Orpheus

The laughing companies of corn awaken, Their wind-swept waves by Dzdal music taken Into a golden heaven of festal song. We shake and glisten in the sun, we see The very soul and majesty of thee Thrill in the lyre and leave the lazy long Notes for crisp magic of sharp rustling sound, And thy life quickens and thy loves abound, Listening the answer of our dancing throng. Joy, sleep, peace, laughter, thought, remembrance, came Even at our prelude, a death-quickening flame, And earth rejoiced throughout to hear Demeter’s name. We come, in bass deep-swelling, rocks and caves, A hollow roar across the golden waves Hidden in islands set deep in the untravelled sea. Across the corn from storm-cleft mountain-sides Our voice peals, like the thunder of the tides, Into the darkling hills that fringe Eternity. Dire and divine our womb unfruitful bears Deep music darker than tempestuous airs When Heaven’s anger wakes: when at our own decree, With clanging rocks sky-piercing for our tomb, We call the thunder from our own black womb, We hear the voice and we obey—we know not whom ! We hear thee, who are cliffs and pinnacles Higher than heaven’s base, founded far in hell’s ; We hear, that sunder the blue skies of heaven; E? 65