,,poems ,,of ,,adoration ,,poems ,,of ,,adoration ,,by ,,michael ,,field ,,sands ,,co4 ,,london ,,edinburgh ,,contents ,,poems ,,of ,,adoration ,,page ,,desolation #a ,,entbehren ,,sollst ,,du #c ,,fregit #e ,,sicut ,,parvuli #f ,,aurum1 ,,thus1 ,,et ,,myrrha--,,alleluia6 #g ,,holy ,,communion #h ,,of ,,silence #i ,,real ,,presence #aa ,,from ,,the ,,highway #ac 8,,that ,,he ,,should ,,taste ,,death ,,for ,,every ,,man0 #ad ,,nimis ,,honorati ,,sunt #af ,,blessed ,,are ,,the ,,beggars #ag ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament #ai ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament #bj ,,columba ,,mea #bb ,,virgo ,,potens #bc ,,another ,,leadeth ,,thee #be ,,the ,,garden ,,of ,,lazarus #bh ,,holy ,,cross #cj ,,purgatory #ca ,,fortitudo ,,egenis #cb ,,pax ,,vobiscum #cc ,,purissim ,,virgini ,,sacellum #cd ,,in ,,the ,,beginning #cf ,,an ,,antiphony ,,of ,,advent #cg ,,annunciations #dj ,,stones ,,of ,,the ,,brook #da ,,relics #dc ,,on ,,caucasus #dg ,,in ,,the ,,sea #di 8,,communicantes ,,et ,,memoriam ,,venerantes 444 ,,joannis ,,et ,,pauli0 #eb ,,in ,,monte ,,fanno #ee ,,macrinus ,,against ,,trees #eg ,,paschal',s ,,mass #ei ,a ,,snow-,,cave #fa ,,prophet #fc ,,looking ,,upon ,,jesus ,,as ,,he ,,walked #fe ,a ,,dance ,,of ,,death #fg ,,obedience #ga ,,gardens ,,enclosed #gb ,,garden-,,seed #gc ,,universa ,,cohors #gd ,,in ,,extremis #gf ,a ,,ligno #gh ,,one ,,reed #hj ,,crying ,,out #ha ,,ad ,,mortem #hc ,,the ,,flower ,,fadeth #he ,,fear ,,not #hg ,,recognition #hh ,,venit ,,jesus #hi ,,ascension #ij ,,confluence #ia ,,imple ,,superna ,,gratia #ib ,,words ,,of ,,the ,,bridegroom #ic ,a ,,magic ,,mirror #id ,,descent ,,from ,,the ,,cross #if ,,unsurpassed #ii ,,wasting #aja ,,the ,,hour ,,of ,,need #ajb ,,extreme ,,unction #ajc ,,after ,,anointing #aje ,,viaticum #ajf ,a ,,gift ,,of ,,sweetness #ajh ,,in ,,christo #aji ,,sights ,,for ,,god #aaj ,,transit #aac ,,desolation ,who comes8444 ,o ,beautiful6 ,low thunder thrums1 ,as if a chorus struck its shawms and drums4 ,the sun runs forth ,to stare at ,him1 who journeys north ,from ,edom1 from the lonely sands1 arrayed ,in vesture sanguine as at ,bosra made4 ,o beautiful and whole1 ,in that red stole6 ,behold1 ,o clustered grapes1 ,his garment rolled1 ,and wrung about ,his waist in fold on fold6 ,see1 there is blood ,now on ,his garment1 vest and hood2 ,for ,he hath leapt upon a loaded vat1 ,and round ,his motion splashes the wine-fat1 ,though there is none to play ,the ,vintage-lay4 ,the ,word ,of ,god1 ,his name 444 ,but nothing heard ,save beat of ,his lone feet forever stirred ,to tread the press-- ,none with ,him in ,his loneliness2 ,no treader with ,him in the spume1 no man4 ,his flesh shows dusk with wine3 since ,he began ,he hath not stayed1 that forth may pour ,the ,vineyard's store4 ,he treads ,the angry grapes 444 ,their anger spreads1 ,and all its brangling passion sheds ,in blood4 ,o ,god1 ,thy wrath1 ,thy wine-press ,he hath trod-- ,the fume1 the carnage1 and the murderous heat6 ,yet all is changed by patience of the feet3 ,the blood sinks down2 the vine ,is issued wine4 ,o task ,of sacrifice1 ,that we may bask ,in clemency and keep an undreamt ,pasch6 ,o ,treader lone1 ,how pitiful ,thy shadow thrown ,athwart the lake of wine that ,thou hast made6 ,o ,thou1 most desolate1 with limbs that wade ,among the berries1 dark and wet1 ,thee we forget6 ,,entbehren ,,sollst ,,du ',neath the ,garden of ,gethsemane's ,olive-wood1 ,thou didst cast ,thy will away from ,thee ,in ,thy blood4 ,through the shade1 when torches spat their light1 ,and arms shone1 ,thou didst find ,thy lovers and ,thy friends ,were all gone4 ,in the ,judgment ,hall1 ,thy hands and feet ,bound with cord1 ,thou didst lose ,thy freedom's sweetness--all ,thy freedom1 ,lord4 ,in the ,soldiers' ,hall1 ,thy ,sovereignty ,laughed to naught1 ,thou wert scourged1 ,thy brow by bramble-wreath ,sharply caught4 ,stripped of vest and garments ,thou didst lie1 ,mid hill-moss1 ,naked1 helpless as a nurse's child1 ,on ,thy cross4 ,raised1 ,thou gavest to another son1 ,standing by1 ,her who bore ,thee once1 and1 deep in pain1 ,watched ,thee die4 ,all was cast away from ,thee2 and then1 ,with wild drouth1 8,why dost ,thou forsake me1 ,father80 broke ,from ,thy mouth4 ,everything gone from ,thee1 even daylight2 ,none to trust2 ,thou didst render up ,thy holy ,life ,to the dust4 ,help me1 from my passion1 to recall ,thy sheer loss1 ,and adore the sovereign nakedness ,of ,thy ,cross6 ,,fregit ,on the night of dedication ,of ,thyself as our oblation1 ,christ1 ,belovd1 ,thou didst take ,in ,thy very hands and break4444 ,o my ,god1 there is the hiss of doom ,when new-glowing flowers are snapt in bloom2 ,when shivered1 as a little thunder-cloud1 ,a vase splits on the floor its brilliance loud2 ,or lightning strikes a willow-tree with gash ,cloven for death in a resounded crash2 ,and ,i have heard that one who could betray ,his country and yet face the breadth of day1 ,bowed himself1 weeping1 but to hear his sword ,broken before him1 as his sin's award4 ,these were broken2 ,thou didst break4444 ,thou the ,flower that ,heaven did make ,of our race the crown of light2 ,thou the ,vase of ,chrysolite ,into which ,god's balm doth flow2 ,thou the ,willow hung with woe ,of our exile harps2 ,thou ,sword ,of the ,everlasting ,word-- ,thou1 betrayed1 ,thyself didst break ,thy own ,body for our sake3 ,thy own ,body ,thou didst take ,in ,thy holy hands--and break4 ,,sicut ,,parvuli ,with me1 laid upon my tongue1 ,as upon ,thy ,mother's knee ,thou wert laid at ,thy ,nativity2 ,and she felt ,thee lie her wraps among4 ,tenderest pressure1 dint of grace1 ,all she dreamed and loved in ,god1 ,as a shoot from an old ,patriarch's rod1 ,laid upon her1 felt by her embrace4 ,o my ,god1 to have ,thee1 feel ,thee mine1 ,in ,thy helpless ,presence6 ,love1 ,not to dream of ,thee in power above1 ,but receive ,thee1 ,little ,one divine6 ,as the burthen of a seal ,may give kingdoms with its touch1 ,lo1 ,thy meek preponderance is such1 ,i am straight ennobled as ,i kneel4 ,teach me1 tiny ,godhead1 to adore ,on my flesh ,thy tender weight1 ,as ,thy ,mother1 bowing1 owned how great ,was the ,child that unto us she bore4 ,,aurum1 ,,thus1 ,,et ,,myrrha--,,alleluia6 ,o ,gift1 ,o ,blessd ,sacrament--my ,gold1 ,all that ,i live by royally1 the power1 ,like gold1 that buys life for me1 hour by hour1 ,and crowns me with a greatness manifold ,such that my spirit scarce hath spring to hold ,its treasure and its sovereignty of dower6 ,o ,blessd ,sacrament--my ,frankincense1 ,god raised aloft in ,his ,divinity1 ,sweet-smelling as the dry and precious tree1 ,that spreads round sacrifice an odour dense1 ,hiding with mystic offering our offence2 ,o holy ,balm of ,god that pleads for me6 ,o ,gift1 ,o ,blessd ,sacrament--my ,myrrh6 ,thou art to die for me--a holy ,thing1 ,that will preserve my soul from festering1 ,nor may it feel mortality1 the stir ,and motion into dust1 if ,thou confer ,on it ,thy bitter strength of cherishing6 ,,holy ,,communion ,in the ,beginning--and in me1 ,flesh of my flesh1 ,o ,deity1 ,bone of my bone2 ,in me alone ,create1 as if on ,thy sixth day1 ,i1 of frail breath and clay1 ,were yet one seed with ,thee1 ,engendering ,trinity6 ,my ,lord1 the honour of great fear ,to be ,thy teeming fiat here2 ,in blood and will ,urged to fulfil ,thy rounded motion of behest2 ,one with ,thy power and blest ,to act by aim and right ,of ,thy prevenient might6 ,,of ,,silence 8,be it done unto me ,according to ,thy word44440 ,into ,mortality ,slips the ,eternal ,word1 ,when not a sound is heard4 ,she spake those words1 and then ,was silent in her heart2 ,mother of ,silence1 when ,her will spake from her heart ,her lips had done their part4 ,and only once we hear ,her words that intercede2 ,her will so sweetly clear ,those lips should intercede1 ,and help men in their need4 ,out of her silence grew ,the ,word1 and as a man ,he neither cried nor knew ,the strivings of a man1 ,when doom for ,him began4 ,and after ,he had gone ,from ,earth to ,heaven away1 ,he came and lingered on2 ,he would not pass away1 ,but with ,his people stay4 ,son of the ,silent ,maid1 ,he chose her silence too4 ,in dumbness ,he hath stayed1 ,dumbness unbroken too1 ,past measure--as night-dew4 ,o quiet1 holy ,host1 ,our pondering ,joy and ,light1 ,in ,thy still power engrossed1 ,as a mute star pleads light1 ,thou pleadest1 ,infinite6 ,,real ,,presence ,i approach ,thy ,altar4444 ,stay6 ,let me break away6 ,level stones of marble1 brazen lights1 ,linen spread1 flowers on the shelves and heights-- ,i bow down1 ,i kneel 444 ,and far away1 where the sun sets1 would reel6 ,for from forth ,thy altar ,thou ,strikest on me now1 ,strikest on me1 firm and warm to thrill1 ,with the charm of one whose touch could kill2 ,giving me desire ,toward substance1 yet for flight the lightning's fire4 ,so1 if close a lover kneels1 ,praying close1 one feels ,all the body's flow of life reined tight1 ,as when waters struggle at their height2 ,from ,thy altar-stone1 ,thou in my body bodily art known4 ,and ,i fear ,thee worse than death1 ,as we fear ,love's breath3 ,thou art as a tiger round a camp2 ,and ,i kindle1 terrified1 my lamp1 ,since ,i cannot fly1 ,but to hold ,thee distant1 lest ,i die4 ,thou art ,god1 and in the mesh1 ,close to me1 of flesh2 ,and we love and we have been in range ,of wild secrecies of interchange3 ,could ,i bear ,thee near ,i should be humble to ,thee--but ,i fear6 ,,from ,,the ,,highway ,king of ,kings1 ,thou comest down the street ,to my door 444 ,as from ankles of the heavenly feet ,of wild angels1 tinkling pedals sweet1 ,and sweet bells2 ,as if water-carriers from bright wells ,jangled freshets to a dewless land1 ,thou art called upon the air1 ,as ,thou mountest to me1 stair by stair3 ,in my presence ,thou dost stand1 ,and ,thou comest to me on my bed4444 ,lord1 ,i live and am not dead6 ,i should be dead-- ,i1 a sinner6 ,and ,thou comest swift4444 ,woe1 to wake such love to roam about1 ,wandering the street to find me out1 ,bringing wholesome balm for gift1 ,as1 in contrariety1 ,come to ,magdalen1 not she1 ,o ,pure1 to ,thee6 8,,that ,,he ,,should ,,taste ,,death ,,for ,,every ,,man0 ,in all things ,thou art like us and content1 ,bowing1 receiv'st ,thy sacrament4 ,what is it8--that ,thou kneelest meek8 ,and what the gift that ,thou dost seek ,beside us at ,thy altars8 ,hour by hour1 ,what is it lays up in ,thee holy power8 ,christ1 if ,thou comest suppliant ,it is to ,death1 the ,celebrant6 ,death gives the wafer of his dust2 ,the ashes of his harvest thrust ,upon ,thy tongue ,thou tastest1 