The Equinox (Volume I, Number VI)

76 THE RITES OF ELEUSIS I am the thousand»breasted milky spouse, Virgina] also: Tartarus and Gaia Twinned in my womb, and Chaos 110111 my brows Shrank back abashed, my sister dark and dire, Mother 01 Erebus and Night, that ploughs With starry-sandalled feet the fields of fire ; My sister shrank and fell, the infernal gloom Changed to the hot sweet shadow of my womb. I am : that darkness strange and uterine Is shot with dawn and scented with the rose; The deep dim prison-house 01 corn and wine, Flowers, children, stars, with flame far subtler glows Formless, all-piercing, death-defying, divine, A sweet frail lamp whose shadow gleams and shows No darkness, is as light is where its rays Cross, interweave, and marry with the day’s ! I am : the heart that flames from central Me, Seeks out all life, and takes again, to mingle Its passion with my might and majesty, Till thevast floods ofthe man’s being tingle And glow, self-lostwithin my soul and sea Of love, the sun 01 utter light, and single Keen many-veine'd heart: our lips and kisses Marry and muse on our immortal blisses, I am: the greatest and the least: the sole And separate life 01 things. The mighty stresses Of worlds are my nerves twitching. Branch and bole Of forests waving in deep wildernesses Are hairs upon my body. Rivers roll Το make one tear in my superb caresses, When on myself myself begets a child, A system of a thousand planets piled! I am : the least, the greatest : the frail life 01501118 small coral-insect still may tremble With love 101 1118, and call me queen and wife ; The shy plant 01 the water may dissemble