White shapes flit to and fro
  From mast to mast; 10
They feel the distant tempest
  That nears them fast: 
Great rocks are straight ahead,
  Great shoals not past;
They shout to one another
  Upon the blast.

Oh, soft the streams drop music
  Between the hills,
And musical the birds’ nests
  Beside those rills:  20
The nests are types of home
  Love-hidden from ills,
The nests are types of spirits
  Love-music fills.

So dream the sleepers,
  Each man in his place;
The lightning shows the smile
  Upon each face: 
The ship is driving, driving,
  It drives apace:  30
And sleepers smile, and spirits
  Bewail their case.

The lightning glares and reddens
  Across the skies;
It seems but sunset
  To those sleeping eyes. 
When did the sun go down
  On such a wise? 
From such a sunset
  When shall day arise? 40

‘Wake,’ call the spirits: 
  But to heedless ears: 
They have forgotten sorrows
  And hopes and fears;
They have forgotten perils
  And smiles and tears;
Their dream has held them long,
  Long years and years.

‘Wake,’ call the spirits again: 
  But it would take 50
A louder summons
  To bid them awake. 
Some dream of pleasure
  For another’s sake;
Some dream, forgetful
  Of a lifelong ache.

One by one slowly,
  Ah, how sad and slow! 
Wailing and praying
  The spirits rise and go:  60
Clear stainless spirits
  White as white as snow;
Pale spirits, wailing
  For an overthrow.

One by one flitting,
  Like a mournful bird
Whose song is tired at last
  For no mate is heard. 
The loving voice is silent,
  The useless word; 70
One by one flitting
  Sick with hope deferred.

Driving and driving,
  The ship drives amain: 
While swift from mast to mast
  Shapes flit again,
Flit silent as the silence
  Where men lie slain;
Their shadow cast upon the sails
  Is like a stain. 80

No voice to call the sleepers,
  No hand to raise: 
They sleep to death in dreaming,
  Of length of days. 
Vanity of vanities,
  The Preacher says: 
Vanity is the end
  Of all their ways.

FROM HOUSE TO HOME

The first was like a dream through summer heat,
  The second like a tedious numbing swoon,
While the half-frozen pulses lagged to beat
  Beneath a winter moon.