The Star in the West

184 THE STAR IN THE WEST The essential soul of dung That lived and stung ; That spoke : no word that living head may hear ! Last , a dark woman pressed The world unto her breast , Soothed and caressed With evil words and kisses of the mouth of Sin .? On we must press , undaunted , against all odds and numbers , as in the spiritual journey towards the Supreme of “ The Ultimate Voyage , ” struggling with the cold wet horrors of life : with my sword Trenchant , that tore their scaly essences Like Lucian's sailor writhing in the clutch Of those witch - vines-- I slashed about like light , And noises horrible of death devoured That hateful suction of their clinging arms And wash of slippery bellies . . > 3 » 5 Life is a boiling cauldron of purposes , actions , and desires . At one moment all pessimistic with the “ toad spotted dew of Reality , at the next all full - hearted optimism , “ Yet I believe what e'er we do is best for me and best for you ” ;4 then as stoical as Marcus , “ I conquer , and most silently await the end . All phases of thought are crowded on our minds as we read through these slight volumes . And what is the goal of this “ Ultimate Voyage ? ” A deep and tearless sadness , a growing wonder of how such luxury , such wealth , such satiety can exist cheek by 1 The Temple of the Holy Ghost , vol . i, p 198 . ? Mysteries : Lyrical and Dramatic , vol . i, p . 97 . 3 The Temple of the Holy Ghost , vol . i, p . 178 . 4 The Sword of Song , vol . ii, p . 155 . Songs of the Spirit , vol . p . 52 . 5