Studies in Song, A Century of Roundels, Sonnets on English Dramatic Poets, The Heptalogia, Etc | Page 5

in Athens, kings with sceptral song for
staff, [_Ep. 3._ Gladdest heart that God gave ever milk and wine of thought to
quaff,?Clearest eye that lightened ever to the broad lip's lordliest
laugh,?Praise be thine as theirs whose tragic brows the loftier leaf
engirds?For the live and lyric lightning of thy honey-hearted words, Soft like sunny dewy wings of clouds and bright as crying of birds; Full of all sweet rays and notes that make of earth and air and sea One great light and sound of laughter from one great God's heart,
to be?Sign and semblance of the gladness of man's life where men breathe
free.?With no Loxian sound obscure God uttered once, and all time heard, All the soul of Athens, all the soul of England, in that word: Rome arose the second child of freedom: northward rose the third. Ere her Boreal dawn came kindling seas afoam and fields of snow, Yet again, while Europe groaned and grovelled, shone like suns
aglow?Doria splendid over Genoa, Venice bright with Dandolo. Dead was Hellas, but Ausonia by the light of dead men's deeds Rose and walked awhile alive, though mocked as whom the fen-fire
leads?By the creed-wrought faith of faithless souls that mock their
doubts with creeds.?Dead are these, and man is risen again: and haply now the three Yet coequal and triune may stand in story, marked as free By the token of the washing of the waters of the sea.?Athens first of all earth's kindred many-tongued and many-kinned Had the sea to friend and comfort, and for kinsman had the wind: She that bare Columbus next: then she that made her spoil of Ind. She that hears not what man's rage but only what the sea-wind
saith:?She that turned Spain's ships to cloud-wrack at the blasting of her
breath,?By her strengths of strong-souled children and of strong winds done
to death.?North and south the Great King's galleons went in Persian wise: and
here?She, with ?schylean music on her lips that laughed back fear, In the face of Time's grey godhead shook the splendour of her
spear.?Fair as Athens then with foot upon her foeman's front, and strong Even as Athens for redemption of the world from sovereign wrong, Like as Athens crowned she stood before the sun with crowning song. All the world is theirs with whom is freedom: first of all the
free,?Blest are they whom song has crowned and clothed with blessing:
these as we,?These alone have part in spirit with the sun that crowns the sea.
_April 1881._
THE STATUE OF VICTOR HUGO
1
Since in Athens God stood plain for adoration,?Since the sun beheld his likeness reared in stone,?Since the bronze or gold of human consecration?Gave to Greece her guardian's form and feature shown, Never hand of sculptor, never heart of nation,?Found so glorious aim in all these ages flown?As is theirs who rear for all time's acclamation?Here the likeness of our mightiest and their own.
2
Theirs and ours and all men's living who behold him?Crowned with garlands multiform and manifold;?Praise and thanksgiving of all mankind enfold him?Who for all men casts abroad his gifts of gold.?With the gods of song have all men's tongues enrolled him, With the helpful gods have all men's hearts enrolled: Ours he is who love him, ours whose hearts' hearts hold him Fast as his the trust that hearts like his may hold.
3
He, the heart most high, the spirit on earth most blameless, Takes in charge all spirits, holds all hearts in trust: As the sea-wind's on the sea his ways are tameless,?As the laws that steer the world his works are just. All most noble feel him nobler, all most shameless?Feel his wrath and scorn make pale their pride and lust: All most poor and lowliest, all whose wrongs were nameless, Feel his word of comfort raise them from the dust.
4
Pride of place and lust of empire bloody-fruited?Knew the blasting of his breath on leaf and fruit:?Now the hand that smote the death-tree now disrooted?Plants the refuge-tree that has man's hope for root. Ah, but we by whom his darkness was saluted,?How shall now all we that see his day salute??How should love not seem by love's own speech confuted, Song before the sovereign singer not be mute?
5
With what worship, by what blessing, in what measure,?May we sing of him, salute him, or adore,?With what hymn for praise, what thanksgiving for pleasure, Who had given us more than heaven, and gives us more? Heaven's whole treasury, filled up full with night's whole
treasure,?Holds not so divine or deep a starry store?As the soul supreme that deals forth worlds at leisure Clothed with light and darkness, dense with flower and ore.
6
Song had touched the bourn: fresh verses overflow it,?Loud and radiant, waves on waves on waves that throng; Still the tide grows, and the sea-mark still below it?Sinks and shifts and rises, changed and swept along. Rose it like