then ,dost swallow for the sake of men4 ,o ,brightness of the ,heavens1 to save ,thy creatures ,thou dost eat the grave6 ,our ,sacrament--oh1 generous6--of wheat1 ,the dust that out of corn we eat1 ,whiteness of ,life's fair grain6 ,o ,christ1 ,no grinding of the cornfield had sufficed ,to lay upon our tongues ,thy holy ,bread1 ,unless ,thou hadst ,thyself so harshly fed ,with grindings of the bone of death1 the grit ,that once was beauty and the form of it2 ,once welcome1 now so sharp to taste2 ,once featured1 now the dregs of waste2 ,of hope once filled1 now lacking aught ,of treasure to be sold or bought-- ,dust of our substance ,thou each day ,dost taste of in its fated clay4444 ,o soul1 take thought6 ,it is thy ,god ,that to ,his lips presses this choking sod6 ,,nimis ,,honorati ,,sunt 8,cast not your pearls down before swine60 ,the words are ,thine6-- ,listen1 cast not ,the treasure of a white sea-grot1 ,an uncontaminate1 round loveliness1 ,a pearl of ocean-waters fathomless1 ,a secret of exceeding1 cherished light1 ,a dream withdrawn from evening infinite1 ,a beauty ,god gave silence to--cast not ,this wealth from treasury of ,indian seas1 ,or ,persian fisheries1 ,down in the miry dens that clot ,the feet of swine1 who trample1 hide and blot4 ,to us ,thy words6444 ,but1 see1 ,in ,thy idolatry ,of us1 all thought ,of counsel fails and falls to nought6 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 within the monstrance set1 ,why wilt ,thou for ,thyself ,thy charge forget8 ,o ,love1 from deeps before the world began1 ,o ,sheltered of ,god's ,bosom1 why for man ,wilt ,thou so madly in the slough be cast1 ,concealed 'mid tramplings and disgrace of swine8 ,o ,host1 ,o ,white1 ,benign6 ,why spend in rage of love at last ,thy wisdom all eternity amassed8 ,,blessed ,,are ,,the ,,beggars ,,matt4 v4 #c ,i ,take me along with thee1 ,o blessed1 seeking one6 ,take me along with thee6 ,thou art not poor2 ,arimathea doth thy wealth immure2 ,thou hast a garden in the country sun2 ,thou hast a new1 clean-chiselled grave awaits thee1 ,a grave1 self-chosen1 neither low nor narrow2 ,and thou couldst bring excess of myrrh and aloe ,as gift where thou dost love1 ,if thou thy love wouldst prove3 ,yet must thou beg4 ,a beggar ,pilate rates thee1 ,coming to beg the body of thy ,lord1 ,cast from the ,cross by men1 of thee adored4,a ,a 8,this man went unto ,pilate1 and begged the body of ,jesus40--,luke xxiii4 #eb4 ,,ii ,take me along with thee1 and let me learn thy prayer6 ,take me along with thee6 ,i must prevail4 ,for all that ,i possess is void and stale ,unless ,i have ,god's ,body in my care4 ,kneeling together1 make for both petition6 ,only upon our knees shall we receive ,him1 ,only by importunity achieve ,him1 ,and crying with one need4 ,prompt in thy grace1 give heed6 ,i am a beggar of thy wild condition3 ,i huddle to thy side1 my hope is thine1 ,thy will my will--,his ,body must be mine4 ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament ,lo1 from ,thy ,father's bosom ,thou dost sigh2 ,deep to ,thy restlessness ,his ear is bent3-- 8,father1 the ,paraclete is sent1 ,wrapt in a foaming wind ,he passeth by4 ,behold1 men's hearts are shaken--,i must die3 ,sure as a star within the firmament ,must be my dying3 lo1 my wood is rent1 ,my cross is sunken6 ,father1 ,i must die60 ,lo1 how ,god loveth us1 ,he looseth hold4444 ,his ,son is back among us1 with ,his own1 ,and craving at our hands an altar-stone4 ,thereon1 a victim1 meek ,he takes his place2 ,and1 while to offer ,him ,his priests make bold1 ,he looketh upward to ,his ,father's ,face4 ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament ,i ,gather1 gather1 ,drawn by the ,father1 ,drawn to the dear procession of ,his ,son6 ,they are bearing ,his ,body4444 ,run ,to the ,well-,belovd6 ,haste to ,him1 ,who down the street passeth secretly1 ,adorned with ,seraphim1 ,still as the blooms of an apple-tree4 ,,ii ,gather1 gather1 ,drawn by the ,father6 ,not now ,he dwelleth in the ,virgin's womb3 ,in the harvests ,he hath ,his room2 ,from the lovely vintage1 from the wheat1 ,from the harvests that we this year have grown1 ,he giveth us ,his flesh to eat1 ,and in very substance makes us ,his own4 ,,iii ,gather1 gather1 ,drawn by the ,father6 ,the sun is down1 it is the sundown hour4 ,he1 who set the fair sun to flower1 ,and the stars to rise and fall-- ,kneel1 and your garments before ,him spread6 ,kneel1 ,he loveth us all2 ,he is come in the breaking of ,bread4 ,,iv ,gather1 gather 7,drawn by the ,father71 ,to our ,god who is shown to us so mild1 ,borne in our midst1 a child6 ,he is ,king and with an orb so small3 ,and not a word will ,he say1 ,nor on the ,angels call1 ,though we trample ,him down on the way4 ,on the ,holy ,angels ,he will not call4444 ,oh1 guard ,him with breasts impregnable6 ,sept4 #be-bf1 #aijh ,,columba ,,mea 8,una est ,columba mea1 perfecta mea40 ,dove of the ,holy ,dove1 ,his one1 ,his mate-- ,one art thou1 single in thy mortal state ,to be the chosen of ,love1 ,his one1 white ,dove1 ,for whom ,he left ,his place in ,trinity1 ,letting ,his pinions fall ,low to the earth1 that ,his great power might be ,around thee1 nor appal1 ,but1 soft in singleness of strength1 might bring ,the glory of the ,father and the ,son ,to thee1 the chosen ,one1 ,amid the sounding clash of each vast wing4 ,his ,perfect1 thou art made ,immaculate2 ,for thou with dovelike whiteness must elate ,that ,heavenly ,spouse arrayed1 ,beyond all shade1 ,in whiteness of the ,godhead of ,god's throne1 ,that loves in utter white ,from ,person unto ,person1 and alone ,had dwelt in ,his pure light1 ,until one day the ,holy ,dove was sent ,to ,thee1 ,o ,mary1 thee1 ,o ,dove on earth1 ,and ,god the ,son had birth ,of thee1 ,perfection of thy ,god's intent4 ,,virgo ,,potens ,young on the mountains and fresh ,as the wind that thrills her hair1 ,as the dews that lap the flesh ,of her feet from cushions of thyme2 ,while her feet through the herbage climb1 ,growing hardier1 sweeter still ,on rock-roses and cushions of thyme1 ,as she springs up the hill6 ,a goat in its vaultings less lithe1 ,from rock1 to a tuft1 to a rock2 ,as the young of wild-deer blithe1 ,the young of wild-deer1 yet alone3 ,strong as an eaglet just flown1 ,she wanders the white-woven earth1 ,as the young of wild-deer1 yet alone1 ,in her triumph of mirth4 ,she will be ,mother of ,god6 ,secret ,he lies in her womb3 ,and this mountain she hath trod ,was later in strength than is she1 ,who before its mass might be ,was chosen to bear her bliss3 ,conceived before mountains was she1 ,before any abyss4 ,the might that dwells in her youth ,is song to her heart and soul1 ,of joy that1 as joy1 is truth1 ,that magnifies1 and leaps ,with its jubilant glee and sweeps1 ,o fairest1 her breast1 her throat1 ,her mouth1 and magnanimous leaps1 ,as the mountain-lark's note6 ,across the old hills she springs1 ,with ,god's first dream as her crown3 ,she scales them swift1 for she brings ,elizabeth news of grace4 ,the charity of her face ,is that of a lovely day1 ,when the birds are singing news of grace1 ,and the storms are away4 ,,another ,,leadeth ,,thee ,in whose hands1 ,o ,son of ,god1 ,was ,thy earthly ,mission held8 ,not in ,thine1 that made earth's sod1 ,and the ocean as it welled ,from creation to the shore2 ,not in ,thine1 whose fingers' lore ,checked the tide with golden bars1 ,ruled the clouds and dinted stars-- ,not in ,thine1 that made fresh leaves1 ,and the flourished wheat for sheaves2 ,grapes that bubbled from a spring1 ,where the nightingale might sing ,from the blood of her wild throat2 ,not in ,thine that struck her note2 ,maned the lion and wrought the lamb2 ,breathed on clay1 8,be as ,i am60 ,and it stood before ,thee fair1 ,thinking1 loving1 furnished rare1 ,like ,thee1 so beyond compare4444 ,not within ,thy hands6--,behold1 ,by a woman's hand unrolled ,all the mystery sublime ,of ,thy ableness through ,time6 ,thou1 in precious ,boyhood1 knew ,for ,thy ,father what to do2 ,and delayed ,thyself to hear ,questions and to answer clear ,to the ,doctors' chiming throng1 ,thou1 admired1 wert set among4 ,straight ,thy ,mission was begun1 ,as the ,jewish ,rabbis spun ,round ,thy fetterless1 sweet mind ,problems no one had divined4 ,but ,thy ,mother came that way1 ,who had sought ,thee day by day1 ,and her crystal voice reproved ,thy new way with ,thy beloved4 ,in ,thy wisdom-widened eyes ,throbbed a radiance of surprise3 ,but1 ,thy ,mother having chidden1 ,thou in ,nazareth wert hidden2 ,and ,thy ,father's ,work begun ,stayed full eighteen years undone1 ,till ,thou camest on ,thine hour1 ,when ,thy ,mother loosed ,thy power ,for ,thy ,father's business1 said1 ,in a murmur softly spread1 ,rippling to a happy few1 8,what ,he says unto you do60 ,as the spring-time to a tree1 ,sudden spring she was to ,thee1 ,when her strange appeal began ,thy stayed ,mission unto man2 ,stayed but by her earlier blame1 ,when from three days' woe she came2 ,yet renewed when she gave sign 8,son1 they have not any wine60 ,holy trust and love6 ,she gave ,for ,thy sake oblation brave ,of her will1 her spotless name3 ,thou for her didst boldly tame ,god the ,word to wait on her2 ,god's own ,wisdom might not stir ,till her lovely voice decreed4 ,thou wouldst have our hearts give heed1 ,and revere her lovely voice2 ,wait upon her secret choice1 ,stay her pleasure1 as didst ,thou1 ,with a marvel on ,thy brow1 ,and a silence on ,thy breath4 ,we must cherish what she saith2 ,as she pleadeth we must hope ,for our deeds' accepted scope1 ,humble as her ,heavenly ,son1 ,till our liberty be won4 ,,the ,,garden ,,of ,,lazarus ,in a garden at ,bethany1 ,o ,mother1 ,mother1 ,mother6 ,amid the passion-flowers and olive-leaves-- ,his ,mother-- ,yet1 behold1 how tranquilly ,she is sad and grieves1 ,though her ,son is gone away1 ,and she knows ,passover ,day ,will not leave her ,lamb1 her ,child unslain6 ,he hath spoken to deaf ears1 ,all save hers1 of mortal pain ,and of parting1 yet she has no tears4444 ,he is gone away ,with ,his chosen few to eat the ,pasch1 ,leaving in the eyes1 she raised to ask1 ,mute assurance ,he would come no more ,back to ,bethany1 nor ,lazarus' door4 ,o ,mother1 ,mother1 ,mother6-- ,but she keeps so many things apart ,in their silence1 pondering them by heart2 ,always she has pondered in her heart2 ,and it knows her ,son is ,son of ,god4444 ,silently she gazes where ,he trod ,down the valley to ,jerusalem-- ,his ,mother6 ,round her birds are at their parting song ,to the light that will not strike them long2 ,and the flowers are very gold ,with the light before whose