A Celtic Psaltery Part 23

She the long sought for and sighed for in vain, the enchantress immortal-- Spring, in our very despair, out of inviolate air Charioting summons the Eastern gate; the obedient portal Opes, and a vision blest yields to the wondering West.

High on her crystal car she trembles in halycon tissues, Gently with golden curb checking her coursers superb-- All her ethereal beauty elate with Love's infinite issues, Whilst this enchantment slips forth from her sibylline lips: "Herb and tree in your kinds, free lives of the mountain and forest, Shoals of the stream and the flood, flights of the welkin and wood, Herd and flock of the field, and ye, whose need is the sorest, Suffering spirits of men, lo! I am with you again.

Fear no more for the tyrant h.o.a.r as he rushes to battle Armoured in ice, and darts lance after lance at your hearts, Fear not his flaming bolts as they hurtle with horrible rattle Out of the lurid inane fulminant over the plain.

Fear not his wizardry white that circles and circles and settles Stealthily hour by hour, feathery flower upon flower, Over the spell-bound sleeper, till last the pitiless petals Darkly in icy death stifle his labouring breath.

"Late upon yon white height the despot his fugitives rallied, Deeming the crest snow-crowned still inaccessibly frowned; Idly, for instant upon him my bright-speared chivalry sallied, Smote and far into the North swept him discomfited forth, Therefore, from root unto hole, from hole into burgeoning branches, Tendril and ta.s.sel and cup now let the ichor leap up: Therefore, with flowering drift and with fluttering bloom avalanches, Snowdrop and silver thorn laugh baffled winter to scorn; Primrose, daffodil, cowslip, s.h.i.+ne back to my s.h.i.+mmering sandals, Hyacinth host, o'er the green flash your cerulean sheen, Lilac, your perfumed lamps, light, chestnut, your cl.u.s.tering candles, Broom and laburnum, untold torches of tremulous gold!

Therefore gold-gather again from the honeyed heath and the bean field, s.n.a.t.c.hing no instant of ease, bright, mult.i.tudinous bees!

Therefore, ye b.u.t.terflies, float and flicker from garden to green field, Flicker and float and stay, settle and sip and away!

"Therefore race it and chase it, ye colts, in the emerald meadow!

Round your serious dams frisk, ye fantastical lambs!

Therefore, bird unto bird, from the woodland's wavering shadow Pipe and 'plain and protest, flutter together and nest.

"Therefore, ye skylarks, in s.h.i.+vering circle still higher and higher Soar, and the palpitant blue drench with delirious dew.

Therefore, nightingale, lost in the leaves, or lone on the brier, Under the magic moon lift your tumultuous tune.

Therefore refresh you, faint hearts, take comfort, ye souls sorrow-stricken, Winning from nature relief, courage and counsel in grief, Judging that He, whose handmaid I am, out of death to requicken Year after year His earth into more exquisite birth, Shadows thereby to your souls through what drear and perilous places Into what Paradise blest beacons His searching behest-- Even the Heaven of Heavens where fond, long-hungered-for faces Into your own shall s.h.i.+ne radiant with rapture divine."

EASTER DAY, 1915

I

The stars die out on Avon's watchful breast, While simple shepherds climb through shadows grey, With beating bosoms up the Wrekin's Crest To see the sun "dance in" an Easter Day Whose dawning consummates three centuries-- Since Shakespeare's death and entrance to the skies-- Resolved the radiant miracle not to miss Reserved alone to earliest opened eyes.

We, too, with faces set towards the East, Our joyful orison offerings yielding up Keep with our risen Lord His Pascal feast From Paten Blest and Consecrated Cup, And give Him thanks Who of all realms of Earth Made England richest by her Shakespeare's birth.

II

"St. George for Merrie England!" let us cry And each a red rose pin upon his breast, Then face the foe with fearless front and eye Through all our frowning leaguer in the West.

