Thensaid:Thereliethey,LifeandDeathinone。
Whicheveris,theotheris:butknow,Itisthycrangselfthatthoudostsee,Notinthemseeingme。
Shallmanintothemysteryofbreath,Fromhisquickbeatingpulseapathwayspy?
Orlearnthesecretoftheshroudeddeath,Byliftingupthelidofawhiteeye?
CleavethouthywaywithfatheringdesireOffiretoreachtofire。
LooknowwhereColour,thesoul’sbridegroom,makesThehouseofheavensplendidforthebride。
Tohimasleapsafountainsheawakes,Inknottingarms,yetboundless:himbeside,Sheholdstheflowertoheaven,andbyhispowerBringsheaventotheflower。
Hegesherhomelinessindesertair,Andsovereigntyinspaciousness;heleadsThroughwideningchambersofsurprisetowhereThrobsrapturenearanendthatayerecedes,BecausehistouchisinfiniteandlendsAyondertoallends。
DeathbegsofLifehisblush;LifeDeathpersuadesTokeeplongdaywithhiscaressesgraced。
Heistheheartoflight,thewingofshades,Thecrownofbeauty:neversoulembracedOfhimcanharbourunfaith;soulofhimPossessedwalksneverdim。
Loveeyedhisrosymemories:hesang:
Obloomofdawn,breathedupfromthegoldsheafHeldspringingbeneathOrient!thatdosthangThespaceofdewdropsrunningoverleaf;
ThyfleetingnessisbiggerintheghostThanTimewithallhishost!
Oftheetosaybehold,hassaidadieu:
Butloveremembershowtheskywasgreen,Andhowthegrassesglimmeredlightestblue;
Howsaint-likegreytookfervour:howthescreenOfcloudgrewolet;howthymomentcameBetweenablushandflame。
LovesawtheemissaryeglantineBreakwaveroundthywhitefeetabovethegloom;
Layfingeronthystar;thyraimentlineWithcherubwingandlimb;wedthysoftbloom,Gold-queringlikesunraysinthistle-down,Earthunderrollingbrown。
Theydonotlookthroughlovetolookonthee,Graveheavenliness!norknowtheyjoyofsight,WhodeemthewaveofraptdesiremustbeItswreckingandlastissueofdelight。
Deadseasonsquickeninonepetal-spotOfcolourunforgot。
ThiswayhavemencomeoutofbrutishnessTospellthelettersoftheskyandreadAreflexuponearthelsemeaningless。
Withthee,OfountoftheUntimed!tolead,Drinktheyofthee,theeeyeing,theyunagedShallonthroughbravewarswaged。
Moregardenswilltheywinthananylost;
Thelepluckedoutofthem,theunlovelyslain。
Notforfeitingthebeastwithwhichtheyarecrossed,TostatureoftheGodswilltheyattain。
TheyshalluplifttheirEarthtomeetherLord,Themselvestheattuningchord!
Thesonghadceased;mysionwiththesong。
ThenofthoseShadows,whichonemadedescentBesidemeIknewnot:butLifeerelongCameonmeinthepublicwaysandbentEyesdeeperthanofold:DeathmetItoo,Andsawthedawnglowthrough。
MEDITATIONUNDERSTARS
WhatlinksareourswithorbsthatareSoresolutelyfar:
Thesolitaryasks,andtheyGeradianceasfromashield:
Stillatthedeathofday,Theseen,theunrevealed。
ImplacabletheyshineTouswhowouldofLifeobtainAnanswerforthelifewestrainTonourishwithonesign。
NorcanimaginationthrowThepenetrateshaft:wepassThebreathofthought,whowoulddineIfhaplytheymaygrowAsEarth;haveourdesiretoknow;
Iflifecomestheretograinfromgrass,Andflowerslikeoursoftoilandpain;
Haspassiontobeatbar,Winspacefromcleangbrain;
Themysticlinkattain,Wherebystarholdsonstar。
ThosesibleimmortalsbeamAllurementtothedream:
IrefulathumanhungersbrookNoquestioninthelook。
Foreverrgintooursense,Remotetheywanetogazeintense:
Prolongit,andinruthlessnesstheysmiteThebeatingheartbehindtheballofsight:
Tillweconceetheirheavenshoar,Thoselightstheyraisebutsparklesfrore,AndEarth,ourblood-warmEarth,ashudderingpreyTothatfrigidityofbrainlessray。
YetspaceisgenforbreathofthoughtBeyondourboundswhenmusing:moreWhentothatmusingloveisbrought,Andloveisaskedoflove’swherefore。
’TisEarth’s,hergift;elsehavewenought:
Hergift,hersecret,hereourtie。
Andnotwithherandyondersky?
