III

The Flight

Look back with longing eyes and know that I will follow, Lift me up in your love as a light wind lifts a swallow, Let our flight be far in sun or blowing rain -- *But what if I heard my first love calling me again?*

Hold me on your heart as the brave sea holds the foam, Take me far away to the hills that hide your home; Peace shall thatch the roof and love shall latch the door -- *But what if I heard my first love calling me once more?*

Dew

As dew leaves the cobweb lightly Threaded with stars, Scattering jewels on the fence And the pasture bars; As dawn leaves the dry grass bright And the tangled weeds Bearing a rainbow gem On each of their seeds; So has your love, my lover, Fresh as the dawn, Made me a shining road To travel on, Set every common sight Of tree or stone Delicately alight For me alone.

To-night

The moon is a curving flower of gold, The sky is still and blue; The moon was made for the sky to hold, And I for you.

The moon is a flower without a stem, The sky is luminous; Eternity

was made for them, To-night for us.

Ebb Tide

When the long day goes by And I do not see your face, The old wild, restless sorrow Steals from its hiding place.

My day is barren and broken, Bereft of light and song, A sea beach bleak and windy That moans the whole day long.

To the empty beach at ebb tide, Bare with its rocks and scars, Come back like the sea with singing, And light of a million stars.

I Would Live in Your Love

I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea, Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes; I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me, I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul as it leads.

Because

Oh, because you never tried To bow my will or break my pride, And nothing of the cave-man made You want to keep me half afraid, Nor ever with a conquering air You thought to draw me unaware -- Take me, for I love you more Than I ever loved before.

And since the body's maidenhood Alone were neither rare nor good Unless with it I gave to you A spirit still untrammeled, too, Take my dreams and take my mind That were masterless as wind; And "Master!" I shall say to you Since you never asked me to.

The Tree of Song

I sang my songs for the rest, For you I am still; The tree of my song is bare On its shining hill.

For you came like a lordly wind, And the leaves were whirled Far as forgotten things Past the rim of the world.

The tree of my song stands bare Against the blue -- I gave my songs to the rest, Myself to you.

The Giver

You bound strong sandals on my feet, You gave me bread and wine, And sent me under sun and stars, For all the world was mine.

Oh, take the sandals off my feet, You know not what you do; For all my world is in your arms, My sun and stars are you.

April Song

Willow, in your April gown Delicate and gleaming, Do you mind in years gone by All my dreaming?

Spring was like a call to me That I could not answer, I was chained to loneliness, I, the dancer.

Willow, twinkling in the sun, Still your leaves and hear me, I can answer spring at last, Love is near me!

The Wanderer

I saw the sunset-colored sands, The Nile like flowing fire between,

Where Rameses stares forth serene, And Ammon's heavy temple stands.

I saw the rocks where long ago, Above the sea that cries and breaks, Swift Perseus with Medusa's snakes Set free the maiden white like snow.

And many skies have covered me, And many winds have blown me forth, And I have loved the green, bright north, And I have loved the cold, sweet sea.

But what to me are north and south, And what the lure of many lands, Since you have leaned to catch my hands And lay a kiss upon my mouth.

The Years

To-night I close my eyes and see A strange procession passing me -- The years before I saw your face Go by me with a wistful grace; They pass, the sensitive, shy years, As one who strives to dance, half blind with tears.

The years went by and never knew That each one brought me nearer you; Their path was narrow and apart And yet it led me to your heart -- Oh, sensitive, shy years, oh, lonely years, That strove to sing with voices drowned in tears.

Enough

It is enough for me by day To walk the same bright earth with him; Enough that over us by night The same great roof of stars is dim.

I do not hope to bind the wind Or set a fetter on the sea -- It is enough to feel his love Blow by like music over me.

Come

Come, when the pale moon like a petal Floats in the pearly dusk of spring, Come with arms outstretched to take me, Come with lips pursed up to cling.

Come, for life is a frail moth flying, Caught in the web of the years that pass, And soon we two, so warm and eager, Will be as the gray stones in the grass.

Joy

I am wild, I will sing to the trees, I will sing to the stars in the sky, I love, I am loved, he is mine, Now at last I can die!

I am sandaled with wind and with flame, I have heart-fire and singing to give, I can tread on the grass or the stars, Now at last I can live!

