SEVEN
WIND SONGS
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Now
these are the seven wind songs
For Andrew Straton's death,
Blown through the reeds of the river,
A sigh of the world 's last breath,
Where the flickering red auroras
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5 |
Out
on the dark sweet hills
Follow all night through the forest
The cry of the whip-poor-wills.
For the meanings of life are many,
But the purpose of love is one,
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10 |
Journeying,
tarrying, lonely
As the sea wind or the sun. |
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I
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Wind
of the Northern land,
Wind of the sea,
No more his dearest hand |
15 |
Comes
back to me.
Wind
of the Northern gloom,
Wind of the sea,
Wandering waifs of doom
Feckless are we.
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20 |
Wind of the Northern land,
Wind of the sea,
I cannot understand
How these things be. |
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II
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| Wind
of the low red morn |
25 |
At
the world's end,
Over the standing corn
Whisper and bend.
Then
through the low red morn
At the world's end,
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30 |
Far
out from sorrow's bourne,
Down glory's trend,
Tell
the last years forlorn
At the world's end,
Of my one peerless born
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35 |
| Comrade
and friend. |
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III
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Wind
of the April stars,
Wind of the dawn,
Whether God nears or fars,
He lived and shone. |
40 |
Wind of the April night,
Wind of the dawn,
No more my heart's delight
Bugles me on.
Wind
of the April rain,
|
45 |
Wind
of the dawn,
Lull the old world from pain
Till pain be gone. |
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IV
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Wind
of the summer noon,
Wind of the hills, |
50 |
Gently
the hand of June
Stays thee and stills.
Far
off, untouched by tears,
Raptures or ills,
Sleeps he a thousand years
|
55 |
Out
on the hills.
Wind
of the summer noon,
Wind of the hills,
Is the land fair and boon
Whither he wills?
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60 |
V
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Wind
of the gulfs of night,
Wind of the sea,
Where the pale streamers light
My world for me,—
Breath
of the wintry Noms,
|
65 |
| Frost-touch
or sleep,—
He whom my spirit mourns
Deep beyond deep
To
the last void and dim
Where ages stream—
|
70 |
Is there
no room for him
In all this dream? |
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VI
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Wind
of the outer waste,
Threne of the outer world,
Leash of the stars unlaced, |
75 |
Morning
unfurled,
Somewhere
at God's great need,
I know not how,
With the old strength and speed
He is come now;
|
80 |
Therefore my soul is glad
With the old pride,
Tho' this small life is sad
Here in my side. |
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VII
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| Wind
of the driven snow, |
85 |
Wind
of the sea,
On a long trail and slow
Farers are we.
Wind
of the Northern gloom,
Wind of the sea,
|
90 |
Shall
I one day resume
His love for me?
Wind
of the driven snow,
Wind of the sea,
Then shall thy vagrant know
|
95 |
How
these things be.
These
are the sever wind songs or
Andrew Straton's rest,
From the hills of the Scarlet Hunter
And the trail of the endless quest.
|
100 |
The wells of the sunrise harken,
They wait for a year and a day:
Only the calm sure thrushes
Fluting the world away!
For the husk of life is sorrow;
|
105 |
But
the kernels of joy remain,
Teeming and blind and eternal
As the hill wind or the rain. |
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