Desire

Soul of the leaping flame;     Heart of the scarlet fire,     Spirit that hath for name     Only the name - Desire!     Subtle art thou and strong;     Glowing in sunlit skies;     Sparkling in wine and song;     Shining in women's eyes;     Gleaming on shores of Sleep     Moon of the wild dream-clan     Burning within the deep     Passionate heart of Man.     Spirit we can but name,     Essence of Forms that seem,     Odour of violet flame,     Weaver of Thought and Dream.     Laught of the World's great Heart,     Who shall thy rune recote?     Child of the gods thou art,     Offspring of Day and Night.     Lord of the Rainbow ealm,     Many a shape hast thou     Glory with laurelled helm;     Love with the myrtled brow;     Sanctity, robed in white;     Liberty, proud and calm,     Ringed wth auroral light,     Bearing the sword and palm.     Maidens with dreamful eyes     Eyes of a dreaming dove,     See thee in noble guise     Coming, and call thee - Love!     Youth with his blood aflame,     Running in crystal red,     Sees, on the Mount of Fame,     Thee with thy hands outspread.     Leader of Hope Forlorn,     When he beholds thine eyes     Shining in splendid scorn,     Storming the rampart dies.     Many have, by good hap,     Seen thee in arms arrayed,     Wearing a Phyrian cap,     High on a barricade;     Aye, and by dome and arch     Leading, with eyes ablaze,     Onward the Patriots' March,     Singing the Marseillaise.     Lo, where with trembling lyre     Held in his long white hands     Thrilled by thy glance of fire,     Rapt the Musician stands;     Feeling them all around     Glow in the quiv'ring air     Luminous Soul of Sound!     Music of all things fair!     Poet, and Sage, and Seer,     Smile when the world grows wan,     Knowing thine advent near,     Over the Hills of Dawn.     Anchorite, aple and worn,     Sees thee, and earth disowns     Lifted on prayer, and borne     Up to the Shining Thrones.     Yea, as a seraph-star     Chanting in ecstasy,     Singing in fire afar,     So he beholdeth thee.     And, as in darksome mines,     far down a corridor,     Starlike a small lamp shines,     Raying along the floor     So, ere his race be ran,     Parted his last faint breath,     Thou, for the dying man,     Lightest the ways of Death;     And, while his kindred mourn     Over his shell of clay,     Shinest beyond the bourne,     Dawn of his first new day.     Thus through the lives to be     We shall fare, each alone,     Evermore lured by thee     Unto an End unknown.