The Spirit Of The Star

(Love Spiritual)

“This union of the human soul with the divine æthereal substance of the universe, is the ancient doctrine of Pythagoras and Plato.”--Divine Legation.

There is love for love: the heaven Teems with possibilities: And, when love is purely given, Love returns from where none sees: And such love becomes a ladder Reaching heavenward, from the sadder Night of Earth; from out the driven Darkness of its miseries.

There is love for love: and Beauty, From her star above the Earth, Smiles, and straight each cloud of sooty Night takes on celestial worth: And, like some white flower unfolding, Love is born; and softly holding Up its face, as if in duty, Grows to that which gave it birth.

Earth and Heaven are prolific Of love’s wonders: and the sky Teems with spirits, fair, terrific, Who, if loved, shall never die: Dæmons, haggard as their mountains; Naiads, sparkling as their fountains; Sylphids of the winds, pacific As the stars they tremble by....

Such was I; who long had waited For the everlasting sleep: Where, around me, worlds dilated, Waned or waxed within the deep: Where, beneath my star, a planet Whirled and shone, like glowing granite, While around it ne’er abated One white satellite its sweep.

I was sad: my beauty wearied, Useless as a scentless bud Fading ere it blooms. The serried Mists of worlds, as red as blood, Streamed beneath me. And the starry Firmament above bent, barry With the wild auroras, ferried Of the meteors’ sisterhood.

Something drew me, unreturning, Filled me with a finer flame

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I was loveless with a yearning After love that never came; All my astral being burning Towards that world without a name, World I knew not: till, with splendor Of compulsion that was tender, Something drew me, unreturning, Filled me with a finer flame.

So I left my star, whose lances Pierced with arrowy gold the heat Of heaven’s hyacinth; its glances Saddened me. No more to meet, Then I left my star; and, beating Downward, heard it still repeating Far farewells; and through the trances Of dark space its face looked sweet.

Passed your moon: a melancholy Disc at first; then, vast and sharp, Lo, a world, all white and holy! Where, upon the crystal scarp Of a mountain,--like a story Of high Heaven revealed in glory,-- Gradual, as if music slowly Built it, rolling from a harp,--

Rose a city: cloudy nacre Were its walls, that towered round Acre upon arch-piled acre Of a marble-terraced ground: Caryatids alternated With Atlantes, sculpture-weighted: And its gates--some god the maker-- Rhombs of symboled diamond.

In the white light glittered swimming Domes of dazzle: swirl on swirl, Temples lifted columns, brimming Crystal flame, that seemed to whirl: Battlemented moonstone darkled; Palaces, pale-pillared, sparkled, Cloudy opal: and, far dimming, Aqueducts of ghostly pearl.

Streaming steeples shone, of dædal Emblem; each an obelisk: Minarets, each one a needle, Balancing a bubble-disc; Some of diamond, like a blister Frozen; some of topaz-glister, Vinous; in whose blinding middle Blazed an orb of burning bisque.

And I saw where, silvery slanted, A vast pyramidic heap Rose of spar; whereon was planted The acropolis of Sleep,-- God of these:--that, looming higher, Wrought of seeming ice and fire, Where pale rainbow-colors panted, Gleamed above the lunar deep.

Robed in white simarre and chiton, Visions filled its every square, Moving like a finer light on Light: and in the glory there Music rang and golden laughter; And before each shape, and after, Radiance went, that shadowed white, on Temple and on palace stair.

Though they called me, I descended Earthward. For great longing drew Me and, drawing me, was blended With your world. I never knew It was Earth, until,--forsaking Heaven,--I beheld it taking,-- A great azure sphere,--its splendid Way along the singing blue.

And when night came, here, above you,-- Sleeping by your folded sheep On the hills,--I stooped: whereof you Dreamed: I kissed you in your sleep: I, your destiny, who wrought it So you knew me: you, who thought it Not so strange that I should love you, I a spirit of the deep.

’Twas your love that sought and found me, Drew me from that star-life sad; Won my soul to yours and bound me With such love as none hath had: I am she, you may remember, That fair star that seemed an ember O’er you, that you loved.--Around me Wrap your arms now and be glad.

Look above: what seems a petal, Burning, of a rose; that far Point of radiance, bright as metal, Fiery silver, is your star! Look above you: rise unto it. Let it lead you now who drew it Down to Earth, where shadows settle!-- On that star no shadows are!