For not alone his Patron Day it is Wherefrom our n.o.ble George hath drawn his name; Three centuries and a half gone by ere this; By Shakespeare's birth it won a second fame.

A greater glory is its crown to-day Since at its first and faintest uttered breath A mighty angel rolled the stone away That sealed His tomb Who captive now leads death, And thereby did the great example give.

That they who die for others most shall live.

THE ASCENSION

When Christ their Lord, to Heaven upraised, Was wafted from the Apostles' sight, And upwards wistfully they gazed Into the far, blue Infinite, Behold two men in white apparel dressed Who thus bespake them on the mountain crest:

"Why stand ye, men of Galilee, So sadly gazing on the skies?

For this same Jesus, whom ye see Caught in the clouds to Paradise, Shall in like manner from the starry height Return again to greet your joyful sight."

Would, O Lord Jesus! thus to hear Thy farewell words we too had met, Among Thine own Disciples dear, Upon the brow of Olivet!

Yet are we blest, though of that joy bereaved, Who having seen Thee not, have yet believed.

O, then in each succeeding year When Thine Ascension Day draws round, With hearts so full of holy fear May we within Thy Church be found, That in the spirit we may see Thee rise And bless us with pierced hands from out the skies!

Christ, if our gaze for ever thus Is fixed upon Thy Heavenward way, Death shall but bring to each of us At last his soul's Ascension Day, Till in Thy mercy Thou descend once more And quick and dead to meet Thy coming soar.

WHITSUNTIDE

When Christ from off the mountain crest Before their marvelling eyes, Whilst His disciples still He blessed, Was caught into the skies-- The Angels, whose harmonious breath Erstwhile proclaimed His birth, Now hailed Him Victor over Death, Redeemer of the Earth; "Lift up your heads, ye Heavenly Gates!"

Rang forth their joyful strain; "For lo! the King of Glory waits To enter you again!"

Thus, heralded, from Heaven to Heaven Magnifical He goes, Until the last of all the seven To greet His coming glows; While He the Eternal long left lone To meet Him doth upstand, Then sets His Son upon the Throne Once more at His right hand.

Whereat with one triumphal hymn Majestically blent The Cherubim and Seraphim The Universe have rent.

Last, from the splendrous mercy seat, Of Father and of Son, To Earth, their purpose to complete, Descends the Promised One.

Like to a mighty rus.h.i.+ng wind He falls, subduing s.p.a.ce, To where Christ's chosen with one mind Are gathered in one place.

With tongues of flame He lights on each, Whose wonder-working spell Fires them in every human speech Heaven's message forth to tell.

The coward brood of doubt and fear And hesitance are fled; Before the quickening Comforter They rise as from the dead.

The bolted door is yawning wide, The barred gate backward flung; And forth unarmed and fearless-eyed, They fare their foes among.

HARVEST HYMN

CAST THY BREAD UPON THE WATERS

O ye weeping sons and daughters, Trust the Heavenly Harvest Giver, Cast your bread upon the waters Of His overflowing river; Cast the good seed, nothing doubting That your tears shall turn to praise, Ye shall yet behold it sprouting Heavenward, after many days.

Hope and love, long frost-withholden, Into laughing life upleaping, Blade and ear, from green to golden, Yet shall ripen for your reaping; Till some radiant summer morrow, Wheresoe'er your sickle cleaves, Ye, who sow to-day in sorrow, Shout for joy amid your sheaves.

O then, learn the inmost meaning Of your harvest's rich redundance, Bid the famished ones come gleaning In the fields of your abundance; So in overrunning measure Shall your thankful fellow-men Give you, of their hearts' hid treasure, All your good gifts back again.

Till, ye faithful sons and daughters, G.o.d your golden lives deliver, Like the good grain to the waters Of death's overflowing river; Till up-caught amid His sleepers, Heavenly fruit from earthly loam, At the last, His angel reapers On their bosoms bear you home.