Excerpt
Peace on Earth The Archer is wake!The Swan is flying!Gold against blueAn Arrow is lying.There is hunting in heaven—Sleep safe till to-morrow. The Bears are abroad!The Eagle is screaming!Gold against blueTheir eyes are gleaming!Sleep!Sleep safe till to-morrow. The Sisters lieWith their arms intertwining;Gold against blueTheir hair is shining!The Serpent writhes!Orion is listening!Gold against blueHis sword is glistening!Sleep!There is hunting in heaven—Sleep safe till to-morrow.
Postlude Now that I have cooled to youLet there be gold of tarnished masonry,Temples soothed by the sun to ruinThat sleep utterly.Give me hand for the dances,Ripples at Philae, in and out,And lips, my Lesbian,Wall flowers that once were flame. Your hair is my CarthageAnd my arms the bow,And our words arrowsTo shoot the starsWho from that misty seaSwarm to destroy us. But you there beside me—Oh how shall I defy you,Who wound me in the nightWith breasts shiningLike Venus and like Mars?The night that is shouting JasonWhen the loud eaves rattleAs with waves above meBlue at the prow of my desire.
First Praise Lady of dusk wood fastnesses,Thou art my Lady.I have known the crisp splintering leaf-tread with thee on before,White, slender through green saplings;I have lain by thee on the grey forest floorBeside thee, my Lady. Lady of rivers strewn with stones,Only thou art my Lady.Where thousand the freshets are crowded like peasants to a fair;Clear skinned, wild from seclusion,They jostle white armed down the tent-bordered thoroughfarePraising my Lady.
Homage Elvira, by love's graceThere goeth before youA clear radianceWhich maketh all vain soulsCandles when noon is. The loud clangour of pretendersMelteth before youLike the roll of carts passing,But you come silentlyAnd homage is given. Now the little by-pathWhich leadeth to loveIs again joyful with its many;And the great highwayFrom loveIs without passers.
The Fool's Song I tried to put a bird in a cage.O fool that I am!For the bird was Truth.Sing merrily, Truth: I tried to putTruth in a cage! And when I had the bird in the cage,O fool that I am!Why, it broke my pretty cage.Sing merrily, Truth; I tried to putTruth in a cage! And when the bird was flown from the cage,O fool that I am!Why, I had nor bird nor cage.Sing merrily, Truth: I tried to putTruth in a cage!Heigh-ho! Truth in a cage.
From "The Birth of Venus," Song Come with us and play!See, we have breasts as women!From your tents by the seaCome play with us: it is forbidden! Come with us and play!Lo, bare, straight legs in the water!By our boats we stay,Then swimming awayCome to us: it is forbidden! Come with us and play!See, we are tall as women!Our eyes are keen:Our hair is bright:Our voices speak outright:We revel in the sea's green!Come play:It is forbidden!
Immortal Yes, there is one thing braver than all flowers;Richer than clear gems; wider than the sky;Immortal and unchangeable; whose powersTranscend reason, love and sanity! And thou, beloved, art that godly thing!Marvellous and terrible; in glanceAn injured Juno roused against Heaven's King!And thy name, lovely One, is Ignorance.
Mezzo Forte Take that, damn you; and that!And here's a roseTo make it right again!God knowsI'm sorry, Grace; but then,It's not my fault if you will be a cat.
An After Song So art thou broken in upon me, Apollo,Through a splendour of purple garments—Held by the yellow-haired ClymèneTo clothe the white of thy shoulders—Bare from the day's leaping of horses....