[BEN NACHMANI.]
"O the brightness, clearness, beauty of heaven!
Seer Ben Nachmani," Rabbi Levi said,
"Of the Hagada Master thou of seven,
Would that I knew whence Light, its fountainhead?"
The Master whispered in the Rabbi's ear:
"The Holy One, blessëd be He, in white
Himself doth robe, and then the whole world clear
In beauty glows with His majestic light."
"Sayest thou so? That's word for word the psalm:
'The light Thy garment is which Thou dost wear.'
Thou tell'st it here a secret 'neath the palm,
O Master thou of seven with whitened hair!"
And softer fell the Master's whispered word:
"I heard it this; O Rabbi, hast thou heard?"
[RENEWAL.]
In the old days Vannucci, color-dowered,
Lit up young eyes with vision large and pure,
That gathered in its iris-glow the lure
Of sea and sky, and beauty earth-embowered;
And Rafael Santi on the master showered
The rich-hued passion of his soul, secure
In art that should for evermore endure,—
But as he wrought his vision was defloured.
For sake of art divine a seer bright-stoled,
Whose eyes had drunk the steadfast splendors true
Of sacred gems, this precious secret told:
"Oft sight of these doth color-sense renew!"
Ah thus, true soul assoiled of life, thou ey'st,
Mid thy enduring work, the quickening Christ!