14 
THE SOUL OF OSIRIS. 
Only to me her eyelids sever 
 And lips respire her equal breath ; 
Still in the unknown star I see 
The very god that is of me. 
 
The day’s pale countenance is lifted, 
 The rude sun’s forehead he uncovers ; 
No soft delicious clouds have drifted, 
 No wing of midnight’s bird that hovers ; 
Yet still the hard blind blue is rifted, 
 And still my star and I as lovers 
Yearn to each other through the sky 
With eyes half closed in ecstasy. 
 
Night, Night, O mother Night, descend ! 
 O daughter of the sleeping sea ! 
O dusk, O sister-spirit, lend 
 Thy wings, thy shadows, unto me ! 
O mother, mother, mother, bend 
 And shroud the world in mystery 
That secrets of our bed forbidden 
Cover their faces, and be hidden. 
 
O steadfast, O mysterious bride, 
 O woman, O divine and dead ! 
O wings immeasurably wide, 
 O star, O sister of my bed ! 
O living lover, at my side 
 Clinging, the spring, the fountain-head 
Of musical slow waters, white 
With thousand-folded rays of light !