The Crystal Spring.

    I.

    Fair spirit of the plaining sea,
        Thou heard'st Apollo's lyre! -
    Now folded are thy silver wings
                Thee sunward bore,
        A dream and a desire.

    Ranging the upper azure deeps,
        The sunlight on thy wings,
    How blanched thy purpose as there fell
                The lightning's stroke,
        And darkness on all things!


    In agony of rain and hail,
        And phantom dance of snow,
    The chastening angels of the air
                To mountain bleak
        Consigned thee far below.

    There in the arms of heartless frost,
        And burdened with thy train,
    The keen stars watched thy ageful way,
                Till breast of earth
        Warmed thee to life again.

    And in thy course thou wert God's plow,
        Thy furrow deep the valley
    Of wooded walls and flowers to be, -
                The circling sun
        Keeps slow and sure the tally.


    Reborn, thou waitedst not far down
        The sunless caves to speed -
    (Thy twin, lade with unfabled spoils,
                Did build the plain,
        Or green the expectant mead,

    And weave the fabric, forge the plow,
        Bear inland steam and sail) -
    Or serv'dst, in mines and nether realms
                Of shadowland,
        The gnomes and genii pale.


    II.

    O fontal wealth of hasting life,
        By stressful toil made sweet,
    Stay now thy journey - here oft come
                Wild sylvan things,
        Here tender lovers meet.


    By day the traveller spies the path
        To thy o'erbending shade,
    Drinks deep the brimming, cooling wave,
                A living draught,
        And wends his way, remade.

    At night the one shy Pleiad drops
        Her veil to look within
    Thy clear, green-haloed deeps, and sees
                Herself more fair
        Than all her shining kin.

    And, fair with labor's healthy toil,
        Each face of yon dear home
    Thou'st set within the pearly blue,
                Or crocus glow,
        Of overarching dome.


    And when return world-wandering feet,
        Elate, or slow with sorrow,
    Thy pencil paints the changing form;
                And here clasp hands
        The yester year and morrow.

    O bright reincarnation, thou!
        Though long thy heart, like fire,
    Burned to mount upward and away
                To sun and sky,
        A dream and a desire,

    Here, here thy place and service too, -
        'Tis heaven by thee to sup,
    To see the great red sun drop down,
                The stars swim out, -
        O Nature's loving cup!


    III.

    And here the crystal spring abides -
        Yet passes to the sea,
    There to renew the broken task
                Of long ago,
        Now joyous task and free.

    Fair spirit of the bourneless waves,
        Glad voice in their sad choir,
    Sweeter 'mid sorrow's dirge to blend
                The note of cheer,
        Than list Apollo's lyre!

    The sunbeams kiss the plaining deep,
        Wreathe with innumerous smiles
    The sounding waters as they meet, -
                While sister sprites
        Wake laughter round the isles.


    And ever as the rolling moon
        The unanchored sea forth-swings,
    The poet's ear may catch anew
                The gladsome notes,
        Notes of the crystal springs.

    And when he sits this spring beside,
        Worn with the journey's strife,
    He cannot help but think of HIM
                Of Jacob's well,
        FOUNT of the deathless life.