Collected Poems Volume II Part 16

"He is dead," we cried, and even amid that gloom The wintry veil was rent! The new-born day Showed us the Angel seated in the tomb And the stone rolled away.

It is the hour! We challenge heaven above Now, to deny our slight ephemeral breath Joy, anguish, and that everlasting love Which triumphs over death.

A j.a.pANESE LOVE-SONG

I

The young moon is white, But the willows are blue: Your small lips are red, But the great clouds are grey: The waves are so many That whisper to you; But my love is only One flight of spray.

II

The bright drops are many, The dark wave is one: The dark wave subsides, And the bright sea remains!

And wherever, O singing Maid, you may run, You are one with the world For all your pains.

III

Though the great skies are dark, And your small feet are white, Though your wide eyes are blue And the closed poppies red, Tho' the kisses are many That colour the night, They are linked like pearls On one golden thread.

IV

Were the grey clouds not made For the red of your mouth; The ages for flight Of the b.u.t.terfly years; The sweet of the peach For the pale lips of drouth, The sunlight of smiles For the shadow of tears?

V

Love, Love is the thread That has pierced them with bliss!

All their hues are but notes In one world-wide tune: Lips, willows, and waves, We are one as we kiss, And your face and the flowers Faint away in the moon.

THE TWO PAINTERS

(A TALE OF OLD j.a.pAN.)

I

Yoichi Tenko, the painter, Dwelt by the purple sea, Painting the peac.o.c.k islands Under his willow-tree: Also in temples he painted Dragons of old j.a.pan, With a child to look at the pictures-- Little O Kimi San.

Kimi, the child of his brother, Bright as the moon in May, White as a lotus lily, Pink as a plum-tree spray, Linking her soft arm round him Sang to his heart for an hour, Kissed him with ripples of laughter And lips of the cherry flower.

Child of the old pearl-fisher Lost in his junk at sea, Kimi was loved of Tenko As his own child might be, Yoichi Tenko the painter, Wrinkled and grey and old, Teacher of many disciples That paid for his dreams with gold.

II

Peonies, peonies crowned the May!

Clad in blue and white array Came Sawara to the school Under the silvery willow-tree, All to learn of Tenko!

Riding on a milk-white mule, Young and poor and proud was he, Lissom as a cherry spray (Peonies, peonies, crowned the day!) And he rode the golden way To the school of Tenko.

Swift to learn, beneath his hand Soon he watched his wonderland Growing cloud by magic cloud, Under the silvery willow-tree In the school of Tenko: Kimi watched him, young and proud, Painting by the purple sea, Lying on the golden sand Watched his golden wings expand!

(None but Love will understand All she hid from Tenko.)

He could paint her tree and flower, Sea and spray and wizard's tower, With one stroke, now hard, now soft, Under the silvery willow-tree In the school of Tenko: He could fling a bird aloft, Splash a dragon in the sea, Crown a princess in her bower, With one stroke of magic power; And she watched him, hour by hour, In the school of Tenko.

Yoichi Tenko, wondering, scanned All the work of that young hand, Gazed his kakemonos o'er, Under the silvery willow-tree In the school of Tenko: "I can teach you nothing more, Thought or craft or mystery; Let your golden wings expand, They will shadow half the land, All the world's at your command, Come no more to Tenko."

_Lying on the golden sand, Kimi watched his wings expand; Wept.--He could not understand Why she wept, said Tenko._

III

So, in her blue kimono, Pale as the sickle moon Glimmered thro' soft plum-branches Blue in the dusk of June, Stole she, willing and waning, Frightened and unafraid,-- "Take me with you, Sawara, Over the sea," she said.

Small and sadly beseeching, Under the willow-tree, Glimmered her face like a foam-flake Drifting over the sea: Pale as a drifting blossom, Lifted her face to his eyes: Slowly he gathered and held her Under the drifting skies.

Poor little face cast backward, Better to see his own, Earth and heaven went past them Drifting: they two, alone Stood, immortal. He whispered-- "Nothing can part us two!"

Backward her sad little face went Drifting, and dreamed it true.

"Others are happy," she murmured, "Maidens and men I have seen; You are my king, Sawara, O, let me be your queen!

If I am all too lowly,"

Sadly she strove to smile, "Let me follow your footsteps, Your slave for a little while."

Surely, he thought, I have painted Nothing so fair as this Moonlit almond blossom Sweet to fold and kiss, Brow that is filled with music, Sh.e.l.l of a faery sea, Eyes like the holy violets Brimmed with dew for me.

"Wait for Sawara," he whispered, "Does not his whole heart yearn Now to his moon-bright maiden?

Wait, for he will return Rich as the wave on the moon's path Rus.h.i.+ng to claim his bride!"

So they plighted their promise, And the ebbing sea-wave sighed.

IV

Moon and flower and b.u.t.terfly, Earth and heaven went drifting by, Three long years while Kimi dreamed Under the silvery willow-tree In the school of Tenko, Steadfast while the whole world streamed Past her tow'rds Eternity; Steadfast till with one great cry, Ringing to the G.o.ds on high, Golden wings should blind the sky And bring him back to Tenko.

Three long years and nought to say "Sweet, I come the golden way, Riding royally to the school Under the silvery willow-tree Claim my bride of Tenko; Silver bells on a milk-white mule, Rose-red sails on an emerald sea!" ...

Kimi sometimes went to pray In the temple nigh the bay, Dreamed all night and gazed all day Over the sea from Tenko.

Far away his growing fame Lit the clouds. No message came From the sky, whereon she gazed Under the silvery willow-tree Far away from Tenko!

Small white hands in the temple raised Pleaded with the Mystery,-- "Stick of incense in the flame, Though my love forget my name, Help him, bless him, all the same, And ... bring him back to Tenko!"

_Rose-white temple nigh the bay, Hus.h.!.+ for Kimi comes to pray, Dream all night and gaze all day Over the sea from Tenko._