The untented Kosmos my abode, I pass, a wilful stranger: My mistress still the open road And the bright eyes of danger.
Come ill or well, the cross, the crown, The rainbow or the thunder, I fling my soul and body down For God to plough them under.
III - YOUTH AND LOVE - II
To the heart of youth the world is a highwayside. Passing for ever, he fares; and on either hand, Deep in the gardens golden pavilions hide, Nestle in orchard bloom, and far on the level land Call him with lighted lamp in the eventide.
Thick as the stars at night when the moon is down, Pleasures assail him. He to his nobler fate Fares; and but waves a hand as he passes on, Cries but a wayside word to her at the garden gate, Sings but a boyish stave and his face is gone.
IV
IN dreams, unhappy, I behold you stand As heretofore: The unremembered tokens in your hand Avail no more.
No more the morning glow, no more the grace, Enshrines, endears. Cold beats the light of time upon your face And shows your tears.
He came and went. Perchance you wept a while And then forgot. Ah me! but he that left you with a smile Forgets you not.
V
SHE rested by the Broken Brook, She drank of Weary Well, She moved beyond my lingering look, Ah, whither none can tell!
She came, she went. In other lands, Perchance in fairer skies, Her hands shall cling with other hands, Her eyes to other eyes.
She vanished. In the sounding town, Will she remember too? Will she recall the eyes of brown As I recall the blue?
VI
THE infinite shining heavens Rose and I saw in the night Uncountable angel stars Showering sorrow and light.
I saw them distant as heaven, Dumb and shining and dead, And the idle stars of the night Were dearer to me than bread.
Night after night in my sorrow The stars stood over the sea, Till lo! I looked in the dusk And a star had come down to me.
VII
PLAIN as the glistering planets shine When winds have cleaned the skies, Her love appeared, appealed for mine, And wantoned in her eyes.
Clear as the shining tapers burned On Cytherea's shrine, Those brimming, lustrous beauties turned, And called and conquered mine.
The beacon-lamp that Hero lit No fairer shone on sea, No plainlier summoned will and wit, Than hers encouraged me.
I thrilled to feel her influence near, I struck my flag at sight. Her starry silence smote my ear Like sudden drums at night.
I ran as, at the cannon's roar, The troops the ramparts man - As in the holy house of yore The willing Eli ran.
Here, lady, lo! that servant stands You picked from passing men, And should you need nor heart nor hands He bows and goes again.
VIII
TO you, let snow and roses And golden locks belong. These are the world's enslavers, Let these delight the throng. For her of duskier lustre Whose favour still I wear, The snow be in her kirtle, The rose be in her hair!
The hue of highland rivers Careering, full and cool, From sable on to golden, From rapid on to pool - The hue of heather-honey, The hue of honey-bees, Shall tinge her golden shoulder, Shall gild her tawny knees.
IX
LET Beauty awake in the morn from beautiful dreams, Beauty awake from rest! Let Beauty awake For Beauty's sake In the hour when the birds awake in the brake And the stars are bright in the west!
Let Beauty awake in the eve from the slumber of day, Awake in the crimson eve! In the day's dusk end When the shades ascend, Let her wake to the kiss of a tender friend To render again and receive!
X
I KNOW not how it is with you - I love the first and last, The whole field of the present view, The whole flow of the past.
One tittle of the things that are, Nor you should change nor I - One pebble in our path - one star In all our heaven of sky.
Our lives, and every day and hour, One symphony appear: One road, one garden - every flower And every bramble dear.
XI
I WILL make you brooches and toys for your delight Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night. I will make a palace fit for you and me Of green days in forests and blue days at sea.