"THE MASTER IS COME, AND CALLETH WH FOR THEE.” HO calleth? Thy Father calleth, Who calleth? Thy Master calleth, Who calleth? Thy Monarch calleth, Rise, O Subject, and follow Him: Who calleth? - Thy Lord God calleth, He is jealous, thy God Almighty, Who calleth? - Thy Bridegroom calleth, REST. SONNET. EARTH, lie heavily upon her eyes; Seal her sweet eyes weary of watching, Earth; Lie close around her; leave no room for mirth With its harsh laughter, nor for sound of sighs. She hath no questions, she hath no replies, Hushed in and curtained with a blessed dearth Even her very heart has ceased to stir : Her rest shall not begin nor end, but be; And when she wakes she will not think it long. I THE FIRST SPRING DAY. WONDER if the sap is stirring yet, If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate, I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring. I wonder if the spring-tide of this year Will bring another Spring both lost and dear; Sweet notes, my hope, soft notes for memory. The sap will surely quicken soon or late, The tardiest bird will twitter to a mate ; So Spring must dawn again with warmth and bloom, Or in this world, or in the world to come : Sing, voice of Spring! Till I too blossom and rejoice and sing. THE CONVENT THRESHOLD. HERE's blood between us, love, my love, THER There's father's blood, there's brother's blood; And blood's a bar I cannot pass: I choose the stairs that mount above, Stair after golden skyward stair, My heart, this self-same stain is there: I seek the sea of glass and fire To wash the spot, to burn the snare; Lo, stairs are meant to lift us higher: Your eyes look earthward, mine look up. Beyond the hills a watered land, They bore the Cross, they drained the cup, Racked, roasted, crushed, wrenched limb from limb, They the offscouring of the world : The heaven of starry heavens unfurled, 3 You looking earthward, what see you? Milk-white, wine-flushed among the vines, Up and down leaping, to and fro, Most glad, most full, made strong with wines, Their golden windy hair afloat, Love-music warbling in their throat, Young men and women come and go. You linger, yet the time is short : Flee for your life, gird up your strength To flee: the shadows stretched at length Show that day wanes, that night draws nigh; Is this a time for smile and sigh, For songs among the secret trees 45 Where sudden bluebirds nest and sport? Kneel, wrestle, knock, do violence, pray; So Why will you die? why will you die? You sinned with me a pleasant sin : How long shall stretch these nights and days? She laves her soul with tedious tears: I turn from you my cheeks and eyes, O weary time whose stars are few! |