Part 11 (1/2)

The Fountain of Shadowy Beauty --A Dream

I would I could weave in The colour, the wonder, The song I conceive in My heart while I ponder,

And show how it came like The magi of old Whose chant was a flame like The dawn's voice of gold;

Who dreams followed near them A murmur of birds, And ear still could hear them Unchanted in words.

In words I can only Reveal thee my heart, Oh, Light of the Lonely, The s.h.i.+ning impart.

Between the twilight and the dark The lights danced up before my eyes: I found no sleep or peace or rest, But dreams of stars and burning skies.

I knew the faces of the day-- Dream faces, pale, with cloudy hair, I know you not nor yet your home, The Fount of Shadowy Beauty, where?

I pa.s.sed a dream of gloomy ways Where ne'er did human feet intrude: It was the border of a wood, A dreadful forest solitude.

With wondrous red and fairy gold The clouds were woven o'er the ocean; The stars in fiery aether swung And danced with gay and glittering motion.

A fire leaped up within my heart When first I saw the old sea s.h.i.+ne; As if a G.o.d were there revealed I bowed my head in awe divine;

And long beside the dim sea marge I mused until the gathering haze Veiled from me where the silver tide Ran in its thousand shadowy ways.

The black night dropped upon the sea: The silent awe came down with it: I saw fantastic vapours flit As o'er the darkness of the pit.

When, lo! from out the furthest night A speck of rose and silver light Above a boat shaped wondrously Came floating swiftly o'er the sea.

It was no human will that bore The boat so fleetly to the sh.o.r.e Without a sail spread or an oar.

The Pilot stood erect thereon And lifted up his ancient face, (Ancient with glad eternal youth Like one who was of starry race.)

His face was rich with dusky bloom; His eyes a bronze and golden fire; His hair in streams of silver light Hung flamelike on his strange attire

Which starred with many a mystic sign, Fell as o'er sunlit ruby glowing: His light flew o'er the waves afar In ruddy ripples on each bar Along the spiral pathways flowing.

It was a crystal boat that chased The light along the watery waste, Till caught amid the surges h.o.a.ry The Pilot stayed its jewelled glory.

Oh, never such a glory was: The pale moon shot it through and through With light of lilac, white and blue: And there mid many a fairy hue Of pearl and pink and amethyst, Like lightning ran the rainbow gleams And wove around a wonder-mist.

The Pilot lifted beckoning hands; Silent I went with deep amaze To know why came this Beam of Light So far along the ocean ways Out of the vast and shadowy night.

”Make haste, make haste!” he cried. ”Away!

A thousand ages now are gone.

Yet thou and I ere night be sped Will reck no more of eve or dawn.”

Swift as the swallow to its nest I leaped: my body dropt right down: A silver star I rose and flew.

A flame burned golden at his breast: I entered at the heart and knew My Brother-Self who roams the deep, Bird of the wonder-world of sleep.

The ruby body wrapped us round As twain in one: we left behind The league-long murmur of the sh.o.r.e And fleeted swifter than the wind.

The distance rushed upon the bark: We neared unto the mystic isles: The heavenly city we could mark, Its mountain light, its jewel dark, Its pinnacles and starry piles.

The glory brightened: ”Do not fear; For we are real, though what seems So proudly built above the waves Is but one mighty spirit's dreams.