Riches

I have no riches but my thoughts, Yet these are wealth enough for me; My thoughts of you are golden coins Stamped in the mint of memory;

And I must spend them all in song, For thoughts, as well as gold, must be Left on the hither side of death To gain their immortality.

Dusk in War Time

A half-hour more and you will lean To gather me close in the old sweet way -- But oh, to the woman over the sea Who will come at the close of day?

A half-hour more and I will hear The key in the latch and the strong, quick tread -- But oh, the woman over the sea Waiting at dusk for one

who is dead!

Peace

Peace flows into me As the tide to the pool by the shore; It is mine forevermore, It will not ebb like the sea.

I am the pool of blue That worships the vivid sky; My hopes were heaven-high, They are all fulfilled in you.

I am the pool of gold When sunset burns and dies -- You are my deepening skies; Give me your stars to hold.

Moods

I am the still rain falling, Too tired for singing mirth -- Oh, be the green fields calling, Oh, be for me the earth!

I am the brown bird pining To leave the nest and fly -- Oh, be the fresh cloud shining, Oh, be for me the sky!

Houses of Dreams

You took my empty dreams And filled them every one With tenderness and nobleness, April and the sun.

The old empty dreams Where my thoughts would throng Are far too full of happiness To even hold a song.

Oh, the empty dreams were dim And the empty dreams were wide, They were sweet and shadowy houses Where my thoughts could hide.

But you took my dreams away And you made them all come true -- My thoughts have no place now to play, And nothing now to do.

Lights

When we come home at night and close the door, Standing together in the shadowy room, Safe in our own love and the gentle gloom, Glad of familiar wall and chair and floor,

Glad to leave far below the clanging city; Looking far downward to the glaring street Gaudy with light, yet tired with many feet, In both of us wells up a wordless pity;

Men have tried hard to put away the dark; A million lighted windows brilliantlyInlay with squares of gold the winter night, But to us standing here there comes the starkSense of the lives behind each yellow light, And not one wholly joyous, proud, or free.

"I Am Not Yours"

I am not yours, not lost in you, Not lost, although I long to be Lost as a candle lit at noon, Lost as a snowflake in the sea.

You love me, and I find you still A spirit beautiful and bright, Yet I am I, who long to be Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love -- put out My senses, leave me deaf and blind, Swept by the tempest of your love, A taper in a rushing wind.

Doubt

My soul lives in my body's house, And you have both the house and her -- But sometimes she is less your own Than a wild, gay adventurer; A restless and an eager wraith, How can I tell what she will do -- Oh, I am sure of my body's faith, But what if my soul broke faith with you?

The Wind

A wind is blowing over my soul, I hear it cry the whole night through -- Is there no peace for me on earth Except with you?

Alas, the wind has made me wise, Over my naked soul it blew, -- There is no peace for me on earth Even with you.

Morning

I went out on an April morning All alone, for my heart was high, I was a child of the shining meadow, I was a sister of the sky.

There in the windy flood of morning Longing lifted its weight from me, Lost as a sob in the midst of cheering, Swept as a sea-bird out to sea.

Other Men

When I talk with other men I always think of you -- Your words are keener than their words, And they are gentler, too.

When I look at other men, I wish your face were there, With its gray eyes and dark skin And tossed black hair.

When I think of other men, Dreaming alone by day, The thought of you like a strong wind Blows the dreams away.

Embers

I said, "My youth is gone Like a fire beaten out by the rain, That will never sway and sing Or play with the wind again."

I said, "It is no great sorrow That quenched my youth in me, But

only little sorrows Beating ceaselessly."

I thought my youth was gone, But you returned -- Like a flame at the call of the wind It leaped and burned;

Threw off its ashen cloak, And gowned anew Gave itself like a bride Once more to you.

Message

I heard a cry in the night, A thousand miles it came, Sharp as a flash of light, My name, my name!

It was your voice I heard, You waked and loved me so -- I send you back this word, I know, I know!

The Lamp

If I can bear your love like a lamp before me, When I go down the long steep Road of Darkness, I shall not fear the everlasting shadows,Nor cry in terror.

If I can find out God, then I shall find Him, If none can find Him, then I shall sleep soundly, Knowing how well on earth your love sufficed me,A lamp in darkness.