free-verse52 lines
Love And Art.
by Charles Hamilton MusgroveI.
Eagle-heart, child-heart, bonnie lad o' dreams,
Far away thy soul hears passion-throated Art
Singing where the future lies
Wrapped in hues of Paradise,
Pleading with her poignant note
That forever seems to float
Farther down the vista that is calling to thy heart.
Hearken! From the heights
Where thy soul alights
Bend thine ear to listen for the lute of Love is sighing:
"Eagle-heart, child-heart,
Love is love, and art is art;
Answer while thy lips are red;
Wilt thou have a barren bed?
Choose between us which to wed:
Answer, for thy bride awaits, and fragile hours are flying!"
II.
Eagle-heart, child-heart, bonnie lad o' dreams,
Far away thy soul hears Love's enraptured strain,
Calling with her plaintive note,
Pleading lute and pensive oat,
Burning, yearning, ever turning back to one refrain:
"Choose between us which to wed;
Love is love, and art is art;
Wilt thou have a barren bed?
Joyless mate and bloodless heart?
She will bring thee for her dower
Shrunken limb and shriveled breast,
Bitter thralldom, bootless power,
Days and nights of endless quest,
She will take thee heart and brain,
Hold thee with a vampire charm,
Kiss thee cold in every vein,
Drink thy blood to make her warm!"
III.
Eagle-heart, child-heart, bonnie lad o' dreams,
Far away thy soul hears passion-throated Art
Singing from her peaks of snow,
Wrapped in pale, unearthly glow,
Pleading with her poignant note
That forever seems to float
Farther down the vista that is calling to thy heart.
Hearken! From the heights
Where thy soul alights
Lift thy head to listen for the voice of Art is calling:
"Eagle-heart, child-heart,
Love is love, and art is art,
Answer while thy soul is strong;
Love is brief, but art is long;
Love is sighs, but art is song;
Answer, for thy bride awaits, and moonless night is falling!"