Æons and æons passed and gone,
Unheeded by no mortal one,
And hear a cry from burning lips:
“Come with us to our painted ships,
Come with us who have loved thee ever;”
Thou shalt abide inurned forever......’
O brother — I, who loved the sun,
They left me to oblivion!”
Unheeded by no mortal one,
And hear a cry from burning lips:
“Come with us to our painted ships,
Come with us who have loved thee ever;”
Thou shalt abide inurned forever......’
O brother — I, who loved the sun,
They left me to oblivion!”
“Not that!” I sadly interposed,
“Say rather thy fleet house was closed,
The lights were veiled, the vestments hid,
And dusk fell on thy pyramid;
But life, unleashed with misery,
Ceased not in turmoil over thee,
Prophets were stoned while evil fed,
Mute pestilence inherited,
The wise made ensign to the knave,
Beauty a jest, with truth a slave,
And if, among the multitude
One arose fearlessly and good,
They swept him recreant from their sight,
As thou, beloved Hermaphrodite!”
“Say rather thy fleet house was closed,
The lights were veiled, the vestments hid,
And dusk fell on thy pyramid;
But life, unleashed with misery,
Ceased not in turmoil over thee,
Prophets were stoned while evil fed,
Mute pestilence inherited,
The wise made ensign to the knave,
Beauty a jest, with truth a slave,
And if, among the multitude
One arose fearlessly and good,
They swept him recreant from their sight,
As thou, beloved Hermaphrodite!”
He said: “Upon me, stilled of moan,
Lay the first silence I had known
Since long ago in Anthemus
The goddess whispered: ‘Born to us
Lay the first silence I had known
Since long ago in Anthemus
The goddess whispered: ‘Born to us
22
