(from NIGHT AND DAY )

One night and one day and what sang Desire?
All that God sings betwixt them is not lost.
One night and one day, what did Beauty choir?
If our souls hearken little is the most,
And nothing is which is not living sound,
All flowing with the eternal harmony
That with creation's first day was unwound.
One night and one day — what sang Hope to me?
That the next night and day love's song must fill.
He showed me in a mirror, ecstasy,
And a new dawn break over the old hill.

Twilight's wide eyes are mystical
With some far off knowledge;
Secret is the mouth of her,
And secret her eyes.

Lo! she braideth her hair
Of dim soft purple and thread of satin.
Lo! she flasheth her hand —
Her hand of pearl and silver in shadow.
Slowly she braideth her hair
Over her glimmering eyes,
Floating her ambient robes
Over the trees and the skies,
Over the wind-footing grass.
Softly she braideth her hair
With shadow deeper than thought.

To make her comely for night?
To make her meet for the night?

Slowly she heaveth her breast,
For the night to lie there and rest?

Hush, her eyes are in trance
Swooningly raised to the sky.
What heareth she so to enthral?
Filleth her sight to amaze?

" From the sweet gardens of the sky
Whose roots are pleasures under earth,
Whose atmosphere is melody
To hail each deathless minute's birth,
Between frail night and frailer day
I sing what soon the moon will say,
And what the sun has said in mirth.

" I sing the centre of all bliss.
The peace like a sweet-smelling tree
That spreads its perfumed holiness
In unperturbed serenity.
Between the darkness and the light,
I hang above my message bright
The clamour of mortality.

" Here, from the bowers of Paradise
Whose flowers from deep contentment grew,
To reach his hand out to the wise
My casement God's bright eyes look through.
For him whose eyes do look for Him
He leans out through the seraphim
And His own bosom draws him to."

I heard the evening start.