George William Russell

Collected Poems of George William Russell

COLLECTED POEMS OF GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSEL. This book holds what poetry of mine I would wish my friends to read. I have omitted what in colder hours seemed to me to have failed to preserve some heat of the imagination but in that colder mood I have made but slight revision of those retained. However imperfect they seemed, I did not feel that I could in after hours melt and remould and make perfect the form if I was unable to do so in the intensity of conception, when I was in those heavens we breathe for a moment and then find they are not for our clay. When I first discovered for myself how near was the King in His beauty I thought I would be the singer of the happiest songs. Forgive me, Spirit of my spirit, for this, that I have found it easier to read the mystery told in tears and understood Thee better in sorrow than in joy that, though I would not, I have made the way seem thorny, and have wandered in too many byways, imagining myself into moods which held Thee not. I should have parted the true from the false, but I have not yet passed away from myself who am in the words of this book. Time is a swift winnower, and that he will do quicklyfor me. Contents include: AWAKENING . . . . . . . 2 BY THE MARGIN OF THE GREAT DEEP . . 3 THE UNKNOWN GOD . THE HERMIT OVERSOUL ....... . . . 5 6 8 THE GREAT BREATH ..... 9 DUSK- NIGHT DAWN- DAY, 13 ECHOES 14 STAR TEACHERS . . . . . . 15 WINTER . 16 ANSWER . . . . . . . . 17 THE GIFT .18 THE DIVINE VISION . . . . . 19 FROLIC . . . . . . . . 21 DESIRE........ 22 THE PLACE OF REST . . . . 23 THE DAWN OF DARKNESS .... 24 ix 10 ii 12 CONTENTS PAGE 26 .... WAITING . . THE SYMBOL SEDUCES . . . . v 27 REST . . . ... . . 28 PITY .... , . . . 29 THE CITY . . . . . . . 30 DUST . . . . . . . 34 THE VIRGIN MOTHER . . . . . 35 DANA 37 THE EARTH BREATH . . . . . 39 ALTER EGO ....... 41 NATURAL MAGIC . . . . . . 43 CHILDHOOD ....... 45 THREE COUNSELLORS ..... 46 SYMBOLISM ....... 47 IMMORTALITY....... 49 MYSTERY ....... 50 A NEW WORLD . . . . . . 52 SACRIFICE ....... 54 BROTHERHOOD. . . . . . . 55 ON A HILL-TOP . . . . . . 57 THE VOICE OF THE WATERS .... 59 KRISHNA ....... 61 - . . . . . . FREEDOM ..63 HE EARTH . . . . . . . 64 To ONE CONSECRATED . . . . 66 CONTENTS PAGE A WOMANS VOICE .... 68 THE SPIRIT OF THE GAY .... 69 HEROIC LOVE . . . . . 7 DIVINE VISITATION. , . ... 7 1 PARTING . . . . 7 2 NGHT . . ....-. .. xi 73 ...... 75 DAWN SONG . THE HOUR OF THE KING . ... 77 THE HEROES...... 79 PAIN 82 ...... SELF-DISCIPLINE . . 8 3 THE MAN TO THE ANGEL .... 84 A VISION OF BEAUTY ..... 86 THE VESTURE OF THE SOUL.... 89 THE FREE . ..... 9 COMFORT . . 9 1 ..... 94 WARNING .... 93 REFUGE..... ... 95 THE BURNING-GLASS . . . . .-H 9 6 BABYLON .... 97 THE FACES OF MEMORY . . . . . 99 THE MESSAGE . . 9 IO THE SINGING SILENCES ..... xFFiNrr . . . . . IO1 . IO A CALL . v 3 IO 5