Volume II Part 104 (1/2)
Moving through the dew, moving through the dew, Floats a brother's face to meet me! Is it you? Is it you?
For the night I leave behind keeps these dazzled eyes still blind!
But oh, the little hill-flowers, their scent is wise and kind;
And I shall not lose the way from the darkness to the day, While dust can cling as their scent clings to memory for aye; And the least link in the chain can recall the whole again, And heaven at last resume its far-flung harvests, grain by grain.
To the hill-flowers clings my dust, and tho' eyeless Death may thrust All else into the darkness, in their heaven I put my trust; And a dawn shall bid me climb to the little spread of thyme Where first I heard the ripple of the fountain-heads of rhyme.
And a fir-wood that I know, from dawn to sunset-glow, Shall whisper to a lonely sea, that swings far, far below.
Death, thy dawn makes all things new. Hills of Youth, I come to you, Moving through the dew, moving through the dew.
THE CAROL OF THE FIR-TREE
Quoth the Fir-tree, ”Orange and vine”
_Sing 'Nowell, Nowell, Nowell'!_ ”Have their honour: I have mine!”
_In Excelsis Gloria!_ ”I am kin to the great king's house,”
_Ring 'Nowell, Nowell, Nowell'!_ ”And Lebanon whispers in my boughs.”
_In Excelsis Gloria!_
Apple and cherry, pear and plum, _Winds of Autumn, sigh 'Nowell_'!
All the trees like mages come _Bending low with 'Gloria'!_ Holding out on every hand _Summer pilgrims to Nowell!_ Gorgeous gifts from Elfin-land.
_And the May saith 'Gloria'!_
Out of the darkness--who shall say _Gold and myrrh for this Nowell!_ How they win their wizard way?
_Out of the East with 'Gloria'!_ Men that eat of the sun and dew _Angels laugh and sing, 'Nowell.'_ Call it ”fruit,” and say it ”grew”!
_Into the West with 'Gloria'!_
”Leaves that fall,” whispered the Fir _Through the forest sing 'Nowell'!_ ”I am winter's minister.”
_In Excelsis Gloria!_ Summer friends may come and go, _Up the mountain sing 'Nowell.'_ Love abides thro' storm and snow.
_Down the valley, 'Gloria'!_
”On my boughs, on mine on mine,”
_Father and mother, sing 'Nowell'!_ ”All the fruits of the earth shall twine.”
_Bending low with 'Gloria.'_ ”Sword of wood and doll of wax”
_Little children, sing 'Nowell.'_ ”Swing on the stem was cleft with the axe!”
_Craftsmen all, a 'Gloria.'_
”Hear! I have looked on the other side.”
_Out of the East, O sing 'Nowell'!_ ”Because to live this night I died!”
_Into the West with 'Gloria.'_ ”Hear! In this lighted room I have found”
_Ye that seek, O sing 'Nowell'!_ ”The spell that worketh underground.”
_Ye that doubt, a 'Gloria.'_
”I have found it, even I,”
_Ye that are lowly, sing 'Nowell'!_ ”The secret of this alchemy!”
_Ye that are poor, a 'Gloria.'_ ”Look, your tinsel turneth to gold.”
_Sing 'Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!'_ ”Your dust to a hand for love to hold!”