“He stood with head erect fronting the herd; At the first sight of him I knew the God And had no fear. The grass is sweet and long Up the east land backed by a pale blue heaven: Grey, shining gravel shelves toward the sea Which sang and sparkled; between these he stood, Beautiful, with imperious head, firm foot, And eyes resolved on present victory, Which swerved not from the full acquist of joy, Calmly triumphant. Did I see at all The creamy hide, deep dewlap, little horns, Or hear the girls describe them? I beheld Zeus, and the law of my completed life. Therefore the ravishment of some great calm Possessed me, and I could not basely start Or scream; if there was terror in my breast It was to see the inevitable bliss In prone descent from heaven; apart I lived Held in some solitude, intense and clear, Even while amid the frolic girls I stooped And praised the flowers we gathered, they and I, Pink-streaked convolvulus the warm sand bears, Orchids, dark poppies with the crumpled leaf, And reeds and giant rushes from a pond Where the blue dragon-fly shimmers and shifts. All these were notes of music, harmonies Fashioned to underlie a resonant song, Little Europa must desire; henceforth The large needs of the world resumed her life, So her least joy must be no trivial thing, But ordered as the motion of the stars, Or grand incline of sun-flower to the sun. By this the God was near; my soul waxed strong, And wider orbed the vision of the world As fate drew nigh. He stooped, all gentleness, Inviting touches of the tender hands, And wore the wreaths they twisted round his horns In lordly-playful wise, me all this while Summoning by great mandates at my heart, Which silenced every less authentic call, Away, away, from girlhood, home, sweet friends, The daily dictates of my mother’s will, Agenor’s cherishing hand, and all the ways Of the calm household. I would fain have felt Some ruth to part from these, the tender ties Severing with thrills of passion. Can I blame My heart for light surrender of things dear, And hardness of a little selfish soul? Nay: the decree of joy was over me, There was the altar, I, the sacrifice Foredoomed to life, not death; the victim bound Looked for the stroke, the world’s one fact for her, The blissful consummation: straight to this Her course had tended from the hour of birth. A sudden splendour changed to life’s high noon: For this my mother taught me gracious things, My father’s thoughts had dealt with me, for this The least flower blossomed, the least cloud went by, All things conspired for this; the glad event Summed my full past and held it, as the fruit Holds the fair sequence of the bud and flower In soft matureness. Now he bent the knee; I never doubted of my part to do, Nor lingered idly, since to veil command In tender invitation pleased my lord; I sat, and round his neck one arm I laid Beyond all chance secure. Whether my weight Or the soft pressure of the encircling arm Quickened in him some unexpected bliss I know not, but his flight was one steep rush. O uncontrollable and joyous rage! O splendour of the multitudinous sea! Swift foam about my feet, the eager stroke Of the strong swimmer, new sea-creatures brave, And uproar of blown conch, and shouting lips Under the open heaven; till Crete rose fair With steadfast shining peak, and promontories. Shed not a leaf, O plane-tree, not a leaf, Let sacred shadow, and slumbrous sound remain Alway, where Zeus looked down upon his bride.” |