Poem by Madison Julius Cawein

The Three Urgandas

Cast on sleep there came to me
Three Urgandas; and the sea
In lost lands of Briogne
    Sounded moaning, moaning:
Cloudy clad in awful white;
And each face a lucid light
Rayed and blossomed out of night, -
    And a wind was groaning.

In my sleep I saw them rest,
Each a long hand at her breast,
A soft flame that lulls the West; -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Hair like hoarded ingots rolled
Down white shoulders glossy gold,
Streaks of molten moonlight cold, -
    And a wind was groaning.

Rosy 'round each high brow bent
Four-fold starry gold that sent
Barbs of fire redolent; -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
'Neath their burning crowns their eyes
Burned like southern stars the skies
Rock in shattered storm that flies, -
    And a wind was groaning.

Wisdom's eyes of lurid dark;
And each red mouth like a spark
Flashed and laughed off care and cark, -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Mouths for song and lips to kiss;
Lips for hate and mouths to hiss;
Lips that fashioned hell or bliss, -
    And the wind was groaning.

Tall as stately virgins dead,
Tapers lit at feet and head,
'Round whom Latin prayers are said, -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Or as vampire women, who,
Buried beauties, rise and woo
Youths whose blood they suck like dew, -
    And a wind was groaning.

Then the west one said to me:
"Thou hast slept thus holily
While seven sands ran secretly." -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
"Earth hath served thee like a slave,
Serving us who found thee brave,
Fearless of or life or grave." -
    And a wind was groaning.

"Know!" - she smote my brow; a pain,
Riddling arrows, rent my brain,
Ceased and earth fell, some vast strain; -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Then I understood all thought;
What was life the spirit fraught;
Love and hate; how worlds were wrought: -
    And a wind was groaning.

Then the east one said to me:
"Thou hast wandered wearily
By what mist-enveloped sea!" -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
"Know the things thou hast not seen;
Life and law, and love and teen;
Things that be and have not been." -
    And the wind was groaning.

"See!" her voice sung like a lyre
Throbs of thunderous desire;
Then the iron sight like fire -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Burst; the inner eyelids, which
Husked clairvoyance, with a twitch
Rose - and I with light was rich; -
    And a wind was groaning.

Then I saw the eyes of Sleep;
Nerves of Life and veins that leap;
Laws of entity; the deep: -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
Orbs and eons; springs of Power;
Circumstance - blown like a flower; -
Time - the second of an hour: -
    And the wind was groaning.

To the central third one's full
Balanced being beautiful
Heart, to hearken, made a lull, -
    And the sea was moaning, moaning; -
As she sternly stooped to me:
"Thou dost know and thou canst see;
What thou art arise and be!" -
    And the wind was groaning.

To my mouth hot lips she pressed;
And my famished soul, thrice blessed,
Quaffed her radiance and caressed: -
    And vague seas were moaning, moaning: -
Mounted; star-vibrating fled;
Soared to love, with her who said:
"Thou dost live and thou art dead." -
    Far off winds were groaning.

1. In the Mountains
2. The Iron Cross
3. Communicants
4. Riders in the Night
5. Semper Idem

Print

1226 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version