Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 10,116 pages of information about Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith.

Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 10,116 pages of information about Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith.
call back,
     Shrewd with night:  a frosty wail
     Distant:  her the emerald vale
     Folds, and wonders in her track. 
     Now her retinue is lean,
     Many rearward; streams the chase
     Eager forth of covert; seen
     One hot tide the rapturous race. 
     Quiver-charged and crescent-crowned,
     Up on a flash the lighted mound
     Leaps she, bow to shoulder, shaft
     Strung to barb with archer’s craft,
     Legs like plaited lyre-chords, feet
     Songs to see, past pitch of sweet. 
     Fearful swiftness they outrun,
     Shaggy wildness, grey or dun,
     Challenge, charge of tusks elude: 
     Theirs the dance to tame the rude;
     Beast, and beast in manhood tame,
     Follow we their silver flame. 
     Pride of flesh from bondage free,
     Reaping vigour of its waste,
     Marks her servitors, and she
     Sanctifies the unembraced. 
     Nought of perilous she reeks;
     Valour clothes her open breast;
     Sweet beyond the thrill of sex;
     Hallowed by the sex confessed. 
     Huntress arrowy to pursue,
     Colder she than sunless dew,
     She, that breath of upper air;
     Ay, but never lyrist sang,
     Draught of Bacchus never sprang
     Blood the bliss of Gods to share,
     High o’er sweep of eagle wings,
     Like the run with her, when rings
     Clear her rally, and her dart,
     In the forest’s cavern heart,
     Tells of her victorious aim. 
     Then is pause and chatter, cheer,
     Laughter at some satyr lame,
     Looks upon the fallen deer,
     Measuring his noble crest;
     Here a favourite in her train,
     Foremost mid her nymphs, caressed;
     All applauded.  Shall she reign
     Worshipped?  O to be with her there! 
     She, that breath of nimble air,
     Lifts the breast to giant power. 
     Maid and man, and man and maid,
     Who each other would devour
     Elsewhere, by the chase betrayed,
     There are comrades, led by her,
     Maid-preserver, man-maker.

     A reading of life—­with the persuader

     Who murmurs, hither, hither:  who
     Where nought is audible so fills the ear? 
     Where nought is visible can make appear
     A veil with eyes that waver through,
     Like twilight’s pledge of blessed night to come,
     Or day most golden?  All unseen and dumb,
     She breathes, she moves, inviting flees,
     Is lost, and leaves the thrilled desire
     To clasp and strike a slackened lyre,
     Till over smiles of hyacinth seas,
     Flame in a crystal vessel sails
     Beneath a dome of jewelled spray,
     For land that drops the rosy day
     On nights of throbbing nightingales.

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Project Gutenberg
Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.