Читать книгу The Rosary of Pan - Alexander Maitland Stephen - Страница 12

Table of Contents

ROSES, red roses, from the deep, warm breast

Of Her, whose progeny in Space and Time

Are one with us, Her children,—latest, best

And fairest fruitage of her prime—

Within thy chaliced heart there glows

The crimson tide of Life. The wine

Of youth, eternal, welling, flows

O’er thy curved rim, incarnadine.

The fragrance of Her tresses, sweet

As tender breezes that o’erflow

The sun-kissed hills at dawn, and meet

And whisper love to buds that blow;

A pulsing flame—a sky that burns—

A sun-god’s pyre and altar blent,

Veiled by thy velvet breast that yearns

To spill its gold and be content;

The music of soft rains that beat

With pattering fingers on our doors,

In gusty, flying showers, replete

With memories of the wind-swept moors;

Of tender flesh, the keen, sweet tang;

Of fruitful earth, the warm embrace

That lured the lusty vine which sprang

To bear aloft thy virile grace—

Roses, red roses, jewelled Grails of Love

And Sex—mysterious and more divine

Thy symbols shine on high above

The lilies pale on Mary’s shrine.

The rich, red torrent of thy life made bold

Since Time began, the hearts of men

To sing of freedom and of joys untold—

Inspired in turn the voice and pen

Of those who know that Love is Power

And Power is Love, beyond the reach

Of mortal minds that halt and cower

Before the truths thy roses teach.

And yet, thy fire is in the bard

Who sings of love or ruthless strife.

Thy flame is in the hearts that guard

The spirit’s growth from life to life

Till forms shall fade and systems rest.

The rhythm of thy magic pulse is stilled.

Still flames thy symbol on the breast

Of Isis, Ishtar—mother, matter filled.

The snow-white wonder of Her form divine,

Stretched cruciform with upturned face,

Awaits with radiant joy the coming sign

Of Him, Creation’s Lord, in Time and Space.

Her eyes, eternal wells of loving light,

The Beauty dread and high which Gods can know—

And lo—within Her mighty heart, for Him, enshrined

Roses, red roses ever-blooming glow.