Astrophel and Other Poems/Birthday Ode
BIRTHDAY ODE
August 6, 1891.
I.
cast upon time is light,
Days whose sound was a spell shed round from wheeling
wings as of doves in flight,
Meet in one, that the mounting sun to-day may triumph,
and cast out night.
Two years more than the full fourscore lay hallowing
hands on a sacred head—
Scarce one score of the perfect four uncrowned of fame
as they smiled and fled:
Still and soft and alive aloft their sunlight stays though
the suns be dead.
Ere we were or were thought on, ere the love that gave
us to life began,
Fame grew strong with his crescent song, to greet the
goal of the race they ran,
Song with fame, and the lustrous name with years whose
changes acclaimed the man.
II.
had hailed us men,
We too heard and acclaimed the word whose breath was
life upon England then—
Life more bright than the breathless light of soundless
noon in a songless glen.
Ah, the joy of the heartstruck boy whose ear was opened
of love to hear!
Ah, the bliss of the burning kiss of song and spirit, the
mounting cheer
Lit with fire of divine desire and love that knew not if
love were fear!
Fear and love as of heaven above and earth enkindled of
heaven were one;
One white flame, that around his name grew keen and
strong as the worldwide sun;
Awe made bright with implied delight, as weft with weft
of the rainbow spun.
III.
never have heart to sing:
All the grace of the sun-god's face that bids the soul as
a fountain spring
Bids the brow that receives it bow, and hail his likeness
on earth as king.
We that knew when the sun's shaft flew beheld and
worshipped, adored and heard:
Light rang round it of shining sound, whence all men's
hearts were subdued and stirred:
Joy, love, sorrow, the day, the morrow, took life upon
them in one man's word.
Not for him can the years wax dim, nor downward
swerve on a darkening way:
Upward wind they, and leave behind such light as
lightens the front of May:
Fair as youth and sublime as truth we find the fame
that we hail to-day.