Rivers to the Sea Part 7

You go a long and lovely journey, For all the stars, like burning dew, Are luminous and luring footprints Of souls adventurous as you.

Oh, if you lived on earth elated, How is it now that you can run Free of the weight of flesh and faring Far past the birthplace of the sun?

TWILIGHT

THE stately tragedy of dusk Drew to its perfect close, The virginal white evening star Sank, and the red moon rose.

SWALLOW FLIGHT

I LOVE my hour of wind and light, I love men's faces and their eyes, I love my spirit's veering flight Like swallows under evening skies,

THOUGHTS

WHEN I can make my thoughts come forth To walk like ladies up and down, Each one puts on before the gla.s.s Her most becoming hat and gown.

But oh, the shy and eager thoughts That hide and will not get them dressed, Why is it that they always seem So much more lovely than the rest?

TO d.i.c.k, ON HIS SIXTH BIRTHDAY

Tho' I am very old and wise, And you are neither wise nor old, When I look far into your eyes, I know things I was never told: I know how flame must strain and fret Prisoned in a mortal net; How joy with over-eager wings, Bruises the small heart where he sings; How too much life, like too much gold, Is sometimes very hard to hold. . . .

All that is talking--I know This much is true, six years ago An angel living near the moon Walked thru the sky and sang a tune Plucking stars to make his crown-- And suddenly two stars fell down, Two falling arrows made of light.

Six years ago this very night I saw them fall and wondered why The angel dropped them from the sky-- But when I saw your eyes I knew The angel sent the stars to you.

TO ROSE

ROSE, when I remember you, Little lady, scarcely two, I am suddenly aware Of the angels in the air.

All your softly gracious ways Make an island in my days Where my thoughts fly back to be Sheltered from too strong a sea.

All your luminous delight s.h.i.+nes before me in the night When I grope for sleep and find Only shadows in my mind.

Rose, when I remember you, White and glowing, pink and new, With so swift a sense of fun Altho' life has just begun; With so sure a pride of place In your very infant face, I should like to make a prayer To the angels in the air: "If an angel ever brings Me a baby in her wings, Please be certain that it grows Very, very much like Rose."

THE FOUNTAIN

On in the deep blue night The fountain sang alone; It sang to the drowsy heart Of the satyr carved in stone.

The fountain sang and sang But the satyr never stirred-- Only the great white moon In the empty heaven heard.

The fountain sang and sang And on the marble rim The milk-white peac.o.c.ks slept, Their dreams were strange and dim.

Bright dew was on the gra.s.s, And on the ilex dew, The dreamy milk-white birds Were all a-glisten too.

The fountain sang and sang The things one cannot tell, The dreaming peac.o.c.ks stirred And the gleaming dew-drops fell.

THE ROSE

BENEATH my chamber window Pierrot was singing, singing; I heard his lute the whole night thru Until the east was red.

Alas, alas, Pierrot, I had no rose for flinging Save one that drank my tears for dew Before its leaves were dead.

I found it in the darkness, I kissed it once and threw it, The petals scattered over him, His song was turned to joy; And he will never know-- Alas, the one who knew it!-- The rose was plucked when dusk was dim Beside a laughing boy.

DREAMS

I GAVE my life to another lover, I gave my love, and all, and all-- But over a dream the past will hover, Out of a dream the past will call.

I tear myself from sleep with a s.h.i.+ver But on my breast a kiss is hot, And by my bed the ghostly giver Is waiting tho' I see him not.

"I AM NOT YOURS "

I AM not yours, not lost in you, Not lost, altho' I long to be Lost as a candle lit at noon, Lost as a snow-flake in the sea.

You love me, and I find you still A spirit beautiful and bright, Yet I am I, who long to be Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love--put out My senses, leave me deaf and blind, Swept by the tempest of your love, A taper in a rus.h.i.+ng wind.

PIERROT'S SONG

(For a picture by Dugald Walker)