Page:The roamer and other poems (1920).djvu/100

Assuming form, itself the masterpiece
Emerging beautiful for love's delight;
And ever, more incarnating the fair,
So grows it dear, and cherished by the gods:
But first must heavenly beauty bathe its eyes."
"Hard is experience," the youth replied,
"That works with fate and chance; other to me
The revelation was that cleansed my sight,—
Imagination's world; there elder men
Made their emotions and ideas a voice
Of aspiration and accomplishment
Unto mankind; oft on their lips I hung,
Lifting my eyes to the fair sight they saw,
Painted, or carven, or visionary sung,—
Infinite forms in one eternal found;
And oft themselves ensouled what seemed most fair.
So with sweet passion for the master's face
Did my own soul put on immortal form,
Clothed with that ray, and grew in fond desire
Of inward purity and outward grace,
Patterned upon the heroes and the gods;
For, in that plastic world of art and thought,
Easy the growth is of immortal souls."
"Imagination hath a higher truth
Than scant reality," the voice returned;
"Experience it concentrates and refines,