but the sea-wind peopled it with sighs, And, heard afar, the slow waves’ measured chime.
CXXII
I saw Time’s shape colossal rising stark Against the endless waves, receding dark Beneath a rising dawn that never rose Upon the sea, where yet would Hope embark.
CXXIII
Yea!
Hope arose and drew the painted veil Of things that are, and furled it like a sail, And on her gilded prow I stood at gaze On golden sands beyond the morning pale.
CXXIV
And from the face of Earth were drawn away, Like clinging mists that do obscure the day, The shadows and the fears which have oppressed Her children long beneath their baneful sway.
CXXV
As new created in her sculptured sphere, I saw her rise again translucent, clear, Robed in the kindling splendour of the sun, Renascent from the sea of crystal air, CXXVI
That limpid broke on her rejoicing shore, Where life’s reviving stream welled evermore From Nature’s fount, through teeming veins that bred Man’s countless kin from one redundant core.
CXXVII
I saw the dragons slain of lust and greed, Of gold and power, that waste to serve their need Poor human lives; and till earth’s fruitful fields With fire and sword, and bloody vengeance breed.
CXXVIII
No more the nations armed did lie and wait, Like bandits fierce, to spoil and desolate What each did hold most dear—no dogs of war At tyrant’s beck, let loose to maim and bait.
CXXIX
No peoples blind by blinder leaders led Into the pit of shame, or daily fed Like swine on empty husks and sophistries, And frozen custom giving stones for bread.
CXXX
No selfish castes in internecine strife Fought like the beasts to win a worthless life;
No ruthless commerce cheapened hope and health, Or held to slavish throats starvation’s knife.
CXXXI
No rights usurped, against the common good Breathed out defiance, and the claims withstood Of labour and of life, where all by labour lived: No bonds were there but bonds of brotherhood.
CXXXII
No temple-gloom obscured the lucent skies, Nor incense fume of faith’s dead sacrifice, No baneful toil made cities desolate With hellish smoke at morn and eve to rise.
CXXXIII
No morbid anchorite with famished creed Would man persuade to sell his nature’s need Of joy—no fevered dream of future fate Would snatch life’s brimming cup, his human meed.
CXXXIV
Not there blind dogma flung the bitter fruit Of discord, burning red, or hate uproot The flower of innocence, or fraud beguiled, Or force laid iron hands on man and brute.
CXXXV
I saw regenerate Man, as stainless, free— A child again on mother Nature’s knee;
His wistful eyes did scan the starry spheres, His hand outstretched to life’s new-flowering tree.
CXXXVI
The Ages kneeling at his feet did bear The treasure of their thoughts in caskets rare— The fire-tried gold of science, and the lore Of wisdom, bought with costly toil and care.
CXXXVII
The thoughts each moment from the quivering brain That spring like flames, or, born with labour pain, Embodied there I saw—quick thronging spirits fair From whose inwoven wings light fell like summer rain.
CXXXVIII
And each in hand did bear the emblems bright Wherein do art and poesy delight, And mysteries of science, hid in time, Her wands of power and globes of knowledge-light CXXXIX
For, more than men, lives Man, through death alive;
Slow moves the progress vast, still cry and strive New hopes, new thoughts for utterance and for act, And Use, and Strength, and Beauty yet survive.
CXL
Yea, beauty’s image graven on the mind Beats with the pulse of life, in life enshrined;
Irradiant she moves in love’s own flame, And joy with her, and the sweet graces kind.
CXLI
Like Venus flashing from the lucent sea, Or, from the earth, the flower Persephone;
She that was buried, lo!
is born again, And time her resurrection brings to be.
