“A Broken Rainbow On The Skies Of May”

A broken rainbow on the skies of May, Touching the dripping roses and low clouds, And in wet clouds like scattered jewels lost:-- So in the sorrow of her soul the ghost Of one great love, of iridescent ray, Spanning the roses gray of memory, Against the tumult of life’s rushing crowds-- A broken rainbow on the skies of May.

A flashing humming-bird among the flowers, Deep-colored blooms; its slender tongue and bill Sucking the calyxed and the honeyed myrrhs, Till, sick of sweets, to other flow’rs it whirrs:-- Such was his love that won her heart’s full bowers To yield to him their all, their sweets in showers, The flower from which he drank his body’s fill-- A flashing humming-bird among the flowers.

A moon, moth-white, that through far mists, like fleece, Moves amber-girt into a bulk of black, And, lost to sight, rims all the black with froth:-- A love that swept its moon, like some great moth, Across the heaven of her soul’s young peace; And, smoothly passing, in the clouds did cease Of time, through which its burning light comes back-- A moon, moth-white, that moves through mists like fleece.

A bolt of living thunder downward hurled, Momental blazing from the piled-up storm, That etches out the mountains and the ocean, The towering rocks, then blots the sight’s commotion:-- Love, love that swiftly coming bared the world, The deeps of life, round which fate’s clouds are curled, And, ceasing, left all night and black alarm-- A bolt of living thunder downward hurled.