WITHERED PETALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2736, 22 August 1906, Page 63

WITHERED PETALS.

< Into the night, Oh, come from the music and brigbtn-eas. Laughter and dancing, as fleet as the billowy gleam ; Come, for the moon, in sea mists that freeze in her whiteness. Hangs in the East like a- dream. The sea shall speak : Though bitter and bleak with the ages. Low from its silences murmur soft voices that were; Tremulous still, from sorrow no weeping assuages, Frozen heart-burdans they bear. Night and its dreams : We two in the endless move lonely. Here where the autumn and winter in iciest tryst — Here you shall know that words are as dumb symbols only — Ne\^r fox love have sufficed. Earth shrinks away ; We are here with the grey, the eternal; Here with the aspects that were ere % being had form. Winter is corning, but brumal m.U9fc yield to the vernal, As odorous calmness to storm. Years upon years, Long ages and ages unnumbered, Murmured the billow, its lip to the listening shore ; Lovers grew cold, their joyous love-purity slumbered — Sighs and desires are no more. Years follow years: Ages will come, cold and sightless, Barren to us who now tremble with young life's de-light ; Then shall we lie irresponsive — eartk lifeless and lightless, Round us the shuddering night. Also in us The wonder of "being" has mingled, Mingled a moment — oh, listen, for love's dearest sake ; Numbness and coldness will clutch, om ths heart-love has singled, Numbness that love cannot break. Must we then go Through darkness unseeing, unknowing. Go with the ache of a love that has lived in the sun ? Die without hope, and fear that in gloom we are going Farther from light love liad ■won? Only a flash, A bursting to waxnith and to flower, And then a long apathy, dark while the years shall endure. You who have touched me a moment, to pass with tho -exquisite hour, Dreaming of futures unsure! Into the night, Oh, come from the music and brightness ; Ghostly «nd pallid in sea mists, the glimmering moon ! Still will I hope no death but a summersweet whiteness Comes from the darkness, comes soon. —Johannes C. Airiizxsur. Christchurch, August, 1906.