SOME SWINBURNE POEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 11

SOME SWINBURNE POEMS.

*■ StfPEB HEiTFJrTNA BABTE9NIS. ,' By; tho waters of Babylon we sat dqwn\ and, wo.pt, ' ' •• Bomemboring \hea. That for ages df asany- hast enduioa, and slept, And wouldst not'ece. "By the waters of Babylon wo stotad up and sang, Considering thoo. That a blast of deliverance in the darkness Tang, To set thea free. And with trumpets and thundeiings and with moraine; song Camo up the light; * And' thy spirit uplifted theo to forget thy. wrong Aa day doth night. And thy sons were dejected not any more, as then Whon thoa wast shamed; IVhon thy lovers went heavily without heart, ■'as men Whoso life was maimed. In the desolate distances, with a great desire, For thy love's sake, With our hearts eoing back to thee, they, were filled with lire, Wore nigh to break. It was said to us: "Verily ye are great of heart, But jo sjiall bond; Yβ 'are bondmen and. bondwomen, to. be scourged and 9inart, To toil and tend." And with harrows men harrowed us, and subdued with" spears. Arid crushed with shame; And the stiinmer and ■ winter was, and the longth of years. And no change came. ( By tho rivers .of Italy, by the sacred streams, By town, by tower,, „.','' There/was foasting with 'evening, thero. was sleep with dreams, :Entil thine hour. And they slept and thoy rioted on their rosehung beds, ' With mouth-s on flame, Aiid with love-locks vino-chapleted-, and -with rose-crowned heads And robes of ahama.

And they knew not thair forefathers, nor the hills and -streams ■'■''' ■'•'■••'■ And words of power, Not. the gods that were.good to them, but with : songs,and dreams ....■'.■ ■■.'■■■ Filled up, their hour. ' \[

By the rivers of Italy, by the dry, etieams' beds, When thy time oamo, There was casting of crowns from them, from their. :young men's heads, The crowns of shame.

By the horn of Eridanus, by the Tiber month, As thy day rose, They arose up .and girded them to the north and south, By seas, by snows.

As a water in January the frost confines, ,Thy kings bound thee; As a water in April is, in the new-blown vines, Thy sons made free. '

And thy lovers that looked for thee, and that mourned from far, For thy sako dead, We rejoiced in tho light of thee, in the signal star ' Above thine head.

In thy griof had we followed thee, in- thy passion loved, , Loved in thy loss; In thy shame we stood fast to, thoe, with!thy pangs were moved. Clung to ,thy cross.

By tho hillside of Calvary we beheld thy blood, Thy blood-red tears, As a mother's in bitterness, an unebbing flood,' Years upon years.

And the north was Gethseraane, without leaf, or , abloom; ' -.•■ . ■ .■■. ■' - A garden sealed j~ ; • .-■ ■ ■•••-■ .. .;...' And .the/south was Aceldama, for a sanguine .■■-■. ; fume. ■;'•"•■■"■. •■ '. ■'; ■•■■. ' '' ; ■ :.;■,■ ; Hid-all the.field. ; . ,;' . ;

By tho, stone of the sepulchre ■we returned' to weep, From far, from prison; ~ / And the guards by it keeping, it' we beheld asleep, ' ■ But thou wast risen. And an angel's similitude by the unsealed /rave, by the stone: And the voice was angelical, to whose words God gave Strength like his own.

"Lo, the gxaveolothes of Italy that; are folded up In the grave's gloom! And the guards as men wrought upon - with' a % charmed ! cnp, By. the open tomb. '

"And. her body most beautiful, and her' shining head, These; are .not hero; ' ■■.''■"' ( For your mother, for Italy, is not surely dead: Have ye no fear. "As of old time she spake to, you, and you hardly heard, Hardly'; took hoed, - So now also she saith to you, yet another word, Who is risen indeed.

"By my saj-ing she saith to you, in your ears -" she saith, \ Who hear these things, Put no trust in men's royalties, nor in.great men's; breath, Nor, words of kings..