loss they fold4 ,keen the song1 as on each wing1 ,and on each rose and each rose-stem ,full the burnishing4 ,she hath crossed her hands around her breast1 ,and it seems her heart is taking rest ,with some ,mystery her spirit heeds4444 ,song of ,songs the birds now chaunt1 ,and the lilies vaunt ,how among them1 white1 ,he feeds1 ,who but now hath left her--fair and white ,as the lover of the ,sunamite4 4 4 4 4 ,in the city1 in an upper room1 ,as fair ,paschal ,bread ,he breaks and gives ,unto men ,his ,body while ,he lives-- ,then seeks out a ,garden for ,his ,doom4 ,,holy ,,cross ,mysterious sway of mortal blood1 ,that urges me upon ,thy wood6-- ,o ,holy ,cross1 but ,i must tell ,my love2 how all my forces dwell ,upon ,thee and around ,thee day and night6 ,i love the ,feet upon thy beam1 ,as a wild lover loves his dream2 ,my eyes can only fix upon that sight4 ,o ,tree1 my arms are strong and sore ,to clasp ,thee1 as when we adore ,the body of our dearest in our arms6 ,each pang ,i suffer hath for aim ,thy wood--its comfort is the same-- ,a taint1 an odour from inveterate balms4 ,my clasp is filled1 my sight receives ,the compass of its power2 pain grieves ,about each sense but as a languid hum3 ,and1 out of weariness1 at length1 ,my day rejoices in its strength1 ,my night that innocence of strife is come4 ,,purgatory ,perfection of my ,god6-- ,with hands on the same rod1 ,with robes that interfold1 ,one weft together rolled2 ,with two wings of one ,dove ,stretched the royal heads above-- ,god severs from ,his ,son1 ,that what is not be won2 ,immortal1 mortal grow1 ,god entering manhood know ,what was not and shall be ,of cogent ,deity4 ,perfection of my soul6-- ,how shall ,i reach my goal1 ,unless ,i leave ,his ,face1 ,who is my dwelling-place1 ,unless in exile do ,his will a short while through1 ,to the time's sharpest rim3 ,unless1 deprived of ,him1 ,i may achieve ,him1 lie ,his victim1 sigh on sigh1 ,bearing consummate pain1 ,supremely to attain8 ,,fortitudo ,,egenis ,lover of ,souls1 ,immaculate1 ,mary1 by thy ,immaculate ,conception1 ,thy soul and body white for ,god's reception1 ,beyond the ridg'd snows on the sky2 ,beyond the treasure of white beams that lie ,within the golden casket of the sun2 ,by the excelling franchise of thy state1 ,plead for the ,holy ,souls1 ,o ,holiest ,one6 ,till they be cleansed grief hath no date6 ,them1 through thy spotless grace1 embolden ,to passion for their ,god1 but once beholden1 ,nor ever more beheld till pain ,hath made their souls' recesses bright from stain4 ,plead they may swiftly see ,him1 nor may shun ,the ,vision1 each achieved immaculate6 ,pure from the first1 plead for them1 ,holiest ,one6 ,,pax ,,vobiscum ,,to ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,boulogne ,my heart is before thee1 ,queen1 ,as a mariner at sea-- ,it vows its sighs that swell to thee1 ,sighs as great as against waves may be4 ,for thou art above the waves1 ,on their summits thou dost float2 ,thy locks of gold along thy throat2 ,thou more gold than gold upon thy boat4 ,pomp of thy body1 thy ,child-- ,on thy arm1 small-crowned and sweet2 ,thou1 large-crowned6 ,where billows meet1 ,why these crowns1 like shocks of golden wheat8 ,the ,prince of ,peace ,he is4444 ,as a mariner at sea1 ,when waves are high and thronging free1 ,high my heart entreats thy ,son and thee4 ,,purissim ,,virgini ,,sacellum ,it is new in the air from the sea and the height1 ,new as a nest by a sea-bird fashioned4444 ,o ,carmel1 thy mound the rock-site6444 ,and roofless our chapel1 the home we1 impassioned1 ,have built for her coming1 ,o ,gift from the ,sea6 ,elijah1 our father1 descend to thy mountain1 ,where once was thy shrine1 ,god created by flame2 ,where from a land dry in well as in fountain ,thou did'st keep vigil--as we--till she came1 ,the ,cloud from ,god's ,bosom1 the ,grace of ,his favour1 ,the sweetness of ,rain6 ,o balm1 oh1 the savour ,of air on the throat6 ,o ,desire from the ,sea6 ,surrounded by roses and lilies of valleys1 ,sweeter than myrrh1 or than balsam in chalice1 ,queen of the ,east1 ,o ,magnificent1 bring ,the sweetness familiar as rain to man's cry2 ,murmur as rain round our hearts lest we die1 ,white ,cloud of felicity1 ,voice to our ears6 ,girt with vale-lilies and roses a spring-day appears1 ,but ,thou1 ,queen of ,carmel1 art ,spring4 ,surely the last1 we are first in our glory3 ,splendid out-broke in our desert the story ,how flame that fell down on our shrine at the call ,of our father ,elijah had fallen down on all4 ,so ,christ is received of us1 ,carmel receives ,him1 ,the stones and the dust and the sea-winds believe ,him3 ,but after ,god's ,fire there is hope of ,god's ,rain4 ,to us art thou come1 ,o ,abundance of ,rain6 ,thy little1 roofless sanctuary1 ,queen1 ,finds us in winds1 in sunset or at night1 ,with stars to help our candles1 wild and free ,as ,pagans by their ,virgin of moonlight1 ,diana of the ,hunters' rocks3 so we ,upon the heights1 and in the breeze are seen1 ,and called the ,brothers of thy lovely name1 ,blest ,mary of ,mount ,carmel4 ,asia1 cry ,her splendour6 ,cry to her1 ,o ,eastern ,kings1 ,encompass her6 ,she is our very own1 ,in mercy manifest to us alone1 ,our ,cloud of ,mercy that from seaward springs1 ,and crouched ,elijah sought for1 sigh on sigh4 ,and for our thanks 444 ,o ,eastern ,kings1 your treasure ,in this may serve us1 that a pearl may lurk1 ,or in your chests there may be jewel-work ,that1 as she is a ,queen1 might give her pleasure4 ,we are her monks1 we have no precious things4 ,close round her1 ,kings6 ,with frankincense and myrrh1 ,open a fount for her6 ,with cloth of gold proclaim her and enthrone6 ,afar off we will weep--she is our own4 ,,in ,,the ,,beginning ,how still these two6 ,christ with far eyes1 ,john with the fond eyes closed1 ,and close unto ,the breast wherefrom is peace-- ,no slumber that shall cease1 ,but charmed safety of a faith as sure ,as a mountain's founding to endure3 ,and warm as sleep ,john's love ,for the rapt ,face above4 ,far-rapt1 ,christ's eyes1 ,in strength1 remember ,his own resting-place1 ,where1 in this wise1 ,he1 the ,eternal ,word1 ,had kept deep lull unstirred1 ,upon the bosom of the ,father laid2 ,and1 of that peace divined1 ,knew the ,eternal mind4 ,then the raised ,face ,breaks soft and the eyes droop and bend above ,the sweet head's place1 ,where from closed eyelids ,john ,setteth his love upon ,god1 his ,lord1 his ,thought1 his ,lover dear3 ,and1 in lapse of silence falling clear1 ,one heareth only this-- ,on the sweet head1 a kiss4 ,,an ,,antiphony ,,of ,,advent ,,ad ,,laudes ,i ,come to a revel1 happy men6 ,far away on the hills a wine of joy ,makes golden dew in drops1 that cloy ,the fissures of the glen1 ,the crevices of rock2 ,caught in its sweetness thyme and cistus lock2 ,the hills are white and gold ,in every fold2 ,the hills are running milk and honey-rivers2 ,yet not a thyrsus on a mountain quivers4 ,,ii ,does not the distant city cry1 ,as if filled with an unexpected rout1 ,alleluia1 shout on shout8 ,nor can the city high ,exult in song enough1 ,tuning to smoothness all her highways rough4 ,and yet the ,bromian god ,hath never trod ,with choir the pavements1 nor each grape-haired dancer ,given to the mountain-streams a city's answer4 ,,iii ,behold1 ,o men1 a vivid light6 ,is it the lightning-fire that blazes wide1 ,or torches lit on every side ,that turn the sky so bright8 ,through this great1 sudden day1 ,no levin-gendered god's triumphant way ,the brands of pine confess3 ,a loveliness ,within that mighty light of larger story ,is come among us with exceeding glory4 ,,iv ,ye that would drink1 come forth and drink6 ,within the hills are rivers white and gold2 ,clear mid the day a portent to behold4 ,stoop at the water's brink1 ,seek where the light is great6 ,why should the revellers for revel wait8 ,now ye can drink as thirsty stags ,where no source flags4 ,forth to the water-brooks1 forth in the morning2 ,forth to the light that out of light is dawning6 ,v ,tiresias1 with thy wreath1 not thou6 ,gray prophet of the fount of ,thebes1 behold ,a prophet neither blind nor old1 ,spare and of solemn brow1 ,is risen to make all young3 ,he dwells among ,the freshets of the stream4 ,come to the ,waters2 ,o ,sons of ,adam1 haste1 and ,eva's daughters6 ,this revel1 children1 is a revelry ,ascetic1 of a joy that cannot be ,unless we fast and pray and wear no wreaths1 ,nor brandish cones the forest-fir bequeathes1 ,nor make a din--but sweet antiphonies-- ,nor blow through organ-reeds to sing to these1 ,but of ourselves make song3 it is a feast1 ,that by the breath of deserts is increased2 ,and by ablution in the river lifts ,its grain to crystal--earth so full of gifts ,most exquisite1 breaths that are infinite ,of infinite judgment1 hesitations light ,of infinite choiceness1 life so fine1 so fine1 ,since of our flesh we welcome the ,divine2 ,since by our fast and reticence1 our food ,from honey-bees in haunts of solitude1 ,o mighty ,prophet of the river-bank1 ,we see that light that makes the sun a blank1 ,as a white dove makes a whole region dim2 ,see in the greatness of the great ,light's rim ,one we must fall down under would we win ,the ecstasy of revel--all our sin ,borne from us by the ,wine-,cup in a hand ,that bleeds about the vessel's golden stand1 ,bleeds as the white throat of a lamb just slain4 ,behold6 ,no ,evoe at that poured red stain1 ,no ,evoe--,alleluia6 ,he is dumb3 ,but let us laud ,him1 ,eleutherius come6 ,,annunciations 8,blessd art ,thou among women1 ,mary60 ,through white wings1 ,the angel brings ,of a ,saviour's birth annunciation-- ,tidings of great joy to one afraid4 8,blessd art thou ,simon1 son of ,jonah60 ,in his power1 ,his smile as dower1 ,of ,his ,church's birth1 annunciation ,is by ,god ,himself1 no angel1 made4 ,blessd art ,thou1 ,mary2 blessd1 ,peter6 ,but the grace ,of ,god's own face ,is on ,peter for annunciation1 ,when he speaks1 by flesh and blood unswayed4 ,,stones ,,of ,,the ,,brook ,forth from a cloud1 ,loosed as a greyhound is loosed1 ,to sweep down the sky1 ,to sweep down the hill1 ,a torrent of water unnoosed-- ,the rain rushes on aloud1 ,and becometh a stream on the earth1 and still ,groweth and spreadeth as its stream sweeps by4 ,and the stones of its course ,are bright with its joy as it leaps ,around them in might1 ,beyond them in joy2 ,for it sings round the rocky heaps1 ,from the brightness of its force2 ,nor can pebbles nor boulders of granite cloy ,in their multitude the stream's delight4 ,with a torrent's bliss1 ,the ,martyr ,stephen receives ,the stones for his head1 ,the stones