The After Woman
DAUGHTER of the ancient Eve,We know the gifts ye gave—and give.Who knows the gifts which you shall give,Daughter of the newer Eve?You, if my soul be augur, youShall—O what shall you not, Sweet, do?The celestial traitress play,And all mankind to bliss betray;With sacrosanct cajoleriesAnd starry treachery of your eyes,Tempt us back to Paradise!Make heavenly trespass;—ay, press inWhere faint the fledge-foot seraphin,Blest Fool! Be ensign of our wars,And shame us all to warriors!Unbanner your bright locks,—advanceGirl, their gilded puissance,I’ the mystic vaward, and draw onAfter the lovely gonfalonUs to out-folly the excessOf your sweet foolhardiness;To adventure like intenseAssault against Omnipotence!
Give me song, as She is, new,Earth should turn in time thereto!New, and new, and thrice so new,All old sweets, New Sweet, meant you!Fair, I had a dream of thee,When my young heart beat prophecy,And in apparition elateThy little breasts knew waxèd great,Sister of the Canticle,And thee for God grown marriageable.How my desire desired your day,That, wheeled in rumour on its way,Shook me thus with presentience! ThenEden’s lopped tree shall shoot again:For who Christ’s eyes shall miss, with thoseEyes for evident nuncios?Or who be tardy to His callIn your accents augural?
Who shall not feel the Heavens hidImpend, at tremble of your lid,And divine advent shine avowedUnder that dim and lucid cloud;Yea, ’fore the silver apocalypseFail, at the unsealing of your lips?When to love you is (O Christ’s Spouse!)To love the beauty of His house;Then come the Isaian days; the oldShall dream; and our young men beholdVision—yea, the vision of Thabor mount,Which none to other shall recount,Because in all men’s hearts shall beThe seeing and the prophecy.For ended is the Mystery Play,When Christ is life, and you the way;When Egypt’s spoils are Israel’s right,And Day fulfils the married arms of Night.But here my lips are still.UntilYou and the hour shall be revealed,This song is sung and sung not, and its words are sealed.