Fitful gleams in clay that perish, little sparks that soon expire,
So the mother brims her gladness from a life beyond her own,
From whose darkness as a fountain up the fiery days are thrown
Starry worlds which wheel in splendour, sunny systems, histories,
Vast and nebulous traditions told in the eternities: 
And our list’ning mother whispers through her children all the story: 
Come, the yellow constellations shine with pale and tender glory!

—­October 15, 1892

Om

Faint grew the yellow buds of light
        Far flickering beyond the snows,
As leaning o’er the shadowy white
        Morn glimmered like a pale primrose.

Within an Indian vale below
        A child said “Om” with tender heart,
Watching with loving eyes the glow
        In dayshine fade and night depart.

The word which Brahma at his dawn
        Outbreathes and endeth at his night;
Whose tide of sound so rolling on
        Gives birth to orbs of golden light;

And beauty, wisdom, love, and youth,
        By its enchantment, gathered grow
In age-long wandering to the truth,
        Through many a cycle’s ebb and flow.

And here all lower life was stilled,
        The child was lifted to the Wise: 
A strange delight his spirit filled,
        And Brahm looked from his shining eyes.

—­December 15, 1892

Krishna

The East was crowned with snow-cold bloom
        And hung with veils of pearly fleece;
They died away into the gloom,
        Vistas of peace, and deeper peace.

And earth and air and wave and fire
        In awe and breathless silence stood,
For One who passed into their choir
        Linked them in mystic brotherhood.

Twilight of amethyst, amid
        The few strange stars that lit the heights,
Where was the secret spirit hid,
        Where was Thy place, O Light of Lights?

The flame of Beauty far in space—­
        When rose the fire, in Thee? in Me? 
Which bowed the elemental race
        To adoration silently.

—­February 15, 1893

Pain

Men have made them gods of love,
Sun gods, givers of the rain,
Deities of hill and grove,
I have made a god of Pain.

Of my god I know this much,
And in singing I repeat,
Though there’s anguish in his touch
Yet his soul within is sweet.

—­March 15, 1893

Three Counselors

It was the fairy of the place
        Moving within a little light,
Who touched with dim and shadowy grace
        The conflict at its fever height.

It seemed to whisper “quietness,”
        Then quietly itself was gone;
Yet echoes of its mute caress
        Still rippled as the years flowed on.