for his breast1 ,and smiles from his strength that believes3 8,sweet stones of the brook60--for this ,is the singing1 the song of his heart expressed1 ,as he kneels1 looking up1 his hands outspread4 ,a river of blood1 the tide ,of martyrdom1 gathers round ,his soul as a stream2 ,while the stones are drenched ,with tides of his blood as they bound ,from temple and mouth and side 444 ,stones of offence1 dark stones from the torrent wrenched1 ,ye strike the trend of his joy as a dream6 ,,relics ,an alabaster box1 ,a tomb of precious stone-- ,white1 with white bars1 as white ,as billows on a sea3 ,with spaces where some flush ,of sky-like rose is conscious and afraid ,of whiteness and white bars4 ,a lovely sepulchre of loveliest stone1 ,this alabaster box-- ,coy as a maiden's blood in flush1 ,white as a maiden's breast in stretch1 ,alive with fear and grace2 ,transparent rose1 ,translucent white2 ,a treasury of precious stone1 ,a strange1 long tomb4444 ',twas ,maximin1 who had this casket made1 ,the holy ,maximin1 who travelled once ,with ,mary ,magdalen1 and preached with her2 ,till on a wind as quiet ,as it had been a cloud1 ,she was removed by ,christ to dwell alone4 ,alone she dwelt1 her peace ,a thought that never fell ,from its full tide4 ,ever beside her in her cave1 ,a vase of golden curls1 ,a clod of blooded earth4 ,and when she died at last1 and ,maximin ,must bury her2 ,being man and holy1 in his love ,he laid her in an alabaster box1 ,as she had laid her soul's deep penitence1 ,her soul's deep passion1 a sweet balm1 within ,an alabaster box3 ,so ,maximin gave ,magdalen to ,god-- ,shut as a spice in precious stone1 ,in bland and flushing box ,of alabaster stone4 ,and knowing all her secrets1 ,maximin1 ,being man and holy1 laid within ,the priceless cave of alabaster two ,most precious1 cherished things-- ,a vase of curly hair1 ,a vase of golden web2 ,a clod of withered soil1 ,a clod of blooded earth4 ,the curls were crushed together in gold lump1 ,crushed by the hand that wiped ,the ,holy ,feet1 kept in a crush of gold1 ,just as they dabbed the sweetly smelling ,feet-- ,the curls enwoven by the balm they dried1 ,knotted as rose of ,sharon1 when the winds ,sweep it along the desert4444 ,curls1 of power ,to float the charm of ,eve in aureole ,round her they covered1 till she crushed them tight ,to dab the ,holy ,feet1 and afterward ,be severed from their growth1 ,stiff in their balm and gold2 ,a piece of honeycomb in rings and web2 ,sweetness of shorn1 gold1 unguent-dabbled hair1 ,a handful in a vase4 ,the clod1 a bit of hill-turf dry2 ,the turf that sheep might pull up as they graze2 ,or men might throw upon the fire ,at sundown when the air is loosed and cold3 ,a clod an eagle might ,ascend to build with1 or a goat ,kick down a valley's side2 ,a clod dark-red ,as if it mothered ruby of the mines4 ,the hand that gathered it one hollow night ,gathered it up red-wet from ,golgotha4 ,three crosses lay about the grass-- ,such arms and shafts of crosses on the grass6-- ,when she1 who gathered1 crept ,among the prostrate arms2 ,roused a great death-bird from the ground1 ,and1 in its place1 ,bent down and pressed her lips where it had couched1 ,and lifted up the ground to press her heart2 ,and went her way1 hugging the ,sacred ,blood ,as in a sponge of turf1 ,that dried about the treasure1 now grown hard1 ,as if it mothered ruby of the mines-- ,a clod of blooded soil4 ,o ,relics of the ,holy ,magdalen6 ,the balmy hair her plea1 ,god's ,blood her grace3 ,within a vase her gift1 ,within a turf-clod ,his-- ,her relics1 by her corpse2 ,all she had cared to keep1 ,through hermit years of life1 ,to bless her in her tomb ,till ,judgment-,day4 ,,on ,,caucasus ,lo1 ,crimean marble-quarries tower ,colder even than snow-peaks in their power1 ,to the very heart stone-white3 ,and the ,christian captives strain ,on the hillsides in their pain1 ,as they toil for ,trajan day and night4 ,who is this who comes with stirless brow1 ,and sweet eyes that never could allow ,rebels save upon their knees8 ,through the hills a voice is fanned ,that ,pope ,clement hath been banned ,straightly to the marble ,chersonese4 ,toiling with his people 'mid the rocks1 ,on a streamless slope1 the quarried blocks ,he compels to whiteness clear4 ,there a bitter cry is made ,of the thirst that1 unallayed1 ,dreams of well1 or freshet1 or wide mere4 ,he hath climbed to pray4444 ,a lamb he sees1 ,pawing gladly in the mountain-breeze1 ,very golden unto snow3 ,lamb of ,god1 cross-aureoled1 ,lovely on ,his vertex bold1 ,set above a ,river's gush and flow4 ,by the brazen footstroke is expressed ,impetus as of ,god's ,river blest4 ,dew and snow in all their shine ,round that heavenly ,lamb and ,stream ,take the lustre of their dream1 ,in a flood and blush of flame combine4 ,on the heavens1 from ,patmos' shore1 ,john beheld this crystal sight before-- ,not to bring a people aid2 ,but1 sweet ,clement1 thou hast seen1 on earth ,god's own ,lamb1 ,his ,river's birth2 ,how ,he shone and how its waters played6 ,,in ,,the ,,sea 7,,the ,,martyrdom ,,of ,,st4 ,,clement7 8,lord ,jesus ,christ1 have mercy6 ,save him1 save60-- 8,father1 receive my spirit from the wave40 ,rolls the great ,sea of the ,chersonese ,tossed and facing him and these4444 ,cold in waters1 high in heap ,as a quarry should it sweep ,with a landslip down on men3 ,and it roars as in its den ,roars a monster apt for blood4 ,he must journey on this flood ,to the harbour of his soul2 ,he must seek his furthest goal1 ,with an anchor round his neck1 ,from yon tossing vessel's deck ,cast to drown1 when out at sea ,full three miles that ship may be4 ,and his fellow-exiles cry1 8,let him not1 ,lord ,jesus1 die60 ,on the clouds the vessel is a spot4 8,lord ,jesus1 save him6444 ,is there not1 ,o brothers1 in the sea retreat-- ,caught back1 rolling from our feet1 ,not in waves1 as under tide1 ,but withdrawn on every side8 ,very solemn is this floor6 ,we can see the waves no more4 ,let us follow them athwart ,sea-deeps with no waters fraught2 ,let us wipe our tears away1 ,let us take this holy way6 ,large the floor and larger still3 ,must the whole horizon fill ,with a land of weed and shell1 ,where no billows native dwell ,any more--we know not why3 ,any more1 since we made cry80 ,as the sunset clears the sky1 ,yet across its wondrous space ,there is one transcendent place ,where the sun is laid to rest3 ,so these mourners1 strangely blessed-- ,over sand and coral clean ,and unbroken shells1 serene1 ,with the peace where sea hath been1 ,over panting sea-stars bright1 ,silver-raying fishes1 mad ,for the livesome brine they had-- ,come upon a ,temple-grot1 ,set before them in a spot ,of the naked desert1 left ,by the ocean's woof and weft ,of the tidal streams withdrawn4 ,there upon the sand1 forlorn ,in its beauty1 far remote1 ,stands a ,temple-shrine1 they note ,of the ,holy ,spirit's dream4444 ,and they cross a little stream1 ,thrilling with the far-off sea2 ,and they follow what must be1 ,as they tread within the shrine1 ,builded marble for a sign ,angels had been set to build ,on a ground the ocean filled4 ,in a tabernacle lies1 ,lone and grand to seeking eyes1 ,not the sunk sun1 but a tomb1 ,whitest marble1 and the room ,of the holy ,clement dead4 ,there he lies1 how comforted6 ,through the mighty water brought ,to a peace1 a harbour wrought ,of the holy ,angels' care4 ,close his anchor6 ,he so still ,and sufficed--the waves that kill ,driven away by angel-hands2 ,while his people's exile bands ,kneel around him in the sea4444 ,come to port1 his anchor by6 ,thus the sun each day must die3 ,thus sweet ,clement but one day ,in the sea sank down1 and lay ,as at sunset1 full of peace4 ,they bear him to the land3 and the flood-tides increase4 8,,communicantes ,,et ,,memoriam ,,venerantes 444 ,,joannis ,,et ,,pauli0 ,two olive-branches--silver2 two candelabra1--gold3 ,precious as only tried and precious things ,are of their essence bold1 ,the ,roman ,john and ,paul--young heads together-- ,pray on1 nor is there any question whether ,the image that the ,emperor's ,prfect brings ,for worship will be worshipped1 for already ,the service of their ritual is so steady ,it is as day moving to noon1 and moving to night's fold4 ,in one white1 empty chamber two brethren1 yet as one1 ,and as a sepulchre their home made bare4 ,ye ask what they have done8 ,and the poor answer1 8,these would have no treasure ,save this1 that they can die40 ,o solemn pleasure ,to see their home a casket everywhere ,wrought for their hour of death6 ,gone the slow mornings ,through which they wearied out the ,emperor's warnings6 ,now they would hold their jewel safe in their white walls1 with prayer4 ,the silence6 ,one can listen how the gold morning sun ,sings through the air1 the hush is grown so fine4 ,steps6--,thus intrusive run ,rain-storms on solitudes--,a white-flashed gleaming6 ,the brow of ,jove1 the cloud-white hair1 the beaming ,cloud-swirl of beard6 ,a voice that bids1 8,incline1 ,and offer homage60 444 ,how the silence tingles6 ,the sun with air in call and echo mingles3 ,those brethren of closed senses--peace6 they have made no sign4 ,they had not sought to gather1 even for the sick and poor1 ,the lilies of their garden--head by head1 ,the older with the newer-- ,nor violet-roots from ,pstum1 the weaved roses4 ,and now the garden of their home uncloses ,to cover into secrecy the dead3 ,deep hidden by the roses they had watered1 ,lying together sanctified and slaughtered1 ,their blood upon them underground1 above the rose-leaves spread4 4 4 4 4 ,lured1 as the demons wander1 demons sore afraid1 ,unclean1 tormented1 and that do not cease ,their rending cries for aid1 ,the son of him who slew the saints1 by daytime ,wandering1 by night1 that garden in the ,maytime1 ,is cured of his distraction and at peace3 ,then glad ,terentius1 coming to the garden1 ,of which his well-belovd is the warden1 ,plucketh a reed to glorify the martyrs he hath made4 ,,in ,,monte ,,fanno ,sylvester by an open tomb ,beheld ,time's vanity and doom-- ,a lovely body1 as a flower1 ,left by a ploughman's foot1 wet in a shower4 ,sylvester meditated1 thought ,his days to solitude were brought4 ,sight of a corpse within its grave6444 ,to be an eremite alone were brave4 ,sylvester is a monk3 and men ,grow frequent round his holy den3 ,thence to a mount he leads them out1 ,called ,fannus 444 through the wood they hear a shout4 ,sylvester builds his cloister4--,hush6 ,across the doorstep comes a rush1 ,and all the monks faint with a lure ,that those in burgeoning woods lost deep endure4 ,sylvester calls