THE SPIRIT OF BEAUTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 70

THE SPIRIT OF BEAUTY.

The first leaves fall from the birches, silver* enamelled ; Soon will the mists of the Hydra quench even Orion, And the Alp-loosed rain-winds swathe thee •in sleeted clouds, Spirit of Boauty! There, waere the young ash leans, where tb* withy birch trembles Beautiful under thy touch, shall be thin« The slender sacred mallow with petalled grails Ministrant standing. Wreathed in thy roses I worshipped thee, breathed' thine odours, Dreamed wild dreams 'neath the wand of thy white magnolia; But now thou tellest thy beads, lilac-bloomed and black, Barberry, laurel. Thee did the bines of the honeysuckle shadow from pun light, Thy presence w«* breathed in the lulling and beeless perfume; Fall'n are the honey-wells; fled in the night art thou, Linked by the asters! Yet art thou sweet in thy mellowing fruits, soon garnered; Hidest thou close in thy leaves from th« scorpiea approaching, Or hast thou .gone 'mid the burning of autumn firea, Smoke- wreath enveloped? Thee I saw with the crocus reborn; by th* primrose, Pale and virginal ever, fragrantly heralded: Now doth the silver triumph of the woodbine •blow Hasty departure. Thou with tbe red sun goest: yet burninc still, sad Clytie Waits the return of the aureoled one, the scornful Apollo, And Mary's gold-rayed flower like her,., too, burns, Ardent and hopeful. Thou, too, wilt return; thou wilt return er« the Winter Quite have resumed his throne, ice-built on the glaciers, Tempest-surrounded, crowned with his solitary days, Avalanche- welcomed. How art thou, sweet, in thy going, promis«bestower! Never thy rosy promises lack- their fulfilment : Dreams thou givest first; then thou, keener than dreams, Singest at waking. Ardent lover of youth; of love the inspirer, maintainer ; To thee, as flowers to 'the sun, young hearts have opened ; Them thou hast filled' with thy sweetness, tha charm of thy breath, Magical Spirit! Their eyes have burned for thee, their lips . have quivered, Their breasts have throbbed, they have sought , thee ■summer by summer ; Ever elusive, still thou hast called to them, called Sweeter than Echo. >■ Thou in fhe oak art the dryad, tbe young, never-aging ; Thou in the stream art the nymph, pure, fresh as its waters; Thou in star art the voice that calls to the heart, Ever immortal. Thee bave I seen when far in the East, on dark billows, Fxorrt even's great star have fall'n misty tears, suffusing The growing arch of the moon, till the silver was gold Set o'er a sea-way: There have I met thee, 'my -spirit passing the port«ls, Met thee a -moment; whose magic, & moonbeam in darkness, Gave me a quiet world wheae sight was sound. Colour w»s melody. Thee have I -heard, thee have I seen, for thee have quested, Sought, though I knew not what, knew not to name .thee, Till deep in thine eyes I bave seen thy soulit is truth Sits in thy glances. The first years ial^ from thy lover— exquisite goddess, From me thou dost not turn, nor veil thin* inspiring glances! Deeper and • truer to me art thou grown; more perfect, more loved; Spirit of Beauty! — JOHAKNFS C. AjtDERSEJT. March, 1908.