The Secret Splendour

Towards the visionary calm of night,

Like some pure liberator, soul of flight

To the immense unknown, the winging wonder

Kindled its aspiration, clove asunder

The lofty darknesses of heavenly space,

Swung out into the quiet blossoming blaze

Of far innumerable beauty. O

The vast relief, the thrilled escape from slow

Vain horizontal hours' monotony

Of gilded gloom amid the feverish cry

Of transient rapture, to the inviolate

Divine abysses of celestial fate!

How must all-potent peace regard poor earth? ...

 But look! what miracle has flamed to birth

Beneath our flight—a mute and limitless dark

 Spangled with visionary spark on spark—

A silent sky of golden lamps below

Responding to the fathomless silver glow

 Of sky above—a human infinite

Of trance with planetary joy alit—

Burning disclosure of earth's hidden soul

 Tense with the secret of a godlike goal!

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