THE HOLY PLACE. 
99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“ THE ROSE AND THE CROSS.” 
 
 
UT of the seething cauldron of my woes, 
 Where sweets and salt and bitterness I flung ; 
Where charmed music gathered from my tongue, 
And where I chained strange archipelagoes 
Of fallen stars ;  where fiery passion flows 
 A curious bitumen ;  where among 
 The glowing medley moved the tune unsung 
Of perfect love :  thence grew the Mystic Rose. 
 
Its myriad petals of divided light ; 
 Its leaves of the most radiant emerald ; 
Its heart of fire like rubies.  At the sight 
 I lifted up my heart to God and called : 
How shall I pluck this dream of my desire ? 
And lo !  there shaped itself the Cross of Fire ! 
 
  O