' Tor the life of them vanishes and is no.more seen, Nor no moro known; Not shall any remember him if a crown bath been, Or where a throne. I "Unto eaoh man his handiwork, unto eaohhis orown, The just Fato gives; V7hoso takes the world's life on him and his own lays down, He, dying, bo lives 'iWhoso bears \ho whole heaviness of the wronged world's weight And puts it by, It Is veil with him suffering, though he face man's fate; How-should'ho dieP "Seeing death has no part in him any more, no nower ' Upon his head) . He has-bought his eternity with a little hour, And is not dead, •Tor an hour, if, ye look- for him, he is no more found, For one > hqurfe .spaoe; Then ye lift up your eyes to him and~behold him orowned, A deathless face. "On the mountains of memory, by the werld'a well-springs, In all men s ey*s, Whore $o light of the life of him is en all past things, Death only dies. "Not tho light fliat was quenched for us, nor deeds .that were, Nor tho anoisnt day?, Nor tho. sorrows not sorrowful, nor the face most; fair Of- perfect praise.* . So, the angal of Italy's resurrection eaid, Sα yot ha saith; ' So the son of her suffering, that horn breasts ■nigh-dead Brow:-lifo, not death. That the pavement of Golgotha should be white as snow, Not red, but white; That tho. waters of Babylon should no longer i floV, And men see'light. THE COMING OF SPRING. When the hounds of spring, are' on ; winter's traces, Tho mother of months in. meadow or-plain the'shadows and windy places With lisp of leaves and ripple of rain; ••■ And the brown 1 ' bright nightingale amorous Is half assuaged for Itylus, For tho Thracian ships and the foreign faces, Tho tonguoless vigil, and all the pain. Como with bows bent and with - emptying of quivers, , . Maiden most perfect, lady of light, , With a noise of winds and many rivers, ' ' With a clamour of waters, and with might; Bind on thy 'sandals, 0 tho'u roost fleet, Over (be splendour and speed of thy feet; For the famt east; quickens, the , , wan west shivers;'- ■.:''.h .'.;■. ■.-, '•• '• •' ,■ -Round Hjo foot of tho daj and the feet of. the night ' . "

Where shall we find her, How shall we..'sine to ;' •• her, ■.'■ .. ■ '■:■. <-C-.': ' ■■'■:■..'':!''■'.." ■'■ :\' ;: w Fold our hands round her knees,'andxling? : 0 that man's heart, ivere as and could spring to'her, ■■■"■■ .-■• ■■■'' ''I' , ' ■U-''''\;- ; ' ? v Fire, or . the etrength. of ; tho etreams • that Spririgl '(. ■■■■ -V .J"-.': r ":".'<' "?.,''*':.:. '" ', For the stars and the'winds are unto her. .: As raiment, as songs of the harp-player;; ..'■':■< ':■■■ For the risen stars and the fallen cling to'her, And the , south-west, ■wind andithe west wind aing.; :.■ ■'■- /,'}■■:■'i;l. *k&*' For winter's rains and , ruins ,are" ! X'x--p ■ And all the season of snows.and siiis"'-'* ,, ;.--'- The days dividing.-lover';and lover,-;,--.;'i; , i?i>" i i , ;.; The light that loses , ;?; the. night that ■'..wins; ■''■■■ And time remembered 'is; grief -forgotten,.*;•:■:. ■ ..■' 'And frosts are. slain'and,'flowers, begotten,.:' ■';■ And in green underwood and.cover ■ ;■.:::'..:'.. Blossom by blossom;the. spring begins;;,'" ; : -;~ ; -y The full streams feed.on flower of rushes,..',... Ripe grasses trammel : a travelling-f00t,.."'.: : The faint fresh flame of the young year flushes! From leaf to flower and flower to fruit;/ ~ And fruit and leaf are as gold and fire,.,'.;.. And the. oat is heard above .the lyre, •■' -.V" ,, ! ;!tt : ■:■ And-the hoofed heel ,qf. a satyr crushes ..: > ;.';: : The chestnut-husk, at the chestnut-root.'- ■)';■':', ■■ And Pan by noon and Bacchus by Fleeter of foot than the fleet-foot kid, : :.■:.": Follows with dancing and fills with delight ■ The Maenad and the Bassarid; . . ::.: r V. '. And soft; as ".lips that, laugh and hide, .'■.: The laughing leaves of the trees divide, 0 ;■, ; And screen from seeing and leave in sight' ' ...The god pursuing, i the maiden hid. % '■■''■';,-. The ivy falls with the Bacchanal's hair ~ ...'.-,; Over her eyebrows hiding her eyes;-. '~....•■ The wild vine slipping down leaves-bare ,- Her bright breast'shortening into sighs f '■■ The wild vine slips with the weight of its ..■•- leaves, , •■■■■'..'■ ' • ' :••■-.•- ..,,-:■ But the berried ivy catches and-cleaves ; -~..". To the limbs that, glitter, the feet that scare The wolf that follows,' the fawn that flies.,'; . ' TEE GARDEN OFiPKOSEEPINE.::.; Here, where the world; is quiet; "'-..:.;■-. Here,- whe're' all trouble seems' ".;■;, Dead winds' and.spent waves' riot. .'..- In doubtful dreams of dreams; -"■■'. .■■■-}. ■I watch the green field growing . '■'■.;■-, ■■ :1 For reaping folk and sowing, .-■ .... For ■ harvest-time and mowing,.,-..: .;.-'. ■ A sleepy world of streams. : ■' '■ '',".'- ,: .

