Poem by Henry Kendall

Songs from the Mountains (1880). Mooni

   (Written in the shadow of 1872)

       Ah, to be by Mooni now,
   Where the great dark hills of wonder,
   Scarred with storm and cleft asunder
   By the strong sword of the thunder,
       Make a night on morning's brow!
   Just to stand where Nature's face is
   Flushed with power in forest places—
   Where of God authentic trace is—
       Ah, to be by Mooni now!

       Just to be by Mooni's springs!
   There to stand, the shining sharer
   Of that larger life, and rarer
   Beauty caught from beauty fairer
       Than the human face of things!
   Soul of mine from sin abhorrent
   Fain would hide by flashing current,
   Like a sister of the torrent,
       Far away by Mooni's springs.

       He that is by Mooni now
   Sees the water-sapphires gleaming
   Where the River Spirit, dreaming,
   Sleeps by fall and fountain streaming
       Under lute of leaf and bough—
   Hears, where stamp of storm with stress is,
   Psalms from unseen wildernesses
   Deep amongst far hill-recesses—
       He that is by Mooni now.

       Yea, for him by Mooni's marge
   Sings the yellow-haired September,
   With the face the gods remember
   When the ridge is burnt to ember,
       And the dumb sea chains the barge!
   Where the mount like molten brass is,
   Down beneath fern-feathered passes,
   Noonday dew in cool green grasses
       Gleams on him by Mooni's marge.

       Who that dwells by Mooni yet,
   Feels, in flowerful forest arches,
   Smiting wings and breath that parches
   Where strong Summer's path of march is,
       And the suns in thunder set?
   Housed beneath the gracious kirtle
   Of the shadowy water myrtle,
   Winds may hiss with heat, and hurtle—
       He is safe by Mooni yet!

       Days there were when he who sings
   (Dumb so long through passion's losses)
   Stood where Mooni's water crosses
   Shining tracts of green-haired mosses,
       Like a soul with radiant wings;
   Then the psalm the wind rehearses—
   Then the song the stream disperses
   Lent a beauty to his verses,
       Who to-night of Mooni sings.

       Ah, the theme—the sad, grey theme!
   Certain days are not above me,
   Certain hearts have ceased to love me,
   Certain fancies fail to move me
       Like the affluent morning dream.
   Head whereon the white is stealing,
   Heart whose hurts are past all healing,
   Where is now the first pure feeling?
       Ah, the theme—the sad, grey theme!

       Sin and shame have left their trace!
   He who mocks the mighty, gracious
   Love of Christ, with eyes audacious,
   Hunting after fires fallacious,
       Wears the issue in his face.
   Soul that flouted gift and Giver,
   Like the broken Persian river,
   Thou hast lost thy strength for ever!
       Sin and shame have left their trace.

       In the years that used to be,
   When the large, supreme occasion
   Brought the life of inspiration,
   Like a god's transfiguration
       Was the shining change in me.
   Then, where Mooni's glory glances,
   Clear, diviner countenances
   Beamed on me like blessed chances,
       In the years that used to be.

       Ah, the beauty of old ways!
   Then the man who so resembled
   Lords of light unstained, unhumbled,
   Touched the skirts of Christ, nor trembled
       At the grand benignant gaze!
   Now he shrinks before the splendid
   Face of Deity offended,
   All the loveliness is ended!
       All the beauty of old ways!

       Still to be by Mooni cool—
   Where the water-blossoms glister,
   And, by gleaming vale and vista,
   Sits the English April's sister
       Soft and sweet and wonderful.
   Just to rest beyond the burning
   Outer world—its sneers and spurning—
   Ah! my heart—my heart is yearning
       Still to be by Mooni cool!

       Now, by Mooni's fair hill heads,
   Lo, the gold green lights are glowing,
   Where, because no wind is blowing,
   Fancy hears the flowers growing
       In the herby watersheds!
   Faint it is—the sound of thunder
   From the torrents far thereunder,
   Where the meeting mountains ponder—
       Now, by Mooni's fair hill heads.

       Just to be where Mooni is,
   Even where the fierce fall races
   Down august, unfathomed places,
   Where of sun or moon no trace is,
       And the streams of shadows hiss!
   Have I not an ample reason
   So to long for—sick of treason—
   Something of the grand old season,
       Just to be where Mooni is?

1. Early Poems (1859-70). Elijah
2. Early Poems (1859-70). Caroline Chisholm
3. Early Poems (1859-70). James Lionel Michael
4. Other Poems (1871-82). How the Melbourne Cup was Won
5. Other Poems (1871-82). Aboriginal Death-Song

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