Part 4

Against the sunset, water-towers and steeples Flickered with fire up the slope to westward, And old warehouses poured their purple shadows Across the levee.

High over them the black train swept with thunder, Cleaving the city, leaving far beneath it Wharf-boats moored beside the old side-wheelers Resting in twilight.

The Coin

Into my heart's treasury I slipped a coin That time cannot take Nor a thief purloin,-- Oh better than the minting Of a gold-crowned king Is the safe-kept memory Of a lovely thing.

The Voice

Atoms as old as stars, Mutation on mutation, Millions and millions of cells Dividing yet still the same, From air and changing earth, From ancient Eastern rivers, From turquoise tropic seas, Unto myself I came.

My spirit like my flesh Sprang from a thousand sources, From cave-man, hunter and shepherd, From Karnak, Cyprus, Rome; The living thoughts in me Spring from dead men and women, Forgotten time out of mind And many as bubbles of foam.

Here for a moment's space Into the light out of darkness, I come and they come with me Finding words with my breath; From the wisdom of many life-times I hear them cry: "Forever Seek for Beauty, she only Fights with man against Death!"

III

Day and Night

In Warsaw in Poland Half the world away, The one I love best of all Thought of me to-day;

I know, for I went Winged as a bird, In the wide flowing wind His own voice I heard;

His arms were round me In a ferny place, I looked in the pool And there was his face--

But now it is night And the cold stars say: "Warsaw in Poland Is half the world away."

Compensation

I should be glad of loneliness And hours that go on broken wings, A thirsty body, a tired heart And the unchanging ache of things, If I could make a single song As lovely and as full of light, As hushed and brief as a falling star On a winter night.

I Remembered

There never was a mood of mine, Gay or heart-broken, luminous or dull, But you could ease me of its fever And give it back to me more beautiful.

In many another soul I broke the bread, And drank the wine and played the happy guest, But I was lonely, I remembered you; The heart belongs to him who knew it best.

"Oh You Are Coming"

Oh you are coming, coming, coming, How will hungry Time put by the hours till then?-- But why does it anger my heart to long so For one man out of the world of men?

Oh I would live in myself only And build my life lightly and still as a dream-- Are not my thoughts clearer than your thoughts And colored like stones in a running stream?

Now the slow moon brightens in heaven, The stars are ready, the night is here-- Oh why must I lose myself to love you, My dear?

The Return

He has come, he is here, My love has come home, The minutes are lighter Than flying foam, The hours are like dancers On gold-slippered feet, The days are young runners Naked and fleet-- For my love has returned, He is home, he is here, In the whole world no other Is dear as my dear!

Gray Eyes

It was April when you came The first time to me, And my first look in your eyes Was like my first look at the sea.

We have been together Four Aprils now Watching for the green On the swaying willow bough;