White Stains

24 THE RAINBOW THE RAINBOW On land wrought of starlight rain lingers In delicate spirals and spines, And sunlight’s immaculate fingers Creep through the desire of the pines ; The promise is flashed into being, Tremendous and florid and proud, To be seen by the eyes of the seeing, A bow in the cloud. O flamed through the sky as a harlot In splendour transcendent and bold, With purple and crimson and scarlet And azure and olive and gold ! O melting to magic and mystery, As clouds fly to heaven again, And holy Hyperion’s history Is flashed into rain ! O Godhead of glory through anguish ! O Christ shone through Magdalen’s tears ! Thy sons on the universe languish In iron bands strong as the spheres ;