into the dark-- ,there is a breath of those that hark-- 8,peace1 peace6 ,i am ,sylvester6 ,peace60 ,trespass and echoes and sweet motions cease4 ,sylvester in the woods1 as still ,even as the grave that bowed his will1 ,when he became at first a monk1 ,rules every power in oak and olive-trunk4 ,sylvester conquers by his name3 ,king ,fannus and all ,fauns lie tame ,beneath it1 and the wild-wood ,cross1 ,that he hath planted deep into the moss4 ,sylvester and his monks are clear ,from any advent warm and drear ,through any door3 but sometimes he ,looks with slant eyes through piles of leafery4 ,,macrinus ,,against ,,trees 8,how bare6 ,how all the lion-desert lies ,before your cell6 ,behind1 are leaves and boughs on which your eyes ,could1 as the eyes of shepherd1 on his flock1 ,that turn to the soft mass from barren rock1 ,familiarly dwell40 8,o ,traveller1 for me the empty sands ,burning to white6 ,there nothing on the wilderness withstands ,the soul or prayer4 ,i would not look on trees2 ,my thoughts and will were shaken in their breeze1 ,and buried as by night4 8,yea1 listen6 ,if you build a cell1 at last1 ,turned to the wood1 ,your fall is near1 your safety over-past2 ,and if you plant a tree beside your door ,your fall is there beside it1 and no more ,the solitude is frank and good4 8,for trees must have soft dampness for their growth1 ,and interfold ,their boughs and leaves into a screen1 not loath ,to hide soft1 tempting creatures at their play1 ,that1 playing timbrels and bright shawms1 delay1 ,and wear one's spirit old4 8,smoothly such numberless distractions come-- ,impertinence ,of multiplicity1 salute and hum4 ,away with solitude of leafy shade1 ,mustering coy birds and beasts1 and men waylaid1 ,tingling each hooded sense6 8,did not ,god call out of a covert-wood ,adam and ,eve1 ,where1 cowering under earliest sin1 they stood1 ,the hugged green-leaves in bunches round their den8 ,himself ,god called them out--so lost are men ,whom forest-haunts receive60 ,,paschal',s ,,mass ,the sheep still in dew1 but the sky ,in sun1 the far river in sun2 ,and the incense of flowers steeped bright-- ,their smell as sweet light2 ,and the shepherd-boy tethered on high ,to his flock and his day's work begun4 ,the bees in the wind of the dawn2 ,the larks not yet climbing aloft ,as high as the ,aragon ,hills 444 ,what bell-ringing thrills ,through the bell-wether's pastoral lorn8 ,from the valley a bell clear and soft4 ,the shepherd-boy kneeling in dew2 ,the bell of his wether rung sharp2 ,below him the tinkle and sway1 ,from far1 far away1 ,of the sacring-bell1 clear as a harp ,in its chime of ,god lifted anew4 ,for his ,god1 in the vale1 on the height ,he weeps2 while the morning-larks rise4 ,lo1 in chasuble1 living and rich ,golden rays cross-stitch1 ,foreshown by magnificent light-- ,lo1 an angel grows firm on his eyes6 ,as an altar of marvellous stone ,before him the mountain hath blazed1 ,round the angel1 who lifts in the air ,a ,sun that is there3 ,to the sheep and the shepherd-boy shown1 ,with the ringing of larks1 ,god is raised4 ,o ,angel-priest1 fragrant with thyme1 ,girt with sixfold glorious wings6 ,o sky of the mountains above ,adventurous ,love6 ,how through air and the larks' watchful chime ,earth her incense1 as thurifer1 flings6 ,o ,sacrament1 shown to a boy1 ,more blest than the ,shepherds of old1 ,he is thine for his lifetime1 cast ,on his mountain vast1 ,in his joy1 his great freshness of joy ,from that high1 singing daylight of gold6 ,a ,,snow-,,cave ,suddenly the snow is falling fast3 ,slow the lovely speed1 ,all the air being full with fulness cast ,on the mounded world 444 ,and the firmamental snow will give no heed1 ,nor the snow terrestrial have a care ,for anything its heavy deluge hides1 ,for anything upcurled ,in its mountain-hug1 nor what abides ,imprisoned deep of the imprisoning air4 ,peter of ,alcantara1 how wide ,and untrodden quite ,swells the sudden snow on every side1 ,speckled with no sign1 ,one in uncontrollable and fearful white6 4 4 4 4 ,swiftly1 as it came1 its mood is changed 444 ,now it drifts a white flame of caress1 ,as if it took design1 ,learnt a new art of its loveliness1 ,and in a cave above the ,saint is ranged4 ,hour on hour the world is flooded bright ,with fair agency1 ,in continuance a sleep1 of might ,to lay death athwart ,any bosom1 any limbs that cannot flee3 ,yet safely housed the holy traveller waits1 ,though in that white storm caught2 ,for the deep snow of earth its snow abates ,before a force of deeper chastity4 ,little flakes1 that touch with feet like birds1 ,touch him not at all1 ,but lie convex in a wave that curds1 ,bowed upon its vault1 ,stooping on him almost won to fall1 ,yet in strength withheld1 whole in its love1 ,as a virgin praying for a priest3 ,so in its lovely halt1 ,so aloof from sense1 it rears above ,the saint its covert1 not a flake released4 ,,prophet ,blessed with joy1 as daybreak under cloud-- ,tender light of youth in the old face-- ,blessed with joy beneath the weight and shroud ,of the years before this day of ,grace1 ,simeon blesses ,god and praises ,him1 ,as a little child and mother slim ,with first girlhood come their way ,toward his face1 and night becometh day4 ,prophet1 joy for thee and for thy land6 ,wide the welcome and the peace of joy6 ,but he takes the infant on his hand1 ,graciously receives the milking boy ,from the mother's bosom1 from her heart1 ,while she stands in reverence apart4 ,lo1 the old man's countenance1 ,in a wave of anguish breaks from trance6 ,all the features lift with power1 and sink1 ,as if sudden earthquake heaved and rolled ,through them1 from a sudden thought they think4 ,can a child of but a few weeks old ,so confuse with terror an old man8 ,yea1 this child1 laid on his fingers' span1 ,is for the ruin or the rise ,of the generations1 ,simeon cries4 ,yea1 a child1 a tender handful1 sleek ,as a pearl--and the dire earthquake's power ,in his little body set1 to wreak ,dread requital on the souls that cower ,mad with desolation1 naked1 lost1 ,or uplifted wild from a dead host3 ,for the rise and ruin set ,of so many--but not yet1 not yet6 ,shattered by the ,child1 the ,prophet turns ,to the slender ,mother1 bright and bowed4 ,woe again6 ,a flawless lightning burns ,through his eyes and his weak voice rings loud1 ,how a sword shall pierce her heart alone ,that out of many hearts their thoughts be shown4 ,simeon1 terror masks all joy ,in this ,mother and her milking ,boy6 ,,looking ,,upon ,,jesus ,,as ,,he ,,walked ,what is it thou hast seen1 ,o desert prophet1 hung with camel's hair1 and lean8 ,what makes thine eyes so wide8 ,not the huge desert where the camel-owners ride2 ,but ,one1 who comes along1 ,so humble in ,his steps1 and yet to ,him belong ,thy days in their surcease1 ,because ,he must increase as thou must now decrease4 ,behold thy ,god1 whose strength ,is as the coiling-in of thy life's length6 ,thou of wide eyes1 wide soul1 ,thy heart-blood as ,he comes to thee heaves on its goal6 ,saint of the sinner1 ,john1 ,those whom thy lustral water hath been poured upon1 ,those who have kept thy fast ,with locusts and wild honey and long hours have passed ,in penance1 when they see ,christ coming toward them1 young and fair with what shall be1 ,and giving ,god delight1 ,they know1 by very doom of that remorseless sight1 ,that they1 as they have been1 ,will fade away1 diminish and no more be seen3 ,they must1 ,o desert saint1 ,bow them to certain death and yet they must not faint1 ,and yet they must proclaim ,the obliterating flourish of their ,slayer's name4 ,a ,,dance ,,of ,,death ,how lovely is a silver winter-day ,of sturdy ice4 ,that clogs the hidden river's tiniest bay ,with diamond-stone of price ,to make an empress cast her dazzling stones ,upon its light as hail-- ,so little its effulgency condones ,her diamonds' denser trail ,of radiance on the air6 ,how strange this ice1 so motionless and still1 ,yet calling as with music to our feet1 ,so that they chafe and dare ,their swiftest motion to repeat ,these harmonies of challenge1 sounds that fill ,the floor of ice1 as the crystalline sphere ,around the heavens is filled with such a song ,that1 when they hear1 ,the stars1 each in their heaven1 are drawn along6 ,oh1 see1 a dancer6 ,one whose feet ,move on unshod with steel6 ,she is not skating fleet ,on toe and heel1 ,but only tip-toe dances in a whirl1 ,a lovely dancing-girl1 ,upon the frozen surface of the stream4 ,without a wonder1 it would seem1 ,she could not keep her sway1 ,the balance of her limbs ,sure on the musical1 iced river-way ,that1 sparkling1 dims ,her trinkets as they swing1 so high its sparks ,tingle the sun and scatter song like larks4 ,she dances mid the sumptuous whiteness set ,of winter's sunniest noon2 ,she dances as the sun-rays that forget ,in winter sunset falleth soon ,to sheer sunset3 ,she dances with a languor through the frost ,as she had never lost1 ,in lands where there is snow1 ,the ,orient's immeasurable glow4 ,who is this dancer white-- ,a creature slight1 ,weaving the ,east upon a stream of ice1 ,that in a trice ,might trip the dance and fling the dancer down8 ,does she not know deeps under ice can drown8 ,this is ,salome1 in a western land1 ,an exile with ,herodias1 her mother1 ,with ,herod and ,herodias3 ,and she has sought the river's icy mass1 ,companioned by no other1 ,to dance upon the ice--each hand ,held1 as a snow-bird's wings1 ,in heavy poise4 ,ecstatic1 with no noise1 ,athwart the ice her dream1 her spell she flings2 ,and ,winter in a rapture of delight ,flings up and down the spangles of her light4 ,oh1 hearken1 hearken6444 ,ice and frost1 ,from these cajoling motions freed1 ,have straight given heed ,to ,will more firm4 ,in their obedience ,their masses dense ,are riven as by a sword4444 ,where is the ,vision by the snow adored8 ,the ,vision is no more ,seen from the noontide shore4 ,oh1 fearful crash of thunder from the stream1 ,as there were thunder-clouds upon its wave6 ,could nothing save ,the dancer in the noontide beam8 ,she is engulphed and all the dance is done4 ,bright leaps the noontide sun-- ,but stay1 what leaps beneath it8 ,a gold head1 ,that twinkles with its jewels bright ,as water-drops4444 ,o murdered ,baptist of the severed head1 ,her head was caught and girded tight1 ,and severed by the ice-brook sword1 and sped ,in dance that never stops4 ,it skims and hops ,across the ice that rasped it4 ,smooth and gay1 ,and void of care1 ,it takes its sunny way3 ,but underneath the golden hair1 ,and underneath those jewel-sparks1 ,keen noontide marks ,a little face as grey as evening