Towards democracy

O Foy Divine of Friends 409

And then again to spend the night alone, to resume

> oneself—

To sail out in the silent watches over the sleeping world, and drink of the intoxication of space,

Calm, self-centred, to the great first One united;

Over-looking the wide sleeping-grounds of Time—forms of the past, the future—comrades innumerable,

Lovers possible, all safely eternally embosomed ;

Kissing them lightly on the lips, the forehead,

Leaving them sleeping,

Spending the night alone.

O Joy Divine oF Frienps @) JOY divine of friends!

To hold within the circle of one’s arms More than the universe holds: So sweet, so rare, so precious beyond words, The god so tenderly mortal !

Not kisses only or embraces,

Nor the sweet pain and passion of the flesh alone ; But more, far more,

To feel (ah joy!) the creature deep within

Touch on its mate, unite, and lie entranced

There, ages down, and ages long, in light, Suffused, divine—where all these other pleasures Fade but to symbols of that perfect union |