Mamre
The oaks were vast in Mamre, mightily
spread upward towards the sun whose equal flood
pour'd its prophetic ardour endlessly
upon the contrite plain, only withstood
by that calm bulk of frondage domed above
a rapturous peace of dawn & evening wed
continual where the dark boughs bade their love
with benediction from their gesture shed.
Condens'd in cold refreshment & delight
the silence of their green dusk glimmering smiled
moss-hid, surprising [shy rapture of the sight]
this was the well whereby the maiden whiled
herself the simple fount of living joy
thro' all the spacious hours of that content
they held profound beyond the world's annoy
a little folk beneath the oakgroves's tent.
For they that dwelt within that narrow wood
collected in their peace, without amaze,
look'd forth upon the burning certitude
instant from heaven, beleaguering their days;
look'd forth with eyes that waver'd not nor ween'd
that any city reek'd with sin of time
nor that the red horizon's quivering screen'd
the graves of lusting & the pits of slime
look'd forth unto the southern hills that swell
against the fiery skies, a stony brow,
so flashing towards the noon that none could tell
if granite glassy-vein'd or glittering snow
& there when thunder clarion'd from the peak
& lightning tore the boding veil of cloud
they knew who trod the hill, they heard him speak,
the terrible, the jealous, the scarce avowd,
who held the far recesses of the mount
where only the lone eagle-wings have way
his tabernacle none living might recount
because his dazzling face would surely slay.
This all they knew nor fail'd because of fear
from out the limpid fullness of their heart
& when the dusk descended dewy-clear
walked the brown furrows musingly apart.
Thus when the knowledge of their tranquil years
was summ'd they slept beside their fathers laid
where the cave's mouth thro' cluster'd vine-leaves peers
over against the oak-grove's massive shade
in Mamre, where the clear-shod angels came
among the tents of men while yet the world
was morning-large with radiance & whole & same
cool chalice dreaming in the dew unfurl'd
(to wait him certain if with skies unriven
when solemnly the universal air
resumed the sacred hush that noon had driven
into the mountain's undisturb'd repair)
heralding him in intimate sweet wise
dove-like, diffused, on brooding pinions wide
o'er chalice brimm'd of soul & purpling skies
single in evening's crystal-sombreing tide
spread upward towards the sun whose equal flood
pour'd its prophetic ardour endlessly
upon the contrite plain, only withstood
by that calm bulk of frondage domed above
a rapturous peace of dawn & evening wed
continual where the dark boughs bade their love
with benediction from their gesture shed.
Condens'd in cold refreshment & delight
the silence of their green dusk glimmering smiled
moss-hid, surprising [shy rapture of the sight]
this was the well whereby the maiden whiled
herself the simple fount of living joy
thro' all the spacious hours of that content
they held profound beyond the world's annoy
a little folk beneath the oakgroves's tent.
For they that dwelt within that narrow wood
collected in their peace, without amaze,
look'd forth upon the burning certitude
instant from heaven, beleaguering their days;
look'd forth with eyes that waver'd not nor ween'd
that any city reek'd with sin of time
nor that the red horizon's quivering screen'd
the graves of lusting & the pits of slime
look'd forth unto the southern hills that swell
against the fiery skies, a stony brow,
so flashing towards the noon that none could tell
if granite glassy-vein'd or glittering snow
& there when thunder clarion'd from the peak
& lightning tore the boding veil of cloud
they knew who trod the hill, they heard him speak,
the terrible, the jealous, the scarce avowd,
who held the far recesses of the mount
where only the lone eagle-wings have way
his tabernacle none living might recount
because his dazzling face would surely slay.
This all they knew nor fail'd because of fear
from out the limpid fullness of their heart
& when the dusk descended dewy-clear
walked the brown furrows musingly apart.
Thus when the knowledge of their tranquil years
was summ'd they slept beside their fathers laid
where the cave's mouth thro' cluster'd vine-leaves peers
over against the oak-grove's massive shade
in Mamre, where the clear-shod angels came
among the tents of men while yet the world
was morning-large with radiance & whole & same
cool chalice dreaming in the dew unfurl'd
(to wait him certain if with skies unriven
when solemnly the universal air
resumed the sacred hush that noon had driven
into the mountain's undisturb'd repair)
heralding him in intimate sweet wise
dove-like, diffused, on brooding pinions wide
o'er chalice brimm'd of soul & purpling skies
single in evening's crystal-sombreing tide
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