Classic Poem

I.

The W AKING OF THE S EA .

" A LL that is beautiful shall abide,
All that is base shall die."
Hark! birds are singing far and wide,
Under the summer sky. . . .

Southward across the shining Bow
The blessed Brethren came;
They wore soft raiment of the snow
And sandals shod with flame.

And golden lights and rippling rains
Were on the frozen sea,
The bergs were melting from their chains,
The waters flashing free.

The white Christ lifted hands above
The silent wakening Deep,
And the unseen depths began to move
With motions soft as sleep.

Then on an isle of ice he slept,
Leading his Brother mild,
And blest the waters as they slept,
And lo, they woke and smiled!

Around him on the melting sea
The glittering icebergs stirred,
And glimmer'd southward silently,
Like things that lived and heard.

Then, like a ship on the still tide
That slowly leaveth land,
His own white isle began to glide
At lifting of his hand.

Silently as a flock of sheep
The bergs stirred in the sun,
Shepherded gently down the Deep
By that immortal one.

For as he raised his snow-white hand,
They crept full softly by, —
Or paused and stood, as fair flocks stand
Under the shepherd's eye.

Far, far away into the north
They stretch'd in legions white,
Trembling and changing, creeping forth
Out of a crimson light.

And all the colours of the Bow
Down their bright sides were shed;
Above the sky was gold; below,
The sea all rippling red!

II.

F ROM D EATH TO L IFE .

Bright Balder at his brother's feet
Lay looking on the sea,
And sea-birds hover'd white and sweet
Around him, silently.

And white bears crawl'd out of the Deep
To see him, and were blest;
And black seals with their young did creep
Upon the berg to rest.

Brighter and fairer all around
The kindling waters shone;
And softly, swiftly, with no sound,
The white flocks glided on.

And far away on every side
The glittering ice-blink grew, —
Millions of bergs like ships that ride
Upon the waters blue.

O Balder, Balder, wherefore hide
Thy face from the blue sky!"
The voice was music, but it cried
Like any human cry.

" O Balder, Balder," the white Christ said,
" Look up and answer me."
Bright Balder raised his golden head,
Like sunrise on the sea.

" O Brother, I was weeping then
For those whom Death o'erthrew.
Shall I, whose eyes have mourn'd for men,
Not mourn my brethren too?"

The white Christ answer'd back, and cried,
Shining under the sky,
" All that is beautiful shall abide,
All that is base shall die.

" And if among thy sleeping kin
One soul divine there be,
That soul shall walk the world and win
New life, with thee and me.

" Death shall not harm one holy hair,
Nor blind one face full sweet;
Death shall not mar what Love made fair;
Nay, Death shall kiss their feet!"

Then Balder rose his heavenly height,
And clear as day smiled he;
His smile was bright as noonday light
Upon the sparkling sea.

Turning his face unto the north,
He utter'd up a prayer,
He saw the great Bridge stretching forth,
But never a god walk'd there.

He pray'd for those great gods o'erthrown
And cast in Death's eclipse,
He named the goddesses each one,
And blest them with his lips.

And lo! from bright'ning far-off lands
He saw glad spirits gleam,
Gazing to sea, and waving hands,
And singing in a dream;

And far away where earth and air
Mingled their gentle lights,
There stood one marble form most fair
Upon the cloudless heights.

Against the calm and stainless blue
It stood divinely dim,
And lo, his mother's form he knew,
And felTher eyes on him!

Silent she paused, serene and crown'd,
Amid a summer sheen
And cataracts flash'd their lights around,
And woods grew dewy green.

Softly he sail'd beyond her sight
Upon the summer sea,
And once again with hands snow-white
He blest all things that be.

And brighter, brighter, as he blest,
The loosen'd Ocean grew,
And all the icebergs rock'd at rest
Upon the waters blue.

Along the melting shores of earth
An emerald flame there ran,
Forest and field grew bright, and mirth
Gladden'd the flocks of Man.

Then glory grew on earth and heaven,
Full glory of full day!
Then the bright rainbow's colours seven
On every iceberg lay!

In Balder's hand Christ placed his own,
And it was golden weather,
And on that berg as on a throne
The Brethren stood together!

And countless voices far and wide
Sang sweet beneath the sky —
" All that is beautiful shall abide,
All that is base shall die!"