Classic Poem

I

Love and praise, and a length of days whose shadow cast upon time
is light,
Days whose sound was a spell shed round from wheeling wings as of
doves in flight,
Meet in one, that the mounting sun to-day may triumph, and cast out
night.

Two years more than the full fourscore lay hallowing hands on a
sacred head--
Scarce one score of the perfect four uncrowned of fame as they
smiled and fled:
Still and soft and alive aloft their sunlight stays though the suns
be dead.

Ere we were or were thought on, ere the love that gave us to life
began,
Fame grew strong with his crescent song, to greet the goal of the
race they ran,
Song with fame, and the lustrous name with years whose changes
acclaimed the man.


II

Soon, ere time in the rounding rhyme of choral seasons had hailed
us men,
We too heard and acclaimed the word whose breath was life upon
England then--
Life more bright than the breathless light of soundless noon in a
songless glen.

Ah, the joy of the heartstruck boy whose ear was opened of love to
hear!
Ah, the bliss of the burning kiss of song and spirit, the mounting
cheer
Lit with fire of divine desire and love that knew not if love were
fear!

Fear and love as of heaven above and earth enkindled of heaven were
one;
One white flame, that around his name grew keen and strong as the
worldwide sun;
Awe made bright with implied delight, as weft with weft of the
rainbow spun.


III

He that fears not the voice he hears and loves shall never have
heart to sing:
All the grace of the sun-god's face that bids the soul as a
fountain spring
Bids the brow that receives it bow, and hail his likeness on earth
as king.

We that knew when the sun's shaft flew beheld and worshipped,
adored and heard:
Light rang round it of shining sound, whence all men's hearts were
subdued and stirred:
Joy, love, sorrow, the day, the morrow, took life upon them in one
man's word.

Not for him can the years wax dim, nor downward swerve on a
darkening way:
Upward wind they, and leave behind such light as lightens the front
of May:
Fair as youth and sublime as truth we find the fame that we hail
to-day.