Collected Works (Vol. I)

24 THE TALE OF ARCHAIS TIYMN. O Lord our God ! O woodland king! O thou most dreadful God! Who chasest thieves and smitest with thy rod, That fearful rod, too sharp, too strong For thy weak worshippers to bear! Hear thou their murmured song Who cry for pardon ; pity, and prepare For pain’s delight thy votaries who kiss thy rod, O high Lord God! O Lord our God ! God of green gardens! O imperious god ! Who as a father smitest with thy rod Thine erring children who aspire In vain to the high mysteries Of thy most secret fire. Beat us and burn with nameless infamies ! We suffer, and are proud and glad, and kiss thy rod, O high Lord God ! O Lord our God! Q despot of the fields! O silent god! Who hidest visions underneath thy rod, And hast all dreams and all desires and fears, All secrets and all loves and joys Of all the long vague years For lightsome maidens and desire-pale boys Within thy worship. We desire thy bitter rod, O high Lord God! Thus that most reverend sound through all the vale Pealed in low cadences that rise and fail, And all the augurs promise happy days, And all the men for Archais have praise, And all maids’ eyes are fixed on Charicles. Then, to the tune of musical slow seas, The wind began to murmur on the mead, And he, unconscious, drew his eager reed From the loose tunic; now they seat them- selves On moss worn smooth by feet of many elves Dancing at midnight through them, and their voice | Bids all the woodland echoes to rejoice Because the lovers are made one at last. Then Charicles began to play; they cast Tunic and snood and sandal, and began To foot a happy measure for a span, While still Archais at his feet would sit, Gaze in his eyes, by love and triumph lit, And listen to the music. And the fire Of his light reed so kindled her desire That she with new glad confidence would quire A new song exquisite, whose tender tune Was nurtured at the bosom of the moon And kissed on either cheek by sun and rain. She trembled and began. fain To keep pure silence while her notes resound Over the forest and the marshy ground. The troop was ARCHAIS. Green and gold the meadows lie In the sunset’s eye. Green and silver the woods glow When the sun is low, And the moon sails up like music ona sea of breathing snow. Chain and curse are passed away ;_ Love proclaims the day. Dawned his sunrise o’er the sea, Changing olive waves to be Founts of emerald and sapphire; he is risen, we are free. Light and dark are wed together Into golden weather ; Sun and moon have kissed, and built Palaces star-gilt Whence a crystal stream of joy, love’s eternal wine, is spilt.