[Draft II]
Auspicious Reverence! Hush all meaner song,
Ere we the deep prelusive strain have pour'd
To the Great Father, only Rightful king
All-gracious Father, king Omnipotent!
Mind! co-eternal Word! forth-breathing Sound! [5]
Aye unconfounded: undivided Trine—
Birth and Procession; ever re-incircling Act!
God in God immanent, distinct yet one!
Omnific, Omniform. The Immoveable,
That goes forth and remains, eke——and at once 10
Dawns, rises, and sets and crowns the height of Heaven!
[Cf. Anima Poetæ, 1895, p. 162.]
Such Symphony demands best Instrument.
Seize then, my soul! from Freedom's trophied dome.
The harp which hanging high between the shields
Of Brutus and Leonidas, gives oft 15
A fateful Music, when with breeze-like Touch
Pure spirits thrill its strings: the Poet's heart
Listens, and smiling knows that Poets demand
Once more to live for Man and work by Fame:
For what is Freedom, but th' unfetter'd use 20
Of all the Powers, which God for use had given!
Thro' the sweet Influence of harmonious Word——
| * * * * * | |||
| The zephyr-travell'd Harp, that flashes forth Jets and low wooings of wild melody That sally forth and seek the meeting Ear, 25 Then start away, half-wanton, half-afraid Like the red-breast forced by wintry snows, In the first visits by the genial Hearth, From the fair Hand, that tempts it to— Or like a course of flame, from the deep sigh 30 Of the idly-musing Lover dreaming of his Love | |||
| With thoughts and hopes and fears, |
| sinking, snatching, as warily, upward | |
| Bending, recoiling, fluttering as itself | |||
| * * * * * | |||
And cheats us with false prophecies of sound
LINENOTES:
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