Helen Redeemed and Other Poems | Page 2

204
HYMNIA-BEATRIX 206
LUX E TENEBRIS 207
DUTY 208
WAGES 209
EYE-SERVICE 210
CLOISTER THOUGHTS 211
THE CHAMBER IDYLL 213
EPIGRAMMATA--
THE OLD HOUSE 217
BLUE IRIS 217
THE ROSEBUD 218
SPRING ON THE DOWN 218
SNOWY NIGHT 219
EVENING MOOD 219
THE PARTING 220
DEDICATION OF A BOOK 221
NOTE
Three of the Poems here published have appeared in book form already, in the Volume called _Songs and Meditations_, long out of print.
HELEN REDEEMED
PROEM
Sing of the end of Troy, and of that flood?Of passion by the blood?Of heroes consecrate, by poet's craft?Hallowed, if that thin waft?Of godhead blown upon thee stretch thy song?To span such store of strong?And splendid vision of immortal themes?Late harvested in dreams,?Albeit long years laid up in tilth. Most meet?Thou sing that slim and sweet?Fair woman for whose bosom and delight?Paris, as well he might,?Wrought all the woe, and held her to his cost?And Troy's, and won and lost?Perforce; for who could look on her or feel?Her near and not dare steal?One hour of her, or hope to hold in bars?Such wonder of the stars?Undimmed? As soon expect to cage the rose?Of dawn which comes and goes?Fitful, or leash the shadows of the hills,?Or music of upland rills?As Helen's beauty and not tarnish it?With thy poor market wit,?Adept to hue the wanton in the wild,?Defile the undefiled!?Yet by the oath thou swearedst, standing high?Where piled rocks testify?The holy dust, and from Therapnai's hold?Over the rippling wold?Didst look upon Amyklai's, where sunrise?First dawned in Helen's eyes,?Take up thy tale, good poet, strain thine art?To sing her rendered heart,?Given last to him who loved her first, nor swerved?From loving, but was nerved?To see through years of robbery and shame?Her spirit, a clear flame,?Eloquent of her birthright. Tell his peace,?And hers who at last found ease?In white-arm'd Heré, holy husbander?Of purer fire than e'er?To wife gave Kypris. Helen, and Thee sing?In whom her beauties ring,?Fair body of fair mind fair acolyte,?Star of my day and night!
_18th September 1912._
FIRST STAVE
THE DEATH OF ACHILLES
Where Simoeis and Xanthos, holy streams,?Flow brimming on the level, and chance gleams?Betray far Ida through a rended cloud?And hint the awful home of Zeus, whose shroud?The thunder is--'twixt Ida and the main?Behold gray Ilios, Priam's fee, the