And deeper than all deeps of seas and skies [_Str._ 12. Wherein the shadows are Called sun and moon and star That rapt conjecture metes with mounting eyes, Loud with strange waves and lustrous with new spheres, Shines, masked at once and manifest of years, Shakespeare, a heaven of heavenly eyes beholden; And forward years as backward years grow golden With light of deeds and words And flight of God's fleet birds, 450 Angels of wrath and love and truth and pity; And higher on exiled eyes their natural city Dawns down the depths of vision, more sublime Than all truths born of time; And eyes that wept above two dear sons dead Grow saving stars to guard one hopeless head. Bright round the brows of banished age had shone [_Ant._ 12. In vision flushed with truth The rosy glory of youth 459 On streets and woodlands where in days long gone Sweet love sang light and loud and deep and dear: And far the trumpets of the dreadful year Had pealed and wailed in darkness: last arose The song of children, kindling as a rose At breath of sunrise, born Of the red flower of morn Whose face perfumes deep heaven with odorous light And thrills all through the wings of souls in flight Close as the press of children at His knee Whom if the high priest see, 470 Dreaming, as homeless on dark earth he trod, The lips that praise him shall not know for God. O sovereign spirit, above [_Ep._ 12. All offering but man's love, All praise and prayer and incense undefiled! The one thing stronger found Than towers with iron bound; The one thing lovelier than a little child, And deeper than the seas are deep, 479 And tenderer than such tears of love as angels weep. Dante, the seer of all things evil and good, [_Str._ 13. Beheld two ladies, Beauty And high life-hallowing Duty, That strove for sway upon his mind and mood And held him in alternating accord Fast bound at feet of either: but our lord, The seer and singer of righteousness and wrong Who stands now master of all the keys of song, Sees both as dewdrops run Together in the sun, 490 For him not twain but one thing twice divine; Even as his speech and song are bread and wine For all souls hungering and all hearts athirst At best of days and worst, And both one sacrament of Love's great giving To feed the spirit and sense of all souls living.