_First Semichorus._ Think how erst your Eden, Day on day succeeding, With our presence glowed. We came as if the Heavens were bowed To a milder music rare. Ye saw us in our solemn treading, Treading down the steps of cloud, While our wings, outspreading Double calms of whiteness, Dropped superfluous brightness Down from stair to stair. _Second Semichorus._ Or oft, abrupt though tender, While ye gazed on space, We flashed our angel-splendour In either human face. With mystic lilies in our hands, From the atmospheric bands Breaking with a sudden grace, We took you unaware! While our feet struck glories Outward, smooth and fair, Which we stood on floorwise, Platformed in mid-air. _First Semichorus._ Or oft, when Heaven-descended, Stood we in our wondering sight In a mute apocalypse With dumb vibrations on our lips From hosannas ended, And grand half-vanishings Of the empyreal things Within our eyes belated, Till the heavenly Infinite Falling off from the Created, Left our inward contemplation Opened into ministration. _Chorus._ Then upon our axle turning Of great joy to sympathy, We sang out the morning Broadening up the sky, Or we drew Our music through The noontide's hush and heat and shine, Informed with our intense Divine: Interrupted vital notes Palpitating hither, thither, Burning out into the æther, Sensible like fiery motes. Or, whenever twilight drifted Through the cedar masses, The globèd sun we lifted, Trailing purple, trailing gold Out between the passes Of the mountains manifold, To anthems slowly sung: While he,--aweary, half in swoon For joy to hear our climbing tune Transpierce the stars' concentric rings,-- The burden of his glory flung In broken lights upon our wings. [_The chant dies away confusedly, and LUCIFER appears._ _Lucifer._ Now may all fruits be pleasant to thy lips, Beautiful Eve! The times have somewhat changed Since thou and I had talk beneath a tree, Albeit ye are not gods yet. _Eve._ Adam! hold My right hand strongly! It is Lucifer-- And we have love to lose. _Adam._ I' the name of God, Go apart from us, O thou Lucifer! And leave us to the desert thou hast made Out of thy treason. Bring no serpent-slime Athwart this path kept holy to our tears! Or we may curse thee with their bitterness.