The Secret Splendour

With skill of mortal tongue how shall I phrase

A mirroring glory for Her glorious face?—

 The deep prefiguring halcyon of those eyes

 Assuaging with love's intimate replies

 The wounded cry of faith to destiny—

The smile wherein eternities awake

To human mercy, an ineffable sun's

       August Omnipotence

 Softened to rainbow-beauty for our sake,

That we of fearful vision may behold

What fount of delicate-hued felicity

Hides in that far keen terrible heart of gold—

The voice of passionate truth which beckons me

Towards pinnacled perfection fills my name

With such celestial music that I rise,

          My shattered hours made whole,

 Triumphant over the agelong grim distress

 Of life's embodiment and shackled shame;

          For, the adorer soul

 Hearing its name turn godlike with Her tone

         Feels all its essence grown

A gleam of her ecstatic loveliness!...

O ineffectual words, the endless tale

Of Her transmuting miracles you fail

   To imprison in melody.

    Needs must the soul express

Its thrilled response to Her divinity?

    In silence 'twere more meet

To touch with lips of fervour those earth-sojourning feet!

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