CREATION

As the pregnant womb of night

Thrills with imprisoned light,

Misty, nebulous-born,

Growing deeper into her morn,

So man, with no sudden stride,

Bloomed into pride.

In the womb of the All-spirit

The universe lay; the will

Blind, an atom, lay still.

The pulse of matter

Obeyed in awe

And strove to flatter

The rhythmic law.

But the will grew; nature feared,

And cast off the child she reared,

Now her rival, instinct-led,

With her own powers impregnated.

Brain and heart, blood-fervid flowers,

Creation is each act of yours.

Your roots are God, the pauseless cause,

But your boughs sway to self-windy laws.

Perception is no dreamy birth

And magnifies transfigured earth.

With each new light, our eyes receive

A larger power to perceive.

If we could unveil our eyes,

Become as wise as the All-wise,

No love would be, no mystery:

Love and joy dwell in infinity.

Love begets love; reaching highest

We find a higher still, unseen

From where we stood to reach the first;

Moses must die to live in Christ,

The seed be buried to live to green.

Perfection must begin from worst.

Christ perceives a larger reachless love,

More full, and grows to reach thereof.

The green plant yearns for its yellow fruit.

Perfection always is a root,

And joy a motion that doth feed

Itself on light of its own speed,

And round its radiant circle runs,

Creating and devouring suns.