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The Dream
Published in the Agnostic Journal London, England 17 February 1906 (page 103)
Night had dawned, and the moon was high, A silver wheel in a dark blue sky.
All the winds had told their tale, All the stars were bright and pale.
A line of sea-foam curled and leapt, And thought was hushed, and daylight slept.
"Watchman, what of the night?" men said, "And how of the hours that speed and have sped?"
I said, "It is well, for the night is deep Over your heads: go back to sleep.
"Lo! it is well, for the white stars gleam Over your heads: go back and dream.
They, answering, smiled, "It is well, yet say, With lyre and voice, when it shall be day."
So I strayed alone by the hungry sea, And the night grew deeper, and covered me.
And I lay alone on the earth, and soon I slept a deep sleep in the night's high noon.
All the winds were blent and stilled, All my dream with song was filled.
And all the stars shone rosily Over a darkened, sleepless sea,
And in my dream I rose, and peered Over the sea, where a little boat steered.
Over the waves it came to me, With a golden light that illumed the sea.
And one leapt out whose eyes were day-fair, Who symbolized Night in his floating hair.
He took my hand in his own, and said, "Brother, how long hast thou been dead?"
I gazed on him for awhile and said, "Brother, how sayest thou I am dead?"
He turned and pointed, and lo! there lay Behind me my body, . . . and then it was day.
I said, "Never now shall I tell of day, For my voice is lost, and my body clay."
I said, "It is over: not now for me To summon men to the brightening sea."
He answered, " 'Tis well. Come hence with me: Were it not well to cross the sea?"
But my hand grew stiff in his, and I said, "Brother, O brother! I am not dead?"
He led me on to the edge of the sea, Saying, "Brother, wilt thou not go with me?
Another sunrise shall welcome thee: Wilt thou not, then, come over the sea?"
I turned, and men were drawing sharp breath Over my body. They saw not Death.
I snatched my hand from Death, and said, "O my brothers! I am not dead!"
But still they paid no heed to me; They shaded their eyes, looking over the sea.
Said Death, "How shalt thou know Death and fear? Am I not Death? And am I not here?"
And then Death went to the boat with me, But men still gazed eagerly over the sea.
Death touched my hand . . . and the dream was o'er; I went, with my lyre, back, back from the shore.
I summoned men, and my notes rang true, And the sunlight flashed on a sea of blue.
And I sang to the throng, and I cast out fears, For the words of Death rang still in my ears.
I sang, "It is well! and lo! there glows Morn over the sea, and a dawn-breeze blows."
I shook my hair in the sunlight: then I tuned my lyre to the ears of men.
And with merry laughter and sobbing breath I sang of the night, and my dream of Death.
A white half-heard note came to me, And wove itself deep in my minstrelsy.
From the blazing east the sun rose high— A golden wheel in a golden sky.
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