AE in the Irish Theosophist Part 9

The lights were coming and going In many a s.h.i.+ning strand, For the opal fire-kings were blowing The darkness out of the land.

This golden breath was a madness To set a poet on fire, And this was a cure for sadness, And that the ease of desire.

And all night long over Eri They fought with the wand of light And love that never grew weary The evil things of night.

They said, as dawn glimmered h.o.a.ry, "We will show yourselves for an hour;"

And the children were changed to a glory By the beautiful magic of power.

The fire-kings smiled on their faces And called them by olden names, Till they towered like the starry races All plumed with the twilight flames.

They talked for a while together, How the toil of ages oppressed; And of how they best could weather The s.h.i.+p of the world to its rest.

The dawn in the room was straying: The children began to blink, When they heard a far voice saying, "You can grow like that if you think!"

The sun came in yellow and gay light: They tumbled out of the cot, And half of the dream went with daylight And half was never forgot.

--July 15, 1896

The Chiefs of the Air

Their wise little heads with scorning They laid the covers between: "Do they think we stay here till morning?"

Said Rory and Aileen.

When out their bright eyes came peeping The room was no longer there, And they fled from the dark world creeping Up a twilight cave of air.

They wore each one a gay dress, In sleep, if you understand, When earth puts off its grey dress To robe it in faeryland.

Then loud o'erhead was a humming As clear as the wood wind rings; And here were the air-boats coming And here the airy kings.

The magic barks were gleaming And swift as the feathered throng: With wonder-lights out-streaming They blew themselves along.

And up on the night-wind swimming, With pose and dart and rise, Away went the air fleet skimming Through a haze of jewel skies.

One boat above them drifted Apart from the flying bands, And an air-chief bent and lifted The children with mighty hands.

The children wondered greatly, Three air-chiefs met them there, They were tall and grave and stately With bodies of purple air.

A pearl light with misty s.h.i.+mmer Went dancing about them all, As the dyes of the moonbow glimmer On a trembling waterfall.

The trail of the fleet to the far lands Was wavy along the night, And on through the sapphire starlands They followed the wake of light.

"Look down, Aileen," said Rory, "The earth's as thin as a dream."

It was lit by a sun-fire glory Outraying gleam on gleam.

They saw through the dream-world under Its heart of rainbow flame Where the starry people wander; Like G.o.ds they went and came.

The children looked without talking Till Roray spoke again, "Are those our folk who are walking Like little shadow men?

"They don't see what is about them, They look like pigmies small, The world would be full without them And they think themselves so tall!"

The magic bark went fleeting Like an eagle on and on; Till over its prow came beating The foam-light of the dawn.

The children's dream grew fainter, Three air-chiefs still were there, But the sun the shadow painter Drew five on the misty air.

The dream-light whirled bewild'ring, An air-chief said, "You know.

You are living now, my children, Ten thousand years ago."

They looked at themselves in the old light, And mourned the days of the new Where naught is but darkness or cold light, Till a bell came striking through.

"We must go," said the wise young sages: It was five at dawn by the chimes, And they ran through a thousand ages From the old De Danaan Times.

--August 15, 1896

The Palaces of the Sidhe

Two small sweet lives together From dawn till the dew falls down, They danced over rock and heather Away from the dusty town.

Dark eyes like stars set in pansies, Blue eyes like a hero's bold-- Their thoughts were all pearl-light fancies, Their hearts in the age of gold.

They crooned o'er many a fable And longed for the bright-capped elves, The faery folk who are able To make us faery ourselves.

A hush on the children stealing They stood there hand in hand, For the elfin chimes were pealing Aloud in the underland.

And over the grey rock sliding, A fiery colour ran, And out of its thickness gliding The twinkling mist of a man--

To-day for the children had fled to An ancient yesterday, And the rill from its tunnelled bed too Had turned another way.

Then down through an open hollow The old man led with a smile: "Come, star-hearts, my children, follow To the elfin land awhile."

The bells above them were hanging, Whenever the earth-breath blew It made them go clanging, clanging, The vasty mountain through.

But louder yet than the ringing Came the chant of the elfin choir, Till the mountain was mad with singing And dense with the forms of fire.

The kings of the faery races Sat high on the thrones of might, And infinite years from their faces Looked out through eyes of light.

And one in a diamond splendour Shone brightest of all that hour, More lofty and pure and tender, They called him the Flower of Power.

The palace walls were glowing Like stars together drawn, And a fountain of air was flowing The primrose colour of dawn.