THE FIRST FIRE
O virgin hearth, as chaste and cold
As one who waits for burial mould,
Whom shall we summon here to keep
Watch while thou wakest from thy sleep?
As one who waits for burial mould,
Whom shall we summon here to keep
Watch while thou wakest from thy sleep?
Not from the far sky spaces, blue
As those that Zeus and Hera knew,
May Hestia wing her airy flight,
Bringer of holy warmth and light.
As those that Zeus and Hera knew,
May Hestia wing her airy flight,
Bringer of holy warmth and light.
Pan may not come. By stream and shore
Fair Naiads dry their locks no more;
No Oread dwells in mount and glen;
No Dryad flees from gods or men.
Fair Naiads dry their locks no more;
No Oread dwells in mount and glen;
No Dryad flees from gods or men.
Yet still do forest voices clear
Greet him whose soul hath ears to hear;
The murmur of the rustling pine
Is sweet as Hermes's harp divine.
Greet him whose soul hath ears to hear;
The murmur of the rustling pine
Is sweet as Hermes's harp divine.
The winds that rend the mighty oak
Clash loud as Ares's battle stroke;
The maples toss each leafy crown
Though Dian's votive wreaths are brown.
Clash loud as Ares's battle stroke;
The maples toss each leafy crown
Though Dian's votive wreaths are brown.
Here, as to sacrificial pyre
Kindled with pure celestial fire,
Shall hemlock, pine, and maple bring
The deep wood's fragrant offering,
Kindled with pure celestial fire,
Shall hemlock, pine, and maple bring
The deep wood's fragrant offering,
As incense to this household shrine.
O hearth, no richer spoil were thine
If all Dodona's oaks had shed
Their life-blood and for thee lay dead!
O hearth, no richer spoil were thine
If all Dodona's oaks had shed
Their life-blood and for thee lay dead!
Thou waiting one, doth no strange thrill
Thy quickening veins with wonder fill?
Have the far-seeing, prescient years
No presage for thy listening ears?
Thy quickening veins with wonder fill?
Have the far-seeing, prescient years
No presage for thy listening ears?
Life hath its phases manifold,
Yet still the new repeats the old;
There is no truer truth than this:
What was, is still the thing that is.
Yet still the new repeats the old;
There is no truer truth than this:
What was, is still the thing that is.
Therefore we know that thou wilt hear
Childhood's light laughter ringing clear;
The flow of song, the breath of prayer,
Whisper of love, and sigh of care.
Childhood's light laughter ringing clear;
The flow of song, the breath of prayer,
Whisper of love, and sigh of care.
Thou wilt see youth go forth to gauge
His being's lofty heritage,
And manhood in the autumn eves
Come homeward laden with his sheaves.
His being's lofty heritage,
And manhood in the autumn eves
Come homeward laden with his sheaves.
O life and death, O joy and woe,
In mingling streams your tides shall flow,
While sun and storm alike fulfil
The mandates of the Eternal Will!
In mingling streams your tides shall flow,
While sun and storm alike fulfil
The mandates of the Eternal Will!
Now bring the torch and light the fire,
Let the swift flames leap high and higher,
Let the red radiance stream afar,
Dearer than glow of moon or star!
Let the swift flames leap high and higher,
Let the red radiance stream afar,
Dearer than glow of moon or star!
Burn, burn, O fire, burn still and clear,
And fill the house with warmth and cheer!
Soar, soar, O fire, so brave, so bright,
And souls shall soar to share thy flight!
And fill the house with warmth and cheer!
Soar, soar, O fire, so brave, so bright,
And souls shall soar to share thy flight!