Beyond the lampless sleep and perishing death That hold my heart, I feel my new life’s breath, I see the face my spirit-shape shall have When this frail clay and dust have fled the grave. _Beyond the night_, _the death of doubt_, _defeat_, _Rise dawn and morn_, _and life with light doth meet_, _For the great Cause_, _too_,—_sure as the sun yon ray_ _Shoots up to strike the threatening clouds and say_; “_I come_, _and with me comes the victorious Day_!” * * * * * When I was young, the muse I worshipped took me, Fearless, a lonely heart, to look on men. “’Tis yours,” said she, “to paint this show of them Even as they are!” Then smiling she forsook me. Wherefore with passionate patience I withdrew, With eyes from which all loves, hates, hopes, and fears, Joys aureole, and the blinding sheen of tears, Were purged away. And what I saw I drew. Then, as I worked remote, serene, alone, A child-girl came to me and touched my cheek, And lo her lips were pale, her limbs were weak, Her eyes had thirst’s desire and hunger’s moan. She said: “I am the soul of this sad day Where thousands toil and suffer hideous Crime, Where units rob and mock the empty time With revel and rank prayer and deaths display!” I said: “O child, how shall I leave my songs, My songs and tales, the warp and subtle woof Of this great work and web, in your behoof To strive and passionately sing of wrongs? “Child, is it nothing that I here fulfil My heart and soul? that I may look and see Where Homer bends and Shakspere smiles on me, And Goethe praises the unswerving will?” She hung her head, and straight, without a word, Passed from me. And I raised my conscious face To where, in beauteous power in her place, She stood, the muse, my muse, and watched and heard. Her proud and marble brow was faintly flushed; Upon her flawless lips, and in her eyes A mild light flickered as the young sunrise, Glad, sacred, terrible, serene and hushed. Then I cried out, and rose with pure wrath wild, Desperate with hatred of Fate’s slavery And this cold cruel demon. With that cry, I left her, and sought out the piteous child. “_Darling_, _’tis nothing that I shed and weep_ _These tears of fire that wither all the heart_, _These bloody sweats that drain and sear and smart_, _I love you_, _and you’ll kiss me when I sleep_!” * * * * * THE END. * * * * * AUSTRALIAN PRESS NOTICES.