IN THE GARDEN AT THE DAWN HOUR
68 lines✦
arise in the silence of the dawn hour.And softly steal out to the gardenUnder the Favrile goblet of the dawning.And a wind moves out of the south-land,Like a film of silver,And thrills with a far borne messageThe flowers of the garden.Poppies untie their scarlet hoods and wave themTo the south wind as he passes.But the zinnias and calendulas,In a mood of calm reserve, nod faintlyAs the south wind whispers the secretOf the dawn hour! I stand in the silence of the dawn hourIn the garden,As the star of morning fades.Flying from scythes of airThe hare-bells, purples and golden glowOn the sand-hill back of the orchardRace before the feet of the wind.But clusters of oak-leaves over the yellow sand rimBegin to flutter and glisten.And in a moment, in a twinkled passion,The blazing rapiers of the sun are flashed,As he fences the lilac lights of the sky,And drives them up where the ice of the melting moonIs drowned in the waste of morning! * * * * * In the silence of the garden,At the dawn hourI turn and see you--You who knew and followed,You who knew the dawn hour,And its sky like a Favrile goblet.You who knew the south-windBearing the secret of the morningTo waking gardens, fields and forests.You in a gown of green, O footed Iris,With eyes of dryad gray,And the blown glory of unawakened tresses--A phantom sprung out of the garden's enchantment,In the silence of the dawn hour! * * * * * And here I behold youAmid a trance of color, silent music,The embodied spirit of the morning:Wind from the south-land, flashing beams of the sunCaught in the twinkling oak leaves:Poppies who wave their untied hoods to the south wind;And the imperious bows of zinnias and calendulas;The star of morning drowned, and lights of lilacTurned white for the woe of the moon;And the silence of the dawn hour! * * * * * And there to take you in my arms and feel youIn the glory of the dawn hour,Along the sinuous rhythm of flesh and flesh!To know your spirit by that onenessOf living and of love, in the twinkled passionOf life re-lit and visioned.In dryad eyes beholdingThe dancing, leaping, touching hands and racingRapturous moment of the arisen sun;And the first drop of day out of this cup of Favrile.There to behold you,Our spirits lost togetherIn the silence of the dawn hour! * * * * *
✦