SOURCE: Prelude to Tristram of Lyonesse in Selected Poems, edited by L. M. Findlay, Carcanet New Press Limited, 1982 pp. 221-224.

The following is an excerpt from an 1882 edition of the prelude to Tristram of Lyonesse.

Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal veil has on The souls of all men woven in unison, One fiery raiment with all lives inwrought And lights of sunny and starry deed and thought, And alway through new act and passion new Shines the divine same body and beauty through, The body spiritual of fire and light That is to worldly noon as noon to night; Love, that is flesh upon the spirit of man And spirit within the flesh whence breath began; Love, that keeps all the choir of lives in chime; Love, that is...