Bethinkyou:wereitEarthaloneBreedslove,wouldnotherregionbeThesoledelightandthroneOfgenerousDeity?
TodeeperthanthisballofsightAppealthelustrouspeopleofthenight。
Frontingyonshoreless,sownwithfierysails,Itisourravenousthatquails,Fleshbyitscraventhirstsandfearsdistraught。
Thespiritleapsalight,Doubtsnotinthemishe,Thebinderofhissheaves,thesane,theright:
Ofmagnitudetomagnitudeiswrought,Tofeelitlargeofthegreatlifetheyhold:
Inthemtocome,orvasterintervolved,Theissuesknowninus,ourunsolvedsolved:
ThattherewithtoilLifeclimbstheself-sameTree,Whoserootsenrichmenthavefromripenessdropped。
Somaywereadandlittlefindthemcold:
LetitbutbethelordofMindtoguideOureyes;nobranchofReason’sgrowinglopped;
Nordreamingonadream;butfortifiedBydaytopenetrateblackmidnight;see,Hear,feel,outsidethesenses;eventhatwe,Thespecksofdustuponamoundofmould,Wewhoreflectthoserays,thoughlowourplace,Tothemarelastinglyallied。
Somayweread,andlittlefindthemcold:
Notfrostylampsilluminingdeadspace,Notdistantaliens,notsenselessPowers。
Thefireisinthemwhereofweareborn;
Themusicoftheirmotionmaybeours。
SpiritshalldeemthembeckoningEarthandvoicedSisterlytoher,inherbeamsrejoiced。
Oflove,thegrandimpulsion,webeholdThelovethatlendshergraceAmongthestarryfold。
Thenatnewfloodofcustomarymorn,Lookatherthroughhershowers,Hermists,herstreaminggold,Awonderedgesthefamiliarface:
Shewearsnomorethatrobeofprintedhours;
HalfstrangeseemsEarth,andsweeterthanherflowers。
WOODMANANDECHO
CloseEchohearsthewoodman’saxe,Todoubleonit,asinglee,Withclapofhands,andlittlelacksOfmeaninginherrepartee。
Forallshallfall,Asonehasdone,Thetreeofme,Oftheethetree;
AnduntoallThefatewewaitRevealsthewheelsWhereonwerun:
Wetowertoflower,Wespreadtheshade,Wedropforcrop,Atlengtharelaid;
Arerolledinmould,Fromchopandlop:
Andarewethickinwoodlandtracks,Ortemptingofourstaturewe,Theendisone,wedobutwaxForserceoverlandandsea。
So,strike!thelikeShallthusofus,Mybrawnywoodman,claimthetax。
Norfoethyblow,Thoughwoodbegood,Andshriekinglythetimbercracks:
ThegroundwecrownedShallspeedtheseedOfyoungerintoswellingsacks。
Forusehehews,TomakeawakeThespiritofwhatstuffwebe:
OurearthofmirthAndtearsheclearsForbraver,letourmindsagree;
AndthenwillmenWithinthemwinAnEchoclappingharmony。
THEWISDOMOFELD
Wespendourlesinlearningpilotage,Andgrowgoodsteersmenwhenthevessel’scrank!
