The island floated in the air, Its image floated in the sea: Which was the shadow? Both were fair: Like sister souls they seemed to be; And one was dreaming and asleep, And one bent down from Paradise To kiss with radiance in the deep The darkling lips and eyes. And, mingling softly in their dreams, That holy kiss of sea and sky Transfused the shadows and the gleams Of Time and of Eternity: The dusky face looked up and gave To heaven its golden shadowed calm; The face of light fulfilled the wave With blissful wings and fans of palm. Above, the tufted rosy peaks That melted in the warm blue skies, Below, the purple-shadowed creeks That glassed the birds of Paradise-- A bridal knot, it hung in heaven; And, all around, the still lagoon From bloom of dawn to blush of even Curved like a crescent moon. And there we wandered evermore Thro' boyhood's everlasting years, Listening the murmur of the shore As one that lifts a shell and hears The murmur of forgotten seas Around some lost Broceliande, The sigh of sweet Eternities That turn the world to fairy-land, That turned our isle to a single pearl Glowing in measureless waves of wine! Above, below, the clouds would curl, Above, below, the stars would shine In sky and sea. We hung in heaven! Time and space were but elfin-sweet Rock-bound pools for the dawn and even To wade with their rosy feet. Our pirate cavern faced the West: We closed its door with screens of palm, While some went out to seek the nest Wherein the Phoenix, breathing balm, Burns and dies to live for ever (How should we dream we lived to die?) And some would fish in the purple river That thro' the hills brought down the sky. And some would dive in the lagoon Like sunbeams, and all round our isle Swim thro' the lovely crescent moon, Glimpsing, for breathless mile on mile, The wild sea-woods that bloomed below, The rainbow fish, the coral cave Where vanishing swift as melting snow A mermaid's arm would wave. Then dashing shoreward thro' the spray On sun-lit sands they cast them down, Or in the white sea-daisies lay With sun-stained bodies rosy-brown, Content to watch the foam-bows flee Across the shelving reefs and bars, With wild eyes gazing out to sea Like happy haunted stars. IV