The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Volume I Part 8

_Poet Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life that we conceive Is a clear thing and a fair, Which we set in crystal air That its beauty may be plain!

With a breathing and a flooding Of the heaven-life on the whole, While we hear the forests budding To the music of the soul-- Yet is it tuned in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Lest it be all in vain.

_Philosophic Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life that we perceive Is a great thing and a grave Which for others' use we have, Duty-laden to remain.

We are helpers, fellow-creatures, Of the right against the wrong; We are earnest-hearted teachers Of the truth which maketh strong-- Yet do we teach in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Lest it be all in vain.

_Revel Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life that we reprieve Is a low thing and a light, Which is jested out of sight And made worthy of disdain!

Strike with bold electric laughter The high tops of things divine-- Turn thy head, my brother, after, Lest thy tears fall in my wine!

For is all laughed in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Lest it be all in vain.

_Eve._ I hear a sound of life--of life like ours-- Of laughter and of wailing, of grave speech, Of little plaintive voices innocent, Of life in separate courses flowing out Like our four rivers to some outward main.

I hear life--life!

_Adam._ And, so, thy cheeks have s.n.a.t.c.hed Scarlet to paleness, and thine eyes drink fast Of glory from full cups, and thy moist lips Seem trembling, both of them, with earnest doubts Whether to utter words or only smile.

_Eve._ Shall I be mother of the coming life?

Hear the steep generations, how they fall Adown the visionary stairs of Time Like supernatural thunders--far, yet near,-- Sowing their fiery echoes through the hills.

Am I a cloud to these--mother to these?

_Earth Spirits._ And bringer of the curse upon all these.

[_EVE sinks down again._

_Poet Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life that we conceive Is a n.o.ble thing and high, Which we climb up loftily To view G.o.d without a stain; Till, recoiling where the shade is, We retread our steps again, And descend the gloomy Hades To resume man's mortal pain.

Shall it be climbed in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Lest it be all in vain.

_Love Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life we would retrieve, Is a faithful thing apart Which we love in, heart to heart, Until one heart fitteth twain.

"Wilt thou be one with me?"

"I will be one with thee."

"Ha, ha!--we love and live!"

Alas! ye love and die.

Shriek--who shall reply?

For is it not loved in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Though it be all in vain.

_Aged Voices pa.s.sing._ O we live, O we live-- And this life we would survive, Is a gloomy thing and brief, Which, consummated in grief, Leaveth ashes for all gain.

Is it not _all_ in vain?

_Infant Voices pa.s.sing._ Rock us softly, Though it be _all_ in vain.

[_Voices die away._

_Earth Spirits._ And bringer of the curse upon all these.

_Eve._ The voices of foreshown Humanity Die off;--so let me die.

_Adam._ So let us die, When G.o.d's will soundeth the right hour of death.

_Earth Spirits._ And bringer of the curse upon all these.

_Eve._ O Spirits! by the gentleness ye use In winds at night, and floating clouds at noon, In gliding waters under lily-leaves, In chirp of crickets, and the settling hush A bird makes in her nest with feet and wings,-- Fulfil your natures now!

_Earth Spirits._ Agreed, allowed!

We gather out our natures like a cloud, And thus fulfil their lightnings! Thus, and thus!

Hearken, oh hearken to us!

_First Spirit._ As the storm-wind blows bleakly from the norland, As the snow-wind beats blindly on the moorland, As the simoom drives hot across the desert, As the thunder roars deep in the Unmeasured.

As the torrent tears the ocean-world to atoms, As the whirlpool grinds it fathoms below fathoms, Thus,--and thus!

_Second Spirit._ As the yellow toad, that spits its poison chilly, As the tiger, in the jungle crouching stilly, As the wild boar, with ragged tusks of anger, As the wolf-dog, with teeth of glittering clangour, As the vultures, that scream against the thunder, As the owlets, that sit and moan asunder, Thus,--and thus!

_Eve._ Adam! G.o.d!

