The Song Of A Comet

    A plummet of the changing universe,
    Far-cast, I flare
    Through gulfs the sun's uncharted orbits bind,
    And spaces bare
    That intermediate darks immerse
    By road of sun nor world confined.
    Upon my star-undominated gyre
    I mark the systems vanish one by one;
    Among the swarming worlds I lunge,
    And sudden plunge
    Close to the zones of solar fire;
    Or 'mid the mighty wrack of stars undone,
    Flash, and with momentary rays
    Compel the dark to yield
    Their aimless forms, whose once far-potent blaze
    In ashes chill is now inurned.
    A space revealed,
    I see their planets turned,
    Where holders of the heritage of breath
    Exultant rose, and sank to barren death
    Beneath the stars' unheeding eyes.
    Adown contiguous skies
    I pass the thickening brume
    Of systems yet unshaped, that hang immense
    Along mysterious shores of gloom;
    Or see - unimplicated in their doom -
    The final and disastrous gyre
    Of blinded suns that meet,
    And from their mingled heat,
    And battle-clouds intense,
    O'erspread the deep with fire.

    Through stellar labyrinths I thrid
    Mine orbit placed amid
    The multiple and irised stars, or hid,
    Unsolved and intricate,
    In many a planet-swinging sun's estate.
    Ofttimes I steal in solitary flight
    Along the rim of the exterior night
    That grips the universe;
    And then return,
    Past outer footholds of sidereal light,
    To where the systems gather and disperse;
    And dip again into the web of things,
    To watch it shift and burn,
    Hearted with stars. On peaceless wings
    I pierce, where deep-outstripping all surmise,
    The nether heavens drop unsunned,
    By stars and planets shunned.
    And then I rise
    Through vaulting gloom, to watch the dark
    Snatch at the flame of failing suns;
    Or mark
    The heavy-dusked and silent skies,
    Strewn thick with wrecked and broken stars,
    Where many a fated orbit runs.
    An arrow sped from some eternal bow,
    Through change of firmaments and systems sent,
    And finding bourn nor bars,
    I flee, nor know
    For what eternal mark my flight is meant.