ice2 ,lips1 open in a scream no soul may hear ,eyes fixed as they beheld the silver plate ,that they at ,macherontis once beheld2 ,while the hair trails1 although so fleet and nice ,the motion of the head as subjugate ,to its own law3 yet in the face what fear1 ,to what excess compelled6 ,salome's head is dancing on the bright ,and silver ice4 ,o holy ,john1 how still ,was laid thy head upon the salver white1 ,when thou hadst done ,god's ,will6 ,,obedience ,o instrument of ,god1 baptizing men ,in vehement1 lone ,jordan of the wilds1 ,amid the rushes1 when ,thou wert startled by the sight ,of ,one coming1 simply bright ,as a ,lamb1 across the sand1 ,thou didst tremble to abide ,in the shallows and to dash the tide ,of the current on a ,head ,that must bow beneath the sin of men6 ,thou wouldst only1 at command1 ,keep thy awful station1 grown more awful then4 ,but thou wert obedient to ,his word1 ,who was greater beyond words than thou1 ,as thy lips averred3 ,and1 obedient1 thou wert blest ,with the presence manifest ,of the ,holy ,trinity-- ,thou the ,body of the ,son ,didst behold on which thy rite was done2 ,thou didst hear the ,father's ,voice1 ,as the firmament soft thunder heard2 ,and thy senses1 blest to hear and see1 ,might behold the ,spirit poised1 a sunlit ,bird4 ,,gardens ,,enclosed ,garden by the brook1 ,the brook ,kedron-- ,olive-silvered nook1 ,red flowers to kneel on3 ,there in blood and strife divine1 ,there a ,eucharist outspread1 ,christ gave the ,father in a chalice ,wine1 ,and in ,his yielded ,will ,he offered ,bread4 ,garden on the hill1 ,mount ,golgotha1 ,have you a running rill ,from your rocky spur8 8,yea1 a water from ,his side1 ,who was hanging on a ,tree3 ,son of ,man1 they called ,him1 and ,he died1 ,and is hidden in my rock with me40 ,,garden-,,seed ,what art ,thou sowing in the garden-ground1 ,sowing1 sowing with such pain8 ,clouds are overhead1 and all around ,spring hath fallen spring-rain ,of seed-growing power4 ,lo1 where ,thou bowest down1 it seems a shower ,hath laid the grass1 as rain ran through1 ,engendering rain1 stronger than early dew4 ,it is ,thy ,agony that pierces deep ,through the sod of that still place2 ,for ,thou bowest down where ,thou dost weep1 ,bowest down ,thy face2 ,and ,thou sowest seed1 ,drops of ,thy most ,holy ,blood1 that bleed ,through brow and limbs in sweat1 and stay ,red on the ,earth1 while the tears sink away4 ,sower1 what herb shall spring1 what flower be born8 ,will pomegranate-apples hang1 ,when we pass this way1 some morn8 ,struck with spring's own pang1 ,this our eyes will see-- ,faith that shoulders great buds lustily2 ,hope that shoots up a hundredfold2 ,and ,love in roses wondrous to behold4 ,,universa ,,cohors ,they call the cohort from all sides together4444 ,there is a king1 a king of mockery1 ,his kingdom a pretence1 ,an actor to be dressed for all to see1 ,whose body oozes from the cords or leather ,that struck with lashes dense-- ,there is a king to mock1 a make-believe ,to be derided1 a poor form to grieve ,with haughty purple of the robe of state1 ,and acclamations powerless to elate2 ,a victim to be tortured and made grand ,with clothes whose pomp ,he cannot understand1 ,claiming with slavish brow their heritage3 ,there is the mocking of a solemn dupe1 ,with laughter and a jollity of rage4 ,they call together1 like the vultures called ,to feast on what is yet a feast forestalled1 ,the cohort in a troop4 ,o ,martyrs1 press together from all regions1 ,you have a ,king1 a ,king for whom you died-- ,his kingdom built on gems-- ,and ye are dressed in purple from ,his side2 ,the stoles of glory1 clothing all your legion1 ,his purple to their hems6 ,press round ,him whom the ,romans mocked that day1 ,press round ,him1 ,martyrs2 keep ,his foes at bay6 ,and let me1 though far off from your bright red ,of vestures triumphing in ,blood ,he shed1 ,yet wrap my heart in ,his deep sanguine robe1 ,ensanguined from the scourge1 and nails that probe1 ,and spear that cleaves6 ,wrapt in ,his ,blood1 ,o heart1 ,we must bear witness that ,his purple dress ,is not the dressing of an actor's part1 ,but of a ,royalty no woof of man ,might clothe that ,day of ,woe1 nor ever can-- ,that is the ,martyr's dress4 ,,in ,,extremis ,what is the desert8 ,thirst1 ,and very immolation's loneliness6 ,upon that land of death dry ridges press1 ,like to sand-drifts on the tongue-- ,and the sequestered heart through fear will burst4 ,armies have gone along1 ,defeated1 to oblivion among ,the naught of those bare sands-- ,banners and horses and bright-harnessed bands4 ,none hath beheld the banners wave and slip ,abyssward1 and the horses1 under whip ,of crazy dust1 plunge down ,with manes sand-tossed1 ,beneath the plain they crossed1 ,making athwart the breadth a little frown1 ,gone in its very moment1 like the smile ,that followed1 as the horsemen flashed awhile ,above the grave1 and sank bright1 and were gone4 ,o desert1 full of plots1 ,on lapping water1 of sleek palm-tree knots1 ,and isles in haunted channels2 cruel earth1 ,mirage of desolation1 grace of dearth1 ,many have died in anguish at the pain ,never to drink those lakes that gibe and wane6 8,i thirst0--8,my ,god1 ,thou hast forsaken ,me60 ,parched1 sinking in abysses mortally1 ,o ,christ1 and there is none to succour ,thee1 ,water of ,life1 perpetual ,deity6 ,a ,,ligno ,there were trees that spring-- ,one on a little hill1 ,one in a small1 green field4 ,one stood a leaf-stripped thing2 ,one had begun to fill ,with leaves from shoots unsealed1 ,with purple flowers along the wood-- ,so those trees stood4 ,one bore up a ,form ,on the clean branches nailed1 ,ineffable in peace3 ,one bent as if a storm ,in its descent had trailed ,down the red blossom-fleece2 ,and where the boughs most sullen hung ,a crisped form swung4 ,one the ,tree of ,life-- ,both near ,jerusalem-- ,and one of ,death the ,tree6 ,one bore a bitter strife2 ,a cry came from its stem3 8,thou hast forsaken ,me60 ,the other heard no sound at all1 ,save a dumb fall4 ,both were gibbet-trees-- ,from one was said1 8,forgive6 ,they know not what they do40 ,one rocked in purple breeze ,despair1 that would not live1 ,nor trust forgiveness3--no6 ,and from the wreathd branches fell ,a soul to ,hell4 ,,one ,,reed ,shaken by winds to sigh1 to song1 ,one reed amid the misty throng ,that to a reed-bed1 ,christ1 belong-- ,one reed among ,those who are reeds to every wind1 ,now in ,thy ,presence1 now declined3 ,cut me away from dim caprice1 ,and sheer me from the reedy fleece6 ,let my poor1 shivering motion cease1 ,dead of ,thy peace3 ,a reed and no more shaken--yea1 ,no more a slant sedge-reed ,i pray6 ,no more6 ,but1 ,mercy infinite1 ,let me not be a reed to smite ,the thorns within ,thy forehead tight1 ,and urge to sight ,thy sacred ,blood and urge ,thy pain6 ,better the devious winds again6 ,upon ,thy lips let me but lay ,such sour1 dun vintage as ,i may2 ,push not the sponge-tipped spear away1 ,but let it stay6 ,oh1 let the bitter draught through me ,bring to ,thy ,cross some lenity6 ,,crying ,,out ,in the ,orient heat ,he stands-- ,heat that makes the palm-trees dim1 ,palms that do not shelter ,him1 ,as under the fierce blue ,he stands with outstretched hands4 ,as a lizard of the rocks1 ,under furnace-sun ,he stays2 ,earth beneath ,him in a daze ,is faint and trembling1 spite of rocks1 in shadeless blocks4 ,he among them mid the blue1 ,with a mouth wide open held1 ,as a lion-fountain welled ,under the spaciousness of blue1 the heat throbs through4 ,wide ,his mouth as lion's1 set ,wide for waters of a fount6 ,through them words of challenge mount1 ,great words that cry through them1 wide-set1 where men have met4 8,ye the thirsty come to ,me60 ,so ,he cries with lion-roar3 8,ye will thirst not any more4 ,come60 and ,he stands for all to see1 and offers free4 ,jesus1 in the ,eastern sun1 ,a strange prophet with ,his cry6 ,while the folk are passing by1 ,and clack their tongues1 nor will they run where thirst is done4 ,,ad ,,mortem ,this sin is unto death4 ,whose death8 ,fair tomb ,of virgin rock1 not for my corse such room6 ,where never man hath lain ,shall ,i by sin attain-- ,among the unpolluted crystals lie ,in my malignity8 ,for ,i have killed my ,god1 and ,i behold ,his burial1 behold ,his ,body rolled ,in a new sheet with nard1 ,and in the grotto hard ,lying as hard--,o tenderest ,love6--as block ,of that new-cloven rock4 ,as a vile1 wandering spectre ,i must stray1 ,now ,i have quenched the ,light1 that was my ,day1 ,by wickedness1 almost ,against the ,holy ,ghost1 ,laying within ,his tomb ,god1 laying ,him ,wound tight in face and limb4 ,i cannot see6 ,my eyes are wells that beat ,fountains of tears forth on my hands and feet3 ,with fire of pain ,i cry1 ,that angels of the sky ,come forth4444 8,my ,god1 arise and live once more6 ,my sin ,i will abhor6 8,divine ,one1 be not dead and put away6 ,o ,holy ,ghost1 blow down the stone1 ,i pray1 ,though it should crush me there ,outspread1 the worst ,i dare4 ,divine ,one1 mid the tombs1 with pardoning grace ,unwrap ,thy limbs1 ,thy face6 8,austere come forth upon me as grey dawn6 ,well it had been that ,i had not been born1 ,who could ,thy burial see64444 ,what will become of me1 ,unless ,thou wilt arise and bid me live1 ,unless ,thou wilt forgive80 ,but there is ,easter every day and hour ,when by the crevice of ,thy tomb we cower1 ,ghosts from dank night1 and call1 ,and wait for one footfall ,of the arising1 awful ,love we doomed ,ourselves to lie entombed4 ,,the ,,flower ,,fadeth ,the ,lord died yesterday3-- ,lowly and single1 lost1 ,his worn disciples1 tossed ,with pain of tears1 have wandered wide ,in the country-fields1 as sheep might stray4 ,no need to hide1 ,for harvesters that shout and sing have heard ,of the far city's rumour scarce a word1 ,and only stare to see a stranger lost4 ,tears fight with ,peter's breath-- ,he roves a field of grass1 ,at eventide 444 a mass ,of faded flower of grass1 grown grey1 ,cut from sap and clinging into death1 ,and bowed one way4 ,alone amid the darkness soon to be ,deep midnight1 ,peter mourneth bitterly ,christ buried1 the sunk day1 the flower of grass4 ,yet he had hailed ,him ,christ4444 ,the straw and clover feel ,sudden a lifted heel1 ,and1 rudely whirled aside1 are left ,by the stranger's feet1 they had enticed ,beneath their weft4 ,but he is on the rock1 the narrow way1 ,as if he talked with something he would say1 ,as if he would conceive as he could feel4 ,he stands thus in sweet dark1 ,the hay upon the air1 ,his feet on bare rock bare1 ,set as a statue's1 waiting on4444 ,is it a trumpet raised