;Here life has death for.neighbour, And far'.from eye or ear [ Wan waves and wet-.winds labour, Weak'-ships'and.spirits steer; ' They drive adrift, and whither They-wot not who make thither; (But no such winds blow hither, And no such things grow here.,

iNo'growth of moor or coppice, • No heatherrfiower or vinei . '.':; But bloomless' buds o£ poppies, . "' Green grapes- of Proserpinej ..■' Pale, beds of blowing rushes, : Where no leaf blooms or blushes

Save this whereout she crushes For dead men deadly: wine.

Pale, without name or number, '. In fruitless fields of corn, '. . They bow themselves and slumber All night till light is .born;- , ,Andlike a soul. belated, In hell and heaven,unraated, '.-.'•' By cloud and mist abated , '.:,:• ..Comes out of darkness morn. -.; ■

"Though,one 'were strong as seven, ,-.- He , too with death shall dwells . . 'Nor wake with wings in heaven, •■ . . • .. Nor, weep:for pains.in- hell; ■:- ■-. ' '■'. Though ane were fair as. roses/.',.'" ■..;'.' 'His beauty clouds and closes; . And well though loves reposes,, .. ..- In the,end it is notjvell. '.'".. .'There I go' the -.loves that.wither- .'... .. The old'loveSAwith'wearier wings; ~.':.. '.'. ■..And all'dead years draw thither, .-: And all disastrous things; - ■" '■ : Dead dreams'6f. days forsaken, ' , Blind buds that snows have shaken, Wild leaves that winds have taken, : Bed strays i of ruined springs. ;r v~-, ■-.-

We are not sure of sorrow, : Arid joy was never sure; To-day will die to-morrow;; • Time stoops to no man's lure; ■ VAnd'love, grown .faint and; fretful, With 'lips but half, regretful.-'■•,:■ Sighs, and with eyes forgetful ■■'"•■. r Weeps, that. , iio; loves endure. ,Fr6m ; too: much-love of'.Hying, ; : From, hope arid fear set ifree, i We thank I thanksgiving ■Whatever! ; gods- may ba *"■.;. ' ■ That no ; life lives,'for ever; , That dead,' misn rise up never j , That even the weariest river .... ~ . Winds: somewhere safe to sea.

.' \};T::'TBM SWIMMER.: .'■"■" With a cry of love that rang As from'a trumpet golden mouthed, he sprang, Aβ' toward a mother's where his head might rest . • ." i . Her: child: rejoicing, ■ toward the strong sea's breast- . ; , ■ That none may gird nor measure; and his heart Sent forth a shout that bade his lips not part, But triumphed in him silent: no man's voice, No song, no sound of-clarions that rejoice Can set that glory forth which fills with fire The ,bqdy' : and soul that have their whole de-

' , sire .;..'...v.;..-.\ .Silent,'and'.-freer'.than- birds or- dreams'are free . ■ . -■■'[ ■ . ■ • .■ ; Tnko; all their: will, of the encountering sea. And toward the foam he : .'bent and forward ■ ■:' .smote, : •, . . ■ • .-. i ■ Laughing, and launched his body like a boat FiUl to the sea-breach, and-against the tide Struck strongly forth with amorous arms made J wide . ■ " ■-. ; To take the '■ bright breast 6f-thewave to his And on his lips the sharp sweet minute's kiss Given of the wave's lip for a breath's space > curled ■ ■ . -. And pureasatthe day-dawn of the world \ And round him all the bright rough shuddering _, sea';■ -.. •.-.-'. - - ■.:;.-.-... ■.- . . •■ -. Kindled, as though the world were even as he Heart-stung with exultation of desire': And all the life that moved him , seemod to

aspire, . ...■ ":.\ :■•. .'..'■, . As all the sea's life toward .the sun!: and still ■ Delight 'within him. waxed; with quickening More smooth and strong and perfect as aflame That springs and spreads, till'each glad limb became ■ ■ ,-■ - : j.■ ■:. ■■ ' ■ A note of; rapture in the tune of life ' Live musio-mild and keen as sleep ana , 'strife: Till the sweet.ohanse. that bids the sense grow Of deeper, depth and-purity, more'pure ■ Wrapped him' and lapped him round with clearer cold, /-, . :' -."«.."•■ &L3 V $ e ' e™* grew, royal gold '' Between-him and-the far sun's, rising rim" And like v the'sun,; his heart rejoiced in him And brightened with- a broadening, flame of .mirth: -..,-,- '■ . .-. .■•-." And .hardly seemed jta life a.part ef-earth But the life kindled,of a fiery tirth ! And passion of a new begotten sun' Between .the live sea-and the living sun/ ' ; And mightier grew; the joy-te meet Tull faced' Each yave, and mount with upward plunge and taste . . , '•■*;.•' of its rolling, strength, and oress 'tes mg ° rOWn ine - 4 V n.ash and in; battle's blithest charge, and with yet more -strenueue mon his' eyes the light beat:hard and bade ?''td °W6 an shoreward the Swift-revel of tho water golden-clad, . ■ And back with light, reluctant heart he bere Across: tho bread backed rollers into show -'.'. -From "Tristram of Lydtesse."