The Path of Dreams Part 5

They float ethereal, unearthly white Upon the bosom of the darkling mere, Raying the dusk with slumbrous silver light-- Eidolons of lost moons erst mirrored there.

Salvias

Wooing the wind's wild caresses, Courting the sun's fierce flame-- Wantons in cardinal dresses Flaunting their scarlet shame.

Yellow Jessamine

Like little yellow stars that, fallen down, Hang pendulous, enmeshed among the boughs, Mild golden radiances they gem the crown Fair Summer sets upon her beauteous brows.

Sunflowers

They bloom in lowly places-- Unmeet for fairer beds-- Like swarthy Ethiop faces With yellow-turbaned heads.

The Rose

All Orient odors, spikenard, balm and myrrh, Perfumes of Araby and farthest Ind-- Sweet incense from the chaliced heart of her She pours upon the feet of every wind.

Circe

I.

Where fair aeaeia smiles across the sea To olive-crowned Italia, th' enchantress dwells-- A woman set about with dreams and spells, Weird incantations, charms and mystery.

Most strangely pale and strangely fair is she-- Yet deadlier than the hemlock draught her smile, Darker than Stygian glooms her subtle guile....

Drawn by her deep eyes' spell, across the sea The Argive galleys wing, till beached they lie Upon the fatal strand. The Greeks beguile The hasting hours with revelry and wine Within her halls.... Eftsoon strange sorcery The Circe weaves. They who were men erewhile Now grovel at her feet, transformed to swine.

II.

'Neath myriad mellow tapers' golden glow A woman stands, proud, insolent and fair; A single gem meshed in the dusk-dyed hair Burns like the evening star descending low Adown the dark'ning sky. Upon the snow Of her full-blossomed breast deep rubies lie.

Her fragrant presence breathes sweet sorcery; The s.h.i.+mmering saffron satin's flexile flow Outlines each sinuous curve; a sensuous smile, A touch that fires to flame each pulsant vein-- One draught of eyes more deep than depths of wine The senses steal, the soul and brain beguile Till all seem merged in feeling ... and again A Circe's spells transform men into swine.

To A. M. M.

She is so shy, this little love of mine, So pale and pure, almost I fear to speak The love that thrills my every pulse like wine Yet brings no answering flush to her fair cheek.

She is so calm that Pa.s.sion's stirring strain To chanson soft and low unbidden dies; The while her longing lover sighs in vain For one soft love-glance from her down-dropped eyes.

A lily she that from its garden bed, Into the golden suns.h.i.+ne glad and sweet Lifts to far sapphire skies its radiant head, Unheedful of the base weeds at its feet.

Yet--should one loving reverently kneel And draw the lily's close-shut leaves apart, Perchance those waxen petals might reveal Enshrined within, a glowing golden heart.

Loveless

As some poor starveling at a palace gate Sees curtained gleams from banquet-litten halls, Hears song out-ringing from the festal walls, Scents viands that shall princely palates sate, Yet in the outer gloom may only wait, Crouched in the cold, thrice-thankful for some least Mean morsel flung him from the plenteous feast-- Poor bondman to the ball and chain of Fate!

So, lonely at Love's outer gate I stand And glimpse the brightness and the bliss within, Where love-lit smiles trans.m.u.te the dark to day-- I wait without--I may not enter in; Long, wistfully, I gaze--then void of hand And starved of spirit, sadly turn away.

Clytie--The Sunflower

(To F. H.)

In pale green twilight lands Under the sea Her rainbow palace stands, Irised and opaline; Agate and almondine, Corals and pearly sh.e.l.ls Swept from deep ocean dells, Strewing the silver strands, Starring the golden sands In the green twilight lands Under the sea.

All thro' the dreamy day Under the sea Where the sea-maidens play, Twining foam-garlands fair, Girding their golden hair, Clad in her moss-robe green Veiled in her bright locks' sheen-- Where the dim seaweeds sway, Trackless her white feet stray All thro' the dreamy day Under the sea.

Or like a star she glides Over the sea, Deftly her steeds she guides-- Gold-fish that glint and gleam, Jewels alive they seem-- Softly the surges swell, Rocking the rosy sh.e.l.l Where the sea-maiden rides, Wafture of wooing tides, Swift as a star she glides Over the sea.

One day she lifts her eyes Up from the sea Where the great sun-G.o.d flies Over the world afar, Guiding his golden car-- All his star brow aglow, All his bright hair aflow; Dawn in his radiance lies, Dusk at his coming dies-- Hapless she lifts her eyes Up from the sea.

Swiftly his steeds speed on Over the sea, Soon is the splendor flown, Lone on the sh.o.r.e she stands.

Stretching imploring hands, Lifting impa.s.sioned eyes Where the last sun-gleam dies; All the day's brightness gone, Hapless she stands alone, Heedless the G.o.d speeds on Over the sea.

Ever her wistful gaze Over the sea Yearns on the sun-G.o.d's rays-- Till by some subtle power Changed to a golden flower-- Still in her robe of green, Crowned with her gold hair's sheen Slight on her stem she sways ...

Yet does her yearning gaze Follow the sun-G.o.d's rays Over the sea.