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third god
brother； my sacred brothers；
the girl has heard the song。
and now she seeks the singer。
like a fawn in glad surprise
she leaps over rocks and streams
and turns her to every side。
oh； the joy in mortal intent；
the eye of purpose half…born；
the smile on lips that quiver
with foretaste of promised delight！
what flower has fallen from heaven；
what flame has risen from hell。
that startled the heart of silence
to this breathless joy and fear？
what dream dreamt we upon the height；
what thought gave we to the wind
that woke the drowsing valley
and made watchful the night？
second god
the sacred loom is given you；
and the art to weave the fabric。
the loom and the art shall be yours for evermore；
and yours the dark thread and the light；
and yours the purple and the gold。
yet you would grudge yourself a raiment。
your hands have spun mans soul
from living air and fire；
yet now you would break the thread；
and lend your versed fingers to an idle eternity。
first god
nay； unto eternity unmoulded i would give my hands；
and to untrodden fields assign my feet。
what joy is there in songs oft heard；
whose tune the remembering ear arrests
ere the breath yields it to the wind？
my heart longs for what my heart conceives not；
and unto the unknown where memory dwells not
i would mand my spirit。
oh； tempt me not with glory possessed；
and seek not to fort me with your dream or mine；
for all that i am； and all that there is on earth；
and all that shall be； inviteth not my soul。
oh my soul；
silent is thy face；
and in thine eyes the shadows of night are sleeping。
but terrible is thy silence；
and thou art terrible。
third god
brothers； my solemn brothers；
the girl has found the singer。
she sees his raptured face。
panther…like she slips with subtle steps
through rustling vine and fern。
and now amid his ardent cries
he gazes full on her。
oh my brothers； my heedless brothers；
is it some other god in passion
who has woven this web of scarlet and white？
what unbridled star has gone astray？
whose secret keepeth night from morning？
and whose hand is upon our world？
first god
oh my soul； my soul；
thou burning sphere that girdles me；
how shall i guide thy course。
and unto what space direct thy eagerness？
oh my mateless soul；
in thy hunger thou preyest upon thyself；
and with thine own tears thou wouldst quench thy thirst；
for night gathers not her dew into thy cup；
and the day brings thee no fruit。
oh my soul； my soul；
thou grounded ship laden with desire；
whence shall e the wind to fill thy sail；
and what higher tide shall release thy rudder？
weighed is thine anchor and thy wings would spread；
but the skies are silent above thee；
and the still sea mocks at thy immobility。
and what hope is there for thee and me？
what shifting of worlds； what new purpose in the heavens；
that shall claim thee？
does the womb of the virgin infinite
bear the seed of thy redeemer；
one mightier than thy vision
whose hand shall deliver thee from thy captivity？
second god
hold your importunate cry；
and the breath of your burning heart；
for deaf is the ear of the infinite；
and heedless is the sky。
we are the beyond and we are the most high；
and between us and boundless eternity
is naught save our unshaped passion
and the motive thereof。
you invoke the unknown；
and the unknown clad with moving mist
dwells in your own soul。
yea； in your own soul your redeemer lies asleep；
and in sleep sees what your waking eye does not see。
and that is the secret of our being。
would you leave the harvest ungathered；
in haste to sow again the dreaming furrow？
and wherefore spread you your cloud in trackless fields and desolate；
when your own flock is seeking you；
and would fain gather in your own shadow？
forbear and look down upon the world。
behold the unweaned children of your love。
the earth is your abode； and the earth is your throne；
and high beyond mans furtherest hope
your hand upholds his destiny。
you would not abandon him
who strives to reach you through gladness and through pain。
you would not turn away your face from the need in his eyes。
first god
does dawn hold the heart of night unto her heart？
or shall the sea heed the bodies of her dead？
like dawn my soul rises within me
naked and unencumbered。
and like the unresting sea
my heart casts out a perishing wrack of man and earth。
i would not cling to that clings to me。
but unto that that rises beyond my reach i would arise。
third god
brothers； behold； my brothers；
they meet； two star…bound spirits in the sky encountering。
in silence they gaze the one upon the other。
he sings no more；
and yet his sunburnt throat throbs with the song；
and in her limbs the happy dance is stayed
but not asleep。
brothers； my strange brothers；
the night waxeth deep；
and brighter is the moon；
and twixt the meadow and the sea
a voice in rapture calleth you and me。
second god
to be； to rise； to burn before the burning sun；
to live； and to watch the nights of the living
as orion watches us！
to face the four winds with a head crowned and high；
and to heal the ills of man with our tideless breath！
the tentmaker sits darkly at his loom；
and the potter turns his wheel unaware；
but we； the sleepless and the knowing；
we are released from guessing and from chance。
we pause not nor do we wait for thought。
we are beyond all restless questioning。
be content and let the dreaming go。
like rivers let us flow to ocean
unwounded by the edges of the rocks；
and when we reach her heart and are merged；
no more shall we wrangle and reason of tomorrow。
first god
oh； this ache of ceaseless divining；
this vigil of guiding the day unto twilight；
and the night unto dawn；
this tide of ever remembering and forgetting；
this ever sowing destinies and reaping but hopes；
this changeless lifting of self from dust to mist；
only to long for dust； and to fall down with longing unto dust；
and still with greater longing to seek the mist again。
and this timeless measuring of time。
must my soul needs to be a sea whose currents forever confound one another；
or the sky where the warring winds turn hurricane？
were i man； a blind fragment；
i could have met it with patience。
or if i were the supreme godhead；
who fills the emptiness of man and of gods；
i would be fulfilled。
but you and i are neither human；
nor the supreme above us。
we are but twilights ever rising and ever fading
between horizon and horizon。
we are but gods holding a world and held by it；
fates that sound the trumpets
whilst the breath and the music e from beyond。
and i rebel。
i would exhaust myself to emptiness。
i would dissolve myself afar from your vision；
and from the memory of this silent youth； our younger brother；
who sits beside us gazing into yonder valley；
and though his lips move； utters not a word。
third god
i speak； my unheeding brothers；
i do indeed speak；
but you hear only your own words。
i bid you see your glory and mine；
but you turn； and close your eyes；
and rock your thrones。
ye sovereigns who would govern the above world and the world beneath；
god self…bent； whose yesterday is ever jealous of your tomorrow；
self…weary； who would unleash your temper with speech
and lash our orb with thunderings！
your feud is but the sounding of an ancient lyre
whose strings have been half forgotten by his fingers
who has orion for a harp and the pleiades for cymbals。
even now； while you are muttering and rumbling；
his harp rings； his cymbals clash；
and i beseech you hear his song。
behold； man and woman；
flame to flame；
in white ecstacy。
roots that suck at the breast of p