Ah, but on earth,--"can'st thou, too, die," Low she whispers, "lover of mine?" April, queen over earth and sky Whispers, her trembling lashes shine: "Wings of the sea, good-bye, good-bye, Down to the dim sea-line." Home to the heart of thine old-world lover, Home to thy "fair green-girdled" sea! There shall thy soul with the sea-birds hover, Free of the deep as their wings are free; Free, for the grave-flowers only cover This, the dark cage of thee. Thee, the storm-bird, nightingale-souled, Brother of Sappho, the seas reclaim! Age upon age have the great waves rolled Mad with her music, exultant, aflame; Thee, thee too, shall their glory enfold, Lit with thy snow-winged fame. Back, thro' the years, fleets the sea-bird's wing: _Sappho, of old time, once_,--ah, hark! So did he love her of old and sing! Listen, he flies to her, back thro' the dark! _Sappho, of old time, once_.... Yea, Spring Calls him home to her, hark! _Sappho, long since, in the years far sped, Sappho, I loved thee!_ Did I not seem Fosterling only of earth? I have fled, Fled to thee, sister. Time is a dream! Shelley is here with us! Death lies dead! Ah, how the bright waves gleam. Wide was the cage-door, idly swinging; April touched me and whispered "Come." Out and away to the great deep winging, Sister, I flashed to thee over the foam, Out to the sea of Eternity, singing "Mother, thy child comes home." * * * * Ah, but how shall we welcome May Here where the wing of song droops low, Here by the last green swinging spray Brushed by the sea-bird's wings of snow, We that gazed on his glorious way Out where the great winds blow? _Here upon earth--"can'st thou, too, die, Lover of life and lover of mine?" April, conquering earth and sky Whispers, her trembling lashes shine: "Wings of the sea, good-bye, good-bye, Down to the dim sea-line."_ ON THE DEATH OF FRANCIS THOMPSON I How grandly glow the bays Purpureally enwound With those rich thorns, the brows How infinitely crowned That now thro' Death's dark house Have passed with royal gaze: Purpureally enwound How grandly glow the bays. II Sweet, sweet and three-fold sweet, Pulsing with three-fold pain, Where the lark fails of flight Soared the celestial strain; Beyond the sapphire height Flew the gold-winged feet, Beautiful, pierced with pain, Sweet, sweet and three-fold sweet; III And where _Is not_ and _Is_ Are wed in one sweet Name, And the world's rootless vine With dew of stars a-flame Laughs, from those deep divine Impossibilities, Our reason all to shame-- _This cannot be, but is;_ IV