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Louis Blanc - Three Sonnets To His Memory

The stainless soul that smiled through glorious eyes;

The bright grave brow whereon dark fortune's blast

Might blow, but might not bend it, nor o'ercast,

Save for one fierce fleet hour of shame, the skies

Thrilled with warm dreams of worthier days to rise

And end the whole world's winter; here at last,

If death be death, have passed into the past;

If death be life, live, though their semblance dies.

Hope and high faith inviolate of distrust

Shone strong as life inviolate of the grave

Through each bright word and lineament serene.

Most loving righteousness and love most just

Crowned, as day crowns the dawn-enkindled wave,

With visible aureole thine unfaltering mien.

II.

Strong time and fire-swift change, with lightnings clad

And shod with thunders of reverberate years,

Have filled with light and sound of hopes and fears

The space of many a season, since I had

Grace of good hap to make my spirit glad,

Once communing with thine: and memory hears

The bright voice yet that then rejoiced mine ears,

Sees yet the light of eyes that spake, and bade

Fear not, but hope, though then time's heart were weak

And heaven by hell shade-stricken, and the range

Of high-born hope made questionable and strange

As twilight trembling till the sunlight speak.

Thou sawest the sunrise and the storm in one

Break: seest thou now the storm-compelling sun?

III.

Surely thou seest, O spirit of light and fire,

Surely thou canst not choose, O soul, but see

The days whose dayspring was beheld of thee

Ere eyes less pure might have their hope's desire,

Beholding life in heaven again respire

Where men saw nought that was or was to be,

Save only death imperial. Thou and he

Who has the heart of all men's hearts for lyre,

Ye twain, being great of spirit as time is great,

And sure of sight as truth's own heavenward eye,

Beheld the forms of forces passing by

And certitude of equal-balanced fate,

Whose breath forefelt makes darkness palpitate,

And knew that light should live and darkness die.