So came all those in on him; and his heart, As out of sleep suddenly struck astart, Danced, and his flesh took fire of theirs, and grief Was as a last year's leaf Blown dead far down the wind's way; and he set His pale mouth to the brightest mouth it met That laughed for love against his lips, and bade Follow; and in following all his blood grew glad And as again a sea-bird's; for the wind Took him to bathe him deep round breast and brow Not as it takes a dead leaf drained and thinned, But as the brightest bay-flower blown on bough, Set springing toward it singing: and they rode By many a vine-leafed, many a rose-hung road, Exalt with exultation; many a night Set all its stars upon them as for spies On many a moon-bewildering mountain-height Where he rode only by the fierier light Of his dread lady's hot sweet hungering eyes. For the moon wandered witless of her way, Spell-stricken by strong magic in such wise As wizards use to set the stars astray. And in his ears the music that makes mad Beat always; and what way the music bade, That alway rode he; nor was any sleep His, nor from height nor deep. But heaven was as red iron, slumberless, And had no heart to bless; And earth lay sere and darkling as distraught, And help in her was nought. Then many a midnight, many a morn and even, His mother, passing forth of her fair heaven, With goodlier gifts than all save gods can give From earth or from the heaven where sea-things live, With shine of sea-flowers through the bay-leaf braid Woven for a crown her foam-white hands had made To crown him with land's laurel and sea-dew, Sought the sea-bird that was her boy: but he Sat panther-throned beside Erigone, Riding the red ways of the revel through Midmost of pale-mouthed passion's crownless crew. Till on some winter's dawn of some dim year He let the vine-bit on the panther's lip Slide, and the green rein slip, And set his eyes to seaward, nor gave ear If sound from landward hailed him, dire or dear; And passing forth of all those fair fierce ranks Back to the grey sea-banks, Against a sea-rock lying, aslant the steep, Fell after many sleepless dreams on sleep. And in his sleep the dun green light was shed Heavily round his head That through the veil of sea falls fathom-deep, Blurred like a lamp's that when the night drops dead Dies; and his eyes gat grace of sleep to see The deep divine dark dayshine of the sea, Dense water-walls and clear dusk water-ways, Broad-based, or branching as a sea-flower sprays That side or this dividing; and anew The glory of all her glories that he knew. And in sharp rapture of recovering tears He woke on fire with yearnings of old years, Pure as one purged of pain that passion bore, Ill child of bitter mother; for his own Looked laughing toward him from her midsea throne, Up toward him there ashore.