Gap-toothedhespake,andwithatotteringshankSidledtogainthesunnybenchofAge。
Itisthesentencewhichcompletesthatstage;
Atestamentofwisdomreadingblank。
Theseniorsoftherace,ontheirlastplank,Passmumblingitasnature’sfinalpage。
These,bentbysuchexperience,arethebandWhocaptainyoungenthusiaststomaintainWhatthingsweew,andEarth’sdecreewithstand,LestdreadedChange,longdammedbydulldecay,Shouldbringtheworldavesselsteeredbybrain,Andancientsmusicalatcloseofday。
EARTH’SPREFERENCE
Earthlovesheryoung:apreferencemanifest:
Shepromptsthemtoherfruitsandflower-beds;
Theirbeautywithherchoicestinterthreads,Andmakesherreveloftheirmerryzest;
AsinourEastmuchwereitinourWest,Ifmenhadrisentodotheworkofheads。
Hergabblinggreysheeyesaskant,nortreadsThewaystheywalk;bywhattheyspeakoppressed。
Howwroughttheyintheirzenith?’Tisnotwrit;
Notall;yetshebyonesuresigncanread:
Havetheybutheldherlawsandnaturedear,Theymouthnosentenceofinvertedwit。
MoreprizessheherbeaststhanthishighbreedWryintheshapeshewasteshermilktorear。
SOCIETY
Historicbethesurveyofourkind,AndhowtheirbraveSocietytookshape。
Lion,wolf,vulture,fox,jackalandape,Thestrongoflimb,thekeenofnose,wefind,Who,withsomejarsinharmony,combined,Theirprimalinstinctstaming,toescapeThebrawlindecent,andhotpassionsdrape。
Convenienceprickedconscience,thatthemind。
Thusenteredtheythefieldofmilderbeasts,Whichinsomesortofcilordergraze,Anddohalf-homagetotheGodofLaws。
Butaretheystillfortheiroldravenousfeasts,Earthgestheedificetheybuildnobase:
Theyspringanotherfloodoffangsandclaws。
WINTERHEAVENS
Sharpisthenight,butstarswithfrostaleLeapofftherimofearthacrossthedome。
ItisanighttomaketheheavensourhomeMorethanthenestwheretoapacewestre。
Lengthsdownourroadeachfir-treeseemsahe,Inswarmsoutrushingfromthegoldencomb。
Theywakenwavesofthoughtsthatbursttofoam:
Thelingthrobinme,thedeadreve。
Yonmantleclothesus:there,pastmortalbreath,Lifeglistensonthererofthedeath。
Itfoldsus,fleshanddust;andhaveweknelt,Orneverknelt,oreyedaskinethespringsOfradiance,theradianceenrings:
Andthisisthesoul’shaventohavefelt。
EndPoemsbyGeorgeMeredith-Volume3
byGeorgeMeredithASTAVEOFRONGTIM
ADDRESSEDTOCERTAINFRIENDLYTRAMPS。
I
ThewindisEast,thewindisWest,Blowsinandoutofhaven;
Thewindthatblowsisthewindthat’sbest,Andcroak,myjollyraven!
Ifhereawhilewejiggedandlaughed,Thelikewewilldoyonder;
Forhe’sthemanwhomastersacraft,Andlightasalordcanwander。
So,footthemeasure,RongTim,Andcroak,myjollyraven!
ThewindaccordingtoitswhimIsinandoutofhaven。
Youleinrowsofsnugabodes,Withgold,maybe,forcounting;
Andmine’sthebeckoftherainyroadsAgainstthesuna-mounting。
Itakethedayasitbehaves,Norsherwhen’tisairy;
Butcomesabreeze,allyouareonwaves,Sickchickenso’MotherCarey!
So,nowfornext,criesRongTim,Andcroak,myjollyraven!
ThewindaccordingtoitswhimIsinandoutofhaven。
I
Sweetlass,youscrewalovelyleer,Tomakeamanconsider。
Ifyouwereupwiththeauctioneer,I’dbeahandsomebidder。
Butwedlockclipstherover’swing;
Shetrickshimflytospider;