Poetry

Autobiography

AGES with ages, states with states hold strife

In this my brief immeasurable life.

A child, in Adam's field I dreamed away

My one eternity and hourless day,'

Ere from my wrist Time's bird had learned to flee Or I had sacked the ever-teeming tree, Whose boughs rain still, whose fruit wave-green shall fall Until the last great autumn reddens all.

Thence lured by demons or by angels driven, A lonely shaft loosed from thebow's calm heaven, As an arrow blind I sped upon my race And swiftly reached the sole remaining place, My first and last since then. There soon I found My restless home,- my heaven, my hell, my gr. und, And that to these allegiance I might vow • Took quick the bloody sign upon my brow, Fell. Edenwards in innocent Abel slain, And rose twice armoured in the flesh of Cain.

Thus harnessed, thus baptized, I now could go

Unscathed through my confederate crowd and show The badge the world likes best. Till came the river That scoured the whole world blind, and tombed forever,

Slain in ten thousand shapes I lay, while still

My only- flesh no loss nor shame could kill Rode on the flood to Ararat's safe hill.

Thenceforth obllvious of Heaven's foundered ship, A youthful Abraham with bearded lip,

I walked the shrunken hills and clouded plains -

Among my flocks, pleased with a shepherd's gains, A shepherd's joys, not yet too wild or proud For a small Eden in a wandering cloud.

Alas ! no heavenly voice the passing told Of that last Eden ; my own bliss I sold.

Weary of being one, myself conspired Against myself and into bondage hired My immortal birthright. On dark Egypt's:brow As at the world's great helm behold me now, Highest among the fallen, a man's length more

From what I sought than I had been before.

As he who snatches all at last will crave

To be of all there is the quivering slave, _ So I from base to base slipped headlong down Till all that glory was my mountainous crown. Set free, or outlawed, now I- walk the sand And search this rubble for the Promised Land.

Enwirt