and sounded8 ,hark1 ,hath a torch shone8 ,the cock crows and the sun appears6 ,yet dry ,is ,peter's face1 although the dawn-bird cry1 ,as the first ,easter ,day assumes the air4 ,,fear ,,not ,a little chamber1 shadowed1 still ,as cave within a marble hill-- ,o ,virgin ,mother1 thou dost fill ,the little space1 bent down in prayer6 ,sudden1 through tears1 thou art aware ,how ,one is standing at thy door1 ,as stood1 some thirty years before1 ,the ,angel when thy fear was sore4 ,o ,virgin--,virgin-,mother now1 ,no creature half so still as thou1 ,with the black wimple round thy brow1 ,for ,he hath entered3 very white ,his body1 lovely as first light4 ,thou tremblest 444 ,mother1 thou dost hear ,an ,ave stealing through thy fear1 ,as ,he who entered draweth near6 8,jesus80--,she quickly hid in dread ,the name that through her being spread ,its lustre1 for her ,son was dead4444 ,and yet her arms rise up1 her eyes ,raised as at morning sacrifice3 ,for blessd is she in this dower ,beyond the ,holy ,ghost's1 that hour ,when ,he encompassed her in power4 ,,recognition ,breath from the water1 breath down from the moon1 ,a trembling influence between1 so mild1 ,the water-hen makes tempest if she croon1 ,and fishers from the ship look forth beguiled3 ,they look on1 careless of the reeds aswim1 ,and know not why they watch the shoreway dim2 ,why watch the single form that moves along1 ,so dark in nobleness of solitude1 ,by the lake-side1 and gathers from among ,the rushes fallen rush as fuel rude4 ,one from the ship bows forwards in the night4444 ,what makes that fisher's face so gaily white8 ,a voice comes to them3 8,children1 have ye caught ,all the night nothing80 ,and the voice entreats3 8,stretch forth your nets60--,behold1 the nets are fraught1 ,once dipped1 with fish1 a silver dance1 that beats ,against the trellis4444 ,and ,john's face shines now ,as ,lucifer1 the ,dawn-star1 from the prow4 ,in ,peter's ear 8,it is the ,lord0 he saith-- ,virgin1 he knows the ,virgin ,deity3 ,then on the secret holding back his breath1 ,while ,peter girds his clothes on boisterously ,to spring out overboard1 ,john doth abide ,with his own smile1 and steers to the ,loved ,side4 ,,venit ,,jesus 7,,in ,,the ,,confessional7 8,peace be to you60--,the door is closed4 8,peace be to you60--,only ,his ,wounds lie wide1 ,his ,wounds in hands1 and side4 ,and feet1 ,his ,wounds exposed4 ,and ,i rejoice ,at ,his still hands and at the voice ,of the ,wounds calling through twilight2 ,for here the day is almost night1 ,in its severe and curtained dark4444 ,but ,i rejoice to hark ,what on ,his priest ,he whispers low1 ,breathing the breath of power through day's eclipse1 ,a sigh on all the place ,as of creation on the waters' face3 8,receive the ,holy ,spirit6 ,all the sins ,you shall remit1 remitted are1 ,and those you shall retain1 they are retained40 ,listen6 ,the empery this chamber wins6 ,a ,law moves here as peaceful as a star ,moves on the circle of its sway ordained4 ,here let me kneel1 and every struggle cease6 ,here the dark ,wounds bleed over me in peace3 ,here ,god hath come to bless me at nightfall1 ,with words of consolation that appal1 ,for ,i had left ,him1 as the gathered few ,of ,his disciples ,he passed1 darkling1 through3 ,and yet ,he came to them as comes a dew4444 ,o bounty of such stillness6--8,peace to you60 ,,ascension ,fine1 jealous1 in suspicion as a child1 ,in jealousy more infinitely wild1 ,forth to us from ,thy ,father ,thou didst come3 ,now to ,thy ,father in ,his home ,ascend--to the ,beginning and the ,dawn6 ,pass to the ,east1 ,new-born our priest-- ,the ,east1 ,and where the rose is born6 ,o ,heaven of ,heavens1 as no sea is clear1 ,o ,eastern ,gate of ,waters1 with a spear ,day rings you wide for ,christ to be released6 ,he passes free from ,earth1 our priest ,forth to ,his ,shrine3 our love1 grown tense1 ,would follow ,him1 ,through ,seraphim ,lost dim1 ,his servers who incense4 ,,confluence ,genitori genitoque ,laus et jubilatio4 ,one--from the limits of the sky1 whence rain ,and sun and dew come down1 ,moveth1 a sheet of fire1 and in ,his train1 ,where the flames ripple brown1 ,are spirits to be born ,into the ,earth1 dim creatures slender1 ,girt in the train of ,him whose brows are tender1 ,compulsive1 sweet as in the strength of morn4 ,one--from the deepness of the ,earth1 where graves ,have fallen on gems in rock1 ,moveth1 a sheet of fire1 whose ruddy waves ,have gathered up a flock ,of people on all sides1 ,redeemed from ,earth by that red flowing ,behind a ,form1 as if from sunset glowing ,above the wheat1 when harvest-home betides4 ,,imple ,,superna ,,gratia ,we may enter far into a rose1 ,parting it1 hut the bee deeper still3 ,with our eyes we may even penetrate ,to a ruby and our vision fill2 ,though a beam of sunlight deeper knows ,how the ruby's heart-rays congregate4 ,give me finer potency of gift6 ,for ,thy ,holy ,wounds ,i would attain1 ,as a bee the feeding loveliness ,of the sanguine roses4 ,i would lift ,flashes of such faith that ,i may drain ,from each ,gem the wells of ,blood that press6 ,,words ,,of ,,the ,,bridegroom ,ye who would follow ,me with song1 ,my heavenly bodyguard1 ,my throng ,of happy throats1 with voices free ,as birds in deep-wood secrecy2 ,ye who would be the core of ,heaven round ,me1 ,and therefore songsters of felicity ,beyond all ranges of the singing ,that myriad voices of the ,blessed are flinging ,in skylark madness to ,me distantly2 ,my ,virgins1 ,my delight and neighbourhood1 ,the white flowers of ,my ,precious ,blood1 ,through whom it rises up and yields ,fragrance to ,me of lily-fields2 ,how shall ye keep the whiteness of your vow8 ,my ,virgins1 ,my white ,brides1 ,i whisper how3 ,of ,virgin flesh1 a ,virgin ,god1 ,incarnate among men ,i trod2 ,and when as ,bread they feed on ,me ,needs must that ,bread be of ,virginity4 ,feed at ,my altar1 ,my white ,doves1 ,feed on the ,bread ,my ,mother loves6 ,a ,,magic ,,mirror ,thou art in the early youth ,of ,thy mission1 ,thou the ,truth3 ,thy young eyes behold the glory ,of the lilies' burnished story ,that the lovely dress they don ,vaunts it over ,solomon4 ,fields of lilies and of corn ,thou dost tarry through at dawn1 ,seeing in their life a spell1 ,drawing it as grace to dwell ,in ,thy first disciples' eyes4 ,we of far-off centuries ,see ,thee on the cornfields' sod1 ,mid the lily-heads1 a ,god ,young and dumb as yet of grief4 ,lo1 although the time is brief1 ,all the heavenly things1 ,thou must ,suffer1 because ,love is just ,to a perfect building's measure1 ,thou hast buried under pleasure ,of ,thy heart incarnate mid ,youths ,thou call'st and forces hid ,with fresh flowers and stems of gold4 ,yet ,thy vision1 waxing bold ,through the ,truth1 amid the light ,of this world's green1 gold and white1 ,sees a desert stretch away1 ,stretched on its upheavals gray1 ,round a serpent lifted high ,in untarnishable sky4 ,thou dost see that serpent high ,in untarnishable sky3 ,and with ruddy lips dost say ,how the ,son of ,man one day ,must be lifted for ,love's sake4 ,thy bright eyes1 so clear awake1 ,see ,thy ,body lifted high ,as a serpent's in the sky4 ,day by day ,thou see'st ,thy ,cross-- ,yet the cornfields are not dross2 ,nor the lilies1 kinglike clad1 ,grave-clothes of a weaving sad4 ,life for lily-flowers too fair-- ,no sustaining corn may share-- ,thou dost hail for those who gaze ,on the serpent's lifted maze4 ,feeder among ,lilies1 ,bread ,to ,thy multitudes outspread1 ,let me love ,thy pasture1 all ,bliss that round my life may fall1 ,though my eyes and voice1 as ,thine1 ,witness the raised serpent's twine4 ,,descent ,,from ,,the ,,cross ,come down from the ,cross1 my soul1 and save thyself--come down6 ,thou wilt be free as wind4 ,none meeting thee will know ,how thou wert hanging stark1 my soul1 outside the town4 ,thou wilt fare to and fro2 ,thy feet in grass will smell of faithful thyme2 thy head 444 ,think of the thorns1 my soul--how thou wilt cast them off1 ,with shudder at the bleeding clench they hold6 ,but on their wounds thou wilt a balsam spread1 ,and over that a verdurous circle rolled ,with gathered violets1 sweet bright violets1 sweet ,as incense of the thyme on thy free feet2 ,a wreath thou wilt not give away1 nor wilt thou doff4 ,come down from the ,cross1 my soul1 and save thyself2 yea1 move ,as scudding swans pass lithely on a seaward stream6 ,thou wilt have everything thou wert made great to love2 ,thou wilt have ease for every dream2 ,no nails with fang will hold thy purpose to one aim2 ,there will be arbours round about thee1 not one trunk ,against thy shoulders pressed and burning them with hate1 ,yea1 burning with intolerable flame4 ,o lips1 such noxious vinegar have drunk1 ,there are through valley-woods and mountain-glades ,rivers where thirst in naked prowess wades2 ,and there are wells in solitude whose chill no hour abates6 ,come down from the ,cross1 my soul1 and save thyself6 ,a sign ,thou wilt become to many1 as a shooting star4 ,they will believe thou art thereal1 divine1 ,when thou art where they are2 ,they will believe in thee and give thee feasts and praise4 ,they will believe thy power when thou hast loosed thy nails2 ,for power to them is fetterless and grand3 ,for destiny to them1 along their ways1 ,is one whose ,earthly ,kingdom never fails4 ,thou wilt be as a prophet or a king ,in thy tremendous term of flourishing-- ,and thy hot royalty with acclamations fanned4 ,come down from the ,cross1 my soul1 and save thyself6444 ,beware6 ,art thou not crucified with ,god1 who is thy breath8 ,wilt thou not hang as ,he while mockers laugh and stare8 ,wilt thou not die ,his death8 ,wilt thou not stay as ,he with nails and thorns and thirst8 ,wilt thou not choose to conquer faith in ,his lone style8 ,wilt thou not be with ,him and hold thee still8 ,voices have cried to ,him1 ,come down6 ,accursed ,and vain those voices1 striving to beguile6 ,how heedless1 solemn-gray in powerful mass1 ,christ droops among the echoes as they pass6 ,o soul1 remain with ,him1 with ,him thy doom fulfil6 ,,unsurpassed ,lord ,jesus1 ,thou didst come to us1 to man1 ,from ,godhead's open golden ,halls1 ,from ,godhead's hidden ,throne ,of glory1 no imagination can ,achieve1 and it must glow alone1 ,behind a cloud that falls ,over the ,triune ,perfectness its voice ,of thunder1 making ,cherubim rejoice1 ,and ,seraphim as doves in rapture moan4 ,yet ,thou didst come to us a wailing child1 ,homeless1 tied up in swaddling-clothes1 ,to live in poverty ,and by the road3 then1 with detractions piled1 ,and infamies of misery ,from scourge and thorns and blows1 ,to die a felon fastened into wood ,by nails that in their jeering harshness could ,clamp vermin of the forests to a tree4 ,and ,thou dost come to us from ,heaven each day1 ,obeying words that call ,thee down ,on mortal lips2 and ,thou1 ,jesus1 dost suffer mortal power to slay ,its ,god in sacrifice3 dost bow ,thy bright ,supremacy to lose its ,crown1 ,closed in a prison1 yet through ,godhead free ,to every insult1 gibe and contumely-- ,come from ,forever to be with us ,now4 ,so ,thou dost come to us4 ,but when at last ,thou callest us to come to ,thee1 ,we only have to die1 ,only from weary bones our flesh to cast1 ,only to give a bitter cry2 ,yea1 but a little while to see ,our beauty falling from us1 in its fall ,destined to lose its suasions that enthral1 ,destined to be as any gem put by4 ,we but fulfil our stricken ,nature's law ,to fail and to consume and end2 ,while ,thou dost come and break1 ,coming to us1 ,thy ,nature with a flaw ,of death and for our mortal sake ,thou dost ,thy awful wholeness rend4 ,oh1 let me run to ,thee1 as runs a wind1 ,that leaves the withered trees1 it moved1 behind1 ,and triumphs forward1 careless of its wake6 ,,wasting ,i need ,thee1 ,o my ,food1 ,o ,christ1 for whom ,i pine fourteen long days-- ,and1 as the time delays1 ,more sad my mood1 ,more faint my powers2 ,like that poor ,beast of fairy-tale1 ,who by the fountain cowers1 ,reft of his ,beauty1 his poor love's avail1 ,by whom he lives1 and1 missing1 dies ,by inches1 at the fountain1 with wan eyes6 ,o come1 my ,beauty1 come1 ,my ,lord1 by whom ,i flourish and am strong2 ,if ,i must wait so long1 ,and mourn so dumb1 ,reach me in time1 ,before ,i shudder into death and die6 ,bow down sublime1 ,o ,beautiful in pity1 where ,i lie1 ,and rouse me1 sovereign1 from my woe1 ,empowering me with ,thy celestial glow6 ,,the ,,hour ,,of ,,need ,o mother of my ,lord1 ,beautiful ,mary1 aid6 ,he1 whom thy will adored1 ,when thy body was afraid1 ,is coming in my flesh to dwell-- ,pray for me1 ,mary 444 and white ,gabriel6 ,to thee ,he came a child1 ,to me ,he comes as wheat3 ,and ,he descended mild ,to ,his ,mother1 as was meet4 ,to me ,he comes where sin hath been 444 ,gabriel1 sweep thy lily-stem between6 ,he came1 ,o ,mary1 down ,to bless thy virgin womb3 ,from me ,he sweeps ,god's frown1 ,and ,he lifts me from a tomb4 ,thou wert afraid4444 ,have grace toward me6 ,help me1 ,o ,mary6 ,gabriel1 hearten me6 ,great love it was to give ,his ,body to thy care1 ,in thine awhile to live3 ,for me this love ,he will dare4444 ,pray1 ,mary1 pray6 ,my soul is shent6 ,thy wings1 thy wings1 ,o ,gabriel1 for my tent6 ,,extreme ,,unction ,soft fall the ,holy ,oils1 their drip ,peaceful as ,jesus sleeping on the ship4 ,our eyes1 so restless and so full of grip1 ,reflecting as the sea1 ,give up their range and their possession1 free ,as if to sleep--the sleep of ,deity4 ,upon the ears a lull that dowers ,with gentleness of bees in laurel-flowers2 ,so that it gives to ,quiet breeding powers1 ,a future wrought of gold1 ,when we shall hear what never hath been told1 ,and fathom sound it takes all heaven to hold4 ,oh1 softness on the nostrils1 where they strained ,after their airy lusts till they attained2 ,now1 by the ,cross of balm so softly reined1 ,they wait to breathe for breath ,the vigour of their ,god1 as a shell saith1 ,left on the beach1 8,the brine will wake my death40 ,the lips receive no coal of fire ,to urge their fervent crying should not tire2 ,a tender ,cross gives check to such desire1 ,and bids them wait their song1 ,till they are far from peril and among ,the consonant and ever-praising throng4 ,the hands1 the feet 444 ,o ,jesus1 all ,marked with ,thy ,cross1 but as a dream may fall ,in mercy on a mind great woes appal-- ,a healing shade1 ,a priestly grace1 so soft the ,cross is made1 ,embracing1 by the nails we are not frayed4 ,crosses as flowers on every sense ,fall1 rest on them in heavenly suspense2 ,and then we know the holy1 the immense ,delight of what shall be4 ,when1 sanctified and calm for joyance1 we ,shall have of ,god our bodies deathlessly4 ,,after ,,anointing ,joy of the senses1 joy of all ,and each of them1 as fall ,the ,holy ,oils6444 ,o senses1 ye would dance1 ,would circle what ye cannot see1 ,nor hear1 nor smell1 nor taste1 nor touch1 ,yet ye receive of your felicity1 ,till ye would reel and dance2 ,the joy apparent from your bliss being such ,that1 in a fivefold garland knit1 ,softly ye would circle it4 ,joy ripples through each covered lid2 ,nor are the ears forbid ,sounds as of honeycomb1 so sweet is ,heaven ,afar1 such sweet1 such haunting sound6 ,o nostrils1 myrtle ye shall love6 ,the lips taste fully1 as if ,god were found4 ,swift1 under peace1 toward ,heaven ,the hands1 the feet1 so still1 like still lakes move1 ,delighted ,powers of ,sense1 ye dance1 ,woven in such a lovely chance6 ,,viaticum ,o heart1 that burns within1 ,illuminated1 hot6 ,o feet1 that tread the road ,as if they trod it not-- ,so lifted and so winged ,by rare companionship6 ,no matter tho' the road ,doth unto shadow dip2 ,the meaning of the night ,my ears1 attentive1 hail4 ,the mighty silence brings ,music no nightingale ,hath warbled from its fount2 ,music of holy things ,made clear as song can make1 ,with marvellous utterings3 ,the ,past become a joy ,of instant clarity1 ,as the deep evening fills ,with converse brimmingly4 ,o nightingale1 hold back ,your wildest song's discant2 ,you cannot make my heart ,with such devotion pant ,as ,he who steps along ,beside me in the shade1 ,down the steep valley-road1 ,the enveloping1 dark glade6 ,hush1 ,o dim nightingale6444 ,is it my ,god whose ,feet ,wing mine to travel on2 ,whose voice in current sweet ,shows how divine the thought ,and purpose is of all ,that hath been and shall be1 ,and shall to me befall8 ,stay1 nightingale6 ,behold6 ,this ,wayfarer1 with strange1 ,wild ,voice that rouses gloom ,thy voice could never range1 ,hath broken ,bread with me6 ,no resinous1 balmed shrine ,glows from its core as ,i1 ,when ,i behold ,his sign1 ,and touch ,his offering ,hand4 ,o holiest journey1 sped ,with ,him who died for me1 ,who breaking with me ,bread1 ,is known to me as ,life1 ,is felt by me as ,fire2 ,who is my ,way and all ,my wayfaring's ,desire6 ,a ,,gift ,,of ,,sweetness ,i thought to lay my hands about ,thy ,crown1 ,and gather1 bleeding1 its sharp spines3 ,but as ,i knelt and bowed my forehead down1 ,worshipping thy cruel desert-,crown1 ,worshipping its thicket of sharp spines-- ,through them blew a little wind1 ,clearer than the dew in breath ,round ,thy ,mother's feet at ,nazareth2 ,in a cloud it left behind ,scent of violets1 of such birth ,they had never broken earth1 ,but through meshes of the ,crown of ,thorn1 ,in a fertilising cloud1 were born2 ,and1 fresh with piety of grace1 ,were thrown--oh sweet6--unseen across my face4 ,that never will a mould-born violet-bed ,smell like the violets from the ,sacred ,head4 ,,in ,,christo ,as shade doth on a dial slide1 ,those dark and parting eyes abide ,toward me from the tall vessel's side3 ,eyes lovelier than the stones of grace ,that build for ,god ,his dwelling-place2 ,beyond all jewels in device1 ,yea1 beyond amethyst in price1 ,the hyacinth-stone in loveliness4 ,delectable1 dear eyes that bless2 ,a saviour's eyes1 bent down on me1 ,as ,new ,jerusalem might be ,come down1 adorned with ,charity4444 ,let the tall vessel sweep to sea6 ,,sights ,,for ,,god ,a woman1 heavenly as dew ,of the fresh morning1 in a little room ,is kneeling down1 and through ,the door of it an ,angel's bloom ,of light1 how lonely1 hath advanced1 ,and on the walls his lovely light hath danced1 ,as he hath told ,god's utter ,will ,unto that creature heavenly and still-- ,god the ,father's terrible1 high ,will4 ,motions of fear and wonder ,the girl sways under2 ,her eyes distraught1 as wings ,a hawk's suspension brings ,to panic1 when two doves ,tremble mid their sweet loves4 ,she sees beyond sight's rim ,god and the ,power of ,him2 ,his ,promise fallen on her ,as grace ,he would confer-- ,men and the fear their speech ,must startle should it reach ,a virgin's secrecy4444 ,how can such terrors be8 ,then over her1 distraught1 ,falls a contentment wrought ,to courage of a word ,by the ,archangel heard ,with heart's felicity-- 8,be it done unto me ,according to ,his ,will40 ,the little room thereafter grew more still1 ,and ,mary knelt and shone ,with grace1 although the ,angel's beam was gone4 ,this was the fairest sight ,god yet had looked upon-- ,mary1 the chosen ,mother of ,his ,son1 ,obedient to ,him ,as glowing ,seraphim4 ,a lonely ,man1 beneath the trees1 ,that stoop above a sward of garden-ground1 ,kneels in the evening breeze1 ,felt as flow without a sound4 ,while ,he kneels in that cool place1 ,with the moonlight settled on ,his face1 ,he is praying that ,he may not drink ,of a ,cup filled bitter to the brink1 ,praying in ,his anguish not to drink4 ,and1 in strife tremendous ,of woe stupendous1 ,he strains with power so great-- ,as a red pomegranate ,that splits and bleeds ,his head ,with blood is scarlet-red4 ,he struggles with the might ,of the world's sin in sight1 ,that ,he must bear if now ,he bends ensanguined brow1 ,and drinks that awful ,cup ,before his eyes raised up4 ,sin6--us ,he meets the shock1 ,earth reddens to its rock ,with blood4444 ,then peace from storm ,comes to that ruddy ,form1 ,and a brave word of ,god ,blows over the wet sod-- 8,if ,i must drink1 not mine1 ,my will1 ,o ,father1 thine ,be done6 ,not mine1 ,thy ,will60 ,the garden-shades thereafter grew more still1 ,because an angel came1 ,and the red forehead whitened in his flame4 ,this was the fairest sight ,god ever looked upon-- ,jesus1 ,his loved1 only-begotten ,son1 ,obedient to ,him ,as sworded ,cherubim4 ,,transit ,cloud that streams its breath of unseen flowers1 ,cloud with spice of bay1 ,of roses1 lily-breathings1 and the powers ,of small violets1 or1 aloft1 black poplars as they quiver6 ,cloud that streams its song of birds--no bird ,seen to chant the song3 ,yet wide and keen as sun-breath it is heard1 ,all the air itself a voice of voices chiming golden6 ,mary hath passed by4 ,all plants sweet-leaved1 ,sweet-flowered2 birds1 sweet-voiced1 ,round her passing have their sweetness weaved4 ,let us yield our incense up1 our anthems and our homage6 ,,some ,,of ,,these ,,poems ,,have ,,been ,,published ,,in 8,,the ,,irish ,,monthly0 ,,and ,,in 8,,the ,,rosary40 ,,one ,,was ,,published ,,in 8,,the ,,universe40 ,,printed ,,by ,,ballantyne ,,company ,,ltd ,,at ,,the ,,ballantyne ,,press ,,tavistock ,,street ,,covent ,,garden ,,london