Classic Poem

Brother! on a day, the Sun
Was filled with great desire to wed;
For nine years, drawn by nine steeds,
Heaven and earth he travelèd,
Swift as arrow or as wind;
But in vain he tired his steeds,
Nowhere, nowhere could he find
For himself a worthy bride,
None whom he might place beside
Helen, his own sister fair,
Helen of the long gold hair.

To his sister then he goes,
Speaking in the voice she knows:
“Helen, little sister fair,
Helen of the long gold hair,
Wilt thou not be wed with me?
For we are alike to see:
Like in feature, like in hair,
Like in beauty past compare;
I have glittering rays of light,
Thou hast tresses gilded bright;
All my face is shining clear,
And thy face is radiant, dear!”

“Oh, my brother, light of earth,
Thou who from all sin art pure,
Never since the world had birth,
Never was it known, be sure,
Brother might with sister wed;
That were dreadful sin,” she said.

At these words the Sun grew dim;
And he mounted to God's throne,
And he knelt before the Lord,
With his own voice spoke to Him:
“Holy God! Father!” he said,
“It is time that I should wed,
But alas! I cannot find
Anywhere a worthy bride,
One whom I may set beside
Helen, my own sister fair,
Helen of the golden hair.”

And the Lord God listened well:
Then He took him by the hand,
Led him through the paths of Hell,
That his heart might understand
All the terror of the place;
Led him then through Paradise,
To enchant him, soul and eyes.

Then the Lord God spoke and said:
(While the Lord God spoke that day
All the sky shone clear and gay;
Every dim cloud vanishèd.)
“Sun,” He said, “thou radiant Sun,
Thou who from all sin art pure,
Thou hast been in Paradise,
Thou hast walked the paths of Hell,
Of the two thou must choose one.”
Gayly answered then the Sun:
“Hell I gladly will endure,
If alone I need not dwell,
But with my own sister fair,
Helen of the long gold hair.”

From the sky the Sun went down
To his sister's house that day;
Set the wedding in array;
Placed on Helen's brow so fair
The golden fillet brides should wear;
On her head a royal crown;
Dressed her in transparent gown,
With white pearls embroiderèd.

To the great church to be wed
Went they straightway, he and she.
When the service is begun,
Woe to her and woe to him!
All the lamps turn dark and dim;
The bells crack, and crashing fall
Rail and rood and choir-stall;
On its base the clock-tower sways;
Dumb the priest stands where he prays,
And his vestments fall from him.

Woe to Helen! sad to tell
How a hand invisible
Seizes her from out the place,
Hurls her through the vast of space,
Hurls her down into the sea,
Where she changes suddenly
To a fish with scales of gold.

Then the Sun pales, even he,
And he mounts the vaulted sky,
And he sinks down toward the west,
Plunges deep into the sea,
Seeking her he loves the best,
Helen, his own sister fair,
Helen of the long gold hair.

Then the Lord God from on high,
Holy Lord of earth and sky,
Took the gold fish in his hand,
Hurled it once again through space,
Changed it of his wondrous grace
To the moon with shining face;
And the Lord God spoke again:
(When the Lord God spoke that day,
Stars and worlds shook far and near,
But the sea-waves calmer lay,
And the mountains bent to pray,
While men trembled in their fear.)

“Helen of the long gold hair,
And thou Sun so shining fair,
Thou who from all sin art pure,
Sun and Moon ye are condemned,
While my heavens shall endure,
Till eternity shall end,
To seek each other through the skies,
Following with yearning eyes;
Never having power to meet
On the high celestial street,
Only following endlessly,
Lifted over earth and sea,
Wandering heaven day and night,
Filling all the worlds with light.”