_Adam._ Cruel, unrelenting Spirits!

By the power in me of the sovran soul Whose thoughts keep pace yet with the angel's march, I charge you into silence--trample you Down to obedience. I am king of you!

_Earth Spirits._ Ha, ha! thou art king!

With a sin for a crown, And a soul undone!

Thou, the antagonized, Tortured and agonized, Held in the ring Of the zodiac!

Now, king, beware!

We are many and strong Whom thou standest among,-- And we press on the air, And we stifle thee back, And we multiply where Thou wouldst trample us down From rights of our own To an utter wrong-- And, from under the feet of thy scorn, O forlorn, We shall spring up like corn, And our stubble be strong.

_Adam._ G.o.d, there is power in thee! I make appeal Unto thy kings.h.i.+p.

_Eve._ There is pity in THEE, O sinned against, great G.o.d!--My seed, my seed, There is hope set on THEE--I cry to thee, Thou mystic Seed that shalt be!--leave us not In agony beyond what we can bear, Fallen in debas.e.m.e.nt below thunder-mark, A mark for scorning--taunted and perplext By all these creatures we ruled yesterday, Whom thou, Lord, rulest alway! O my Seed, Through the tempestuous years that rain so thick Betwixt my ghostly vision and thy face, Let me have token! for my soul is bruised Before the serpent's head is.

[_A vision of CHRIST appears in the midst of the Zodiac, which pales before the heavenly light. The Earth Spirits grow greyer and fainter._

CHRIST. I AM HERE!

_Adam._ This is G.o.d!--Curse us not, G.o.d, any more!

_Eve._ But gazing so--so--with omnific eyes, Lift my soul upward till it touch thy feet!

Or lift it only,--not to seem too proud,-- To the low height of some good angel's feet, For such to tread on when he walketh straight And thy lips praise him!

CHRIST. Spirits of the earth, I meet you with rebuke for the reproach And cruel and unmitigated blame Ye cast upon your masters. True, they have sinned; And true their sin is reckoned into loss For you the sinless. Yet, your innocence Which of you praises? since G.o.d made your acts Inherent in your lives, and bound your hands With instincts and imperious sanct.i.ties From self-defacement. Which of you disdains These sinners who in falling proved their height Above you by their liberty to fall?

And which of you complains of loss by them, For whose delight and use ye have your life And honour in creation? Ponder it!

This regent and sublime Humanity, Though fallen, exceeds you! this shall film your sun, Shall hunt your lightning to its lair of cloud, Turn back your rivers, footpath all your seas, Lay flat your forests, master with a look Your lion at his fasting, and fetch down Your eagle flying. Nay, without this law Of mandom, ye would perish,--beast by beast Devouring,--tree by tree, with strangling roots And trunks set tuskwise. Ye would gaze on G.o.d With imperceptive blankness up the stars, And mutter, "Why, G.o.d, hast thou made us thus?"

And pining to a sallow idiocy Stagger up blindly against the ends of life, Then stagnate into rottenness and drop Heavily--poor, dead matter--piecemeal down The abysmal s.p.a.ces--like a little stone Let fall to chaos. Therefore over you Receive man's sceptre!--therefore be content To minister with voluntary grace And melancholy pardon, every rite And function in you, to the human hand!

Be ye to man as angels are to G.o.d, Servants in pleasure, singers of delight, Suggesters to his soul of higher things Than any of your highest! So at last, He shall look round on you with lids too straight To hold the grateful tears, and thank you well, And bless you when he prays his secret prayers, And praise you when he sings his open songs For the clear song-note he has learnt in you Of purifying sweetness, and extend Across your head his golden fantasies Which glorify you into soul from sense.

Go, serve him for such price! That not in vain Nor yet ign.o.bly ye shall serve, I place My word here for an oath, mine oath for act To be hereafter. In the name of which Perfect redemption and perpetual grace, I bless you through the hope and through the peace Which are mine,--to the Love, which is myself.