1914 And Other Poems Part 4

Crimson and green the signals burn; the gloom

Is hung with steam's far-blowing livid streamers.

Lost into G.o.d, as lights in light, we fly, Grown one with will, end-drunken huddled dreamers.

The white lights roar. The sounds of the world die.

And lips and laughter are forgotten things.

Speed sharpens; grows. Into the night, and on, The strength and splendour of our purpose swings.

The lamps fade; and the stars. We are alone.

SONG

All suddenly the wind comes soft, And Spring is here again; And the hawthorn quickens with buds of green, And my heart with buds of pain.

My heart all Winter lay so numb, The earth so dead and frore, That I never thought the Spring would come, Or my heart wake any more.

But Winter's broken and earth has woken, And the small birds cry again; And the hawthorn hedge puts forth its buds, And my heart puts forth its pain.

BEAUTY AND BEAUTY

When Beauty and Beauty meet All naked, fair to fair, The earth is crying-sweet, And scattering-bright the air, Eddying, dizzying, closing round, With soft and drunken laughter; Veiling all that may befall After--after--

Where Beauty and Beauty met, Earth's still a-tremble there, And winds are scented yet, And memory-soft the air, Bosoming, folding glints of light, And shreds of shadowy laughter; Not the tears that fill the years After--after--

THE WAY THAT LOVERS USE

The way that lovers use is this; They bow, catch hands, with never a word, And their lips meet, and they do kiss, --So I have heard.

They queerly find some healing so, And strange attainment in the touch; There is a secret lovers know, --I have read as much.

And theirs no longer joy nor smart, Changing or ending, night or day; But mouth to mouth, and heart on heart, --So lovers say.

MARY AND GABRIEL

Young Mary, loitering once her garden way, Felt a warm splendour grow in the April day, As wine that blushes water through. And soon, Out of the gold air of the afternoon, One knelt before her: hair he had, or fire, Bound back above his ears with golden wire, Baring the eager marble of his face.

Not man's nor woman's was the immortal grace Rounding the limbs beneath that robe of white, And lighting the proud eyes with changeless light, Incurious. Calm as his wings, and fair, That presence filled the garden.

She stood there, Saying, "What would you, Sir?"

He told his word, "Blessed art thou of women!" Half she heard, Hands folded and face bowed, half long had known, The message of that clear and holy tone, That fluttered hot sweet sobs about her heart; Such serene tidings moved such human smart.

Her breath came quick as little flakes of snow.

Her hands crept up her breast. She did but know It was not hers. She felt a trembling stir Within her body, a will too strong for her That held and filled and mastered all. With eyes Closed, and a thousand soft short broken sighs, She gave submission; fearful, meek, and glad....

She wished to speak. Under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s she had Such mult.i.tudinous burnings, to and fro, And throbs not understood; she did not know If they were hurt or joy for her; but only That she was grown strange to herself, half lonely, All wonderful, filled full of pains to come And thoughts she dare not think, swift thoughts and dumb, Human, and quaint, her own, yet very far, Divine, dear, terrible, familiar...

Her heart was faint for telling; to relate Her limbs' sweet treachery, her strange high estate, Over and over, whispering, half revealing, Weeping; and so find kindness to her healing.

'Twixt tears and laughter, panic hurrying her, She raised her eyes to that fair messenger.

He knelt unmoved, immortal; with his eyes Gazing beyond her, calm to the calm skies; Radiant, untroubled in his wisdom, kind.

His sheaf of lilies stirred not in the wind.

How should she, pitiful with mortality, Try the wide peace of that felicity With ripples of her perplexed shaken heart, And hints of human ecstasy, human smart, And whispers of the lonely weight she bore, And how her womb within was hers no more And at length hers?

Being tired, she bowed her head; And said, "So be it!"

The great wings were spread Showering glory on the fields, and fire.

The whole air, singing, bore him up, and higher, Unswerving, unreluctant. Soon he shone A gold speck in the gold skies; then was gone.

The air was colder, and grey. She stood alone.

THE FUNERAL OF YOUTH: THRENODY

The day that _Youth_ had died, There came to his grave-side, In decent mourning, from the county's ends, Those scatter'd friends Who had lived the boon companions of his prime, And laughed with him and sung with him and wasted, In feast and wine and many-crown'd carouse, The days and nights and dawnings of the time When _Youth_ kept open house, Nor left untasted Aught of his high emprise and ventures dear, No quest of his unshar'd-- All these, with loitering feet and sad head bar'd, Followed their old friend's bier.

_Folly_ went first, With m.u.f.fled bells and c.o.xcomb still revers'd; And after trod the bearers, hat in hand-- _Laughter_, most hoa.r.s.e, and Captain _Pride_ with tanned And martial face all grim, and fussy _Joy_, Who had to catch a train, and _l.u.s.t_, poor, snivelling boy; These bore the dear departed.

Behind them, broken-hearted, Came _Grief_, so noisy a widow, that all said, "Had he but wed Her elder sister _Sorrow_, in her stead!"

And by her, trying to soothe her all the time, The fatherless children, _Colour_, _Tune_, and _Rhyme_ (The sweet lad _Rhyme_), ran all-uncomprehending.

Then, at the way's sad ending, Round the raw grave they stay'd. Old _Wisdom_ read, In mumbling tone, the Service for the Dead.

There stood _Romance_, The furrowing tears had mark'd her rouged cheek; Poor old _Conceit_, his wonder una.s.suaged; Dead _Innocency's_ daughter, _Ignorance_; And shabby, ill-dress'd _Generosity_; And _Argument_, too full of woe to speak; _Pa.s.sion_, grown portly, something middle-aged; And _Friends.h.i.+p_--not a minute older, she; _Impatience_, ever taking out his watch; _Faith_, who was deaf, and had to lean, to catch Old _Wisdom's_ endless drone.

_Beauty_ was there, Pale in her black; dry-eyed; she stood alone.

Poor maz'd _Imagination_; _Fancy_ wild; _Ardour_, the sunlight on his greying hair; _Contentment_, who had known _Youth_ as a child And never seen him since. And _Spring_ came too, Dancing over the tombs, and brought him flowers-- She did not stay for long.

And _Truth_, and _Grace_, and all the merry crew, The laughing _Winds_ and _Rivers_, and lithe _Hours_; And _Hope_, the dewy-eyed; and sorrowing _Song_;-- Yes, with much woe and mourning general, At dead _Youth's_ funeral, Even these were met once more together, all, Who erst the fair and living _Youth_ did know; All, except only _Love_. _Love_ had died long ago.

GRANTCHESTER

THE OLD VICARAGE, GRANTCHESTER

(_Cafe des Westens, Berlin, May_ 1912)

Just now the lilac is in bloom, All before my little room; And in my flower-beds, I think, Smile the carnation and the pink; And down the borders, well I know, The poppy and the pansy blow...

Oh! there the chestnuts, summer through, Beside the river make for you A tunnel of green gloom, and sleep Deeply above; and green and deep The stream mysterious glides beneath, Green as a dream and deep as death.

--Oh, d.a.m.n! I know it! and I know How the May fields all golden show, And when the day is young and sweet, Gild gloriously the bare feet That run to bathe...