THE BRIGHTNESS

Away, away —

Through that strange void and vast

Brimmed with dying day;

Away,

So that I feel

Only the wind

Of the world's swift-rolling wheel.

See what a maze

Of whirling rays!

The sharp wind

Weakens; the air

Is but thin air,

Not fume and flying fire....

O, heart's desire,

Now thou art still

And the air chill.

And but a stem

Of clear cold light

Shines in this stony dark.

Farewell, world of sense,

Too fair, too fair

To be so false!

Hence, hence

Rosy memories,

Delight of ears, hands, eyes.

Rise

When I bid, O thou

Tide of the dark,

Whelming the pale last,

Reflection of that vast

Too-fair deceit.

Ah, sweet

To miss the vexing heat

Of the heart's desire:

Only to know

All's lost, lost....

Sweet

To know the lack of sweet.

— Thou fool!

See how the steady dark

Is filled with eyes —

Eyes that smile,

Hot, then how cool!

Eyes that were stars till thou

Mad'st them eyes.

O, the tormenting

Look, the unrelenting

Passionate kiss

Of their wild light on thine —

Light of thine eyes!

As if one could

Loathe the world for too much sweetness!

All the air's a flame,

Wonderful — yet the same

Thou'st hated,

Being briefly sated

With sweet of sweetness.

Forgive a heart whose madness

Was not of madness born,

But of mere wild

Waste of desire....

Who does not know

One speaks so, or so,

Out of mere passion

That sees not love

From hate, nor life from death,

Nor hell from heaven?

In the East — oh, that flashed

Brightness, past

The loveliness even

Of sunset's flush!