XIII. PYGMALION THE SCULPTOR. "Materiem superabat opus." 1.-IN DEATH'S SHADOW. UPON the very morn I should have wed Playing about the edges of her lips. Then I, Pygmalion, kiss'd her as she slept, And drew my robe across my face whereon The haggard revel linger'd dark, and pray'd; And the sore trouble hollow'd out my heart As I glode forth. Next, day by day, my soul Within the shadow of her grave: therewith, Waken'd a thirst for silence such as dwells Under the ribs of death: whence slowly grew Her voice come down from heaven on my soul, Troubles the shadows in a sleeping lake. And the voice said, "Pygmalion," and "Behold," I answer'd "I am here;" when thus the voice: "Put men behind thee-take thy tools, and choose A rock of marble white as is a star, Cleanse it and make it pure, and fashion it Of sculptur'd shapes in stone. Wherefore thy life In the long toil of love made meek by tears; And at the last, I shall become again With speech nor motion, but with influence I barr'd the entrance-door to this my tower Against the hungry world, I hid above The mastiff-murmur of the town, I pray'd In my pale chamber. Then I wrought, and chose A rock of marble white as is a star, And to her silent image fashion'd clay, And purified myself and heal'd myself In the long toil of love made meek by tears. 2.-THE MARBLE LIFE. THE multitudinous light oppress'd me not, As Ocean murmurs when the storm is past And keeps the echoed thunders many days, My solitude was troublous for a time With the new sorrow, and I utter'd doubt Out of a bitter heart. Yea, oftentimes I swam from dream to dream and gazed thro' tears Who, with the pale babe Hope upon her breast, M Where Hope was born, beyond the silent stars. Which, melting as the fleecy vapours melt Made promise of the special shape I loved. Took outline in the dusk, as rocks unhewn Seen from afar thro' floating mountain mists Against the pleadings of the popular tongue That babbled at my door; and when there dawn'd |