Page:A New Zealand verse (1906).pdf/130
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
94
Picton Harbour by Night.
Of Science had to teach of level ray
Reflected or refracted; and could say,
Nay, almost count the millions to a mile,
How far away
That pure quintessence of dark fire, deep-lying
In fathomless Flame-Oceans round him flying,
His inconceivable circumference withdrew:
Knew all about the fringe of flames that frisk
In ruddy dance about his moon-masked face,
Set on like petals round a sunflower’s disc—
Each glorious petal shooting into space
Ten times as far as Earth’s vast globe is thick:
Ay! or could prate about full many a world
Worn out, and crushed to cinders, flying fleet,
Or in cold black rotundity complete,
Into his burning bosom headlong hurled,
Just by collision to strike out fresh heat,
And feed with flame, renew and trim,
And keep for aye from falling dim
That monstrous and immeasurable wick—
Say rather—everlastingly keep bright
That awful, mystic, God-created Light!
Reflected or refracted; and could say,
Nay, almost count the millions to a mile,
How far away
That pure quintessence of dark fire, deep-lying
In fathomless Flame-Oceans round him flying,
His inconceivable circumference withdrew:
Knew all about the fringe of flames that frisk
In ruddy dance about his moon-masked face,
Set on like petals round a sunflower’s disc—
Each glorious petal shooting into space
Ten times as far as Earth’s vast globe is thick:
Ay! or could prate about full many a world
Worn out, and crushed to cinders, flying fleet,
Or in cold black rotundity complete,
Into his burning bosom headlong hurled,
Just by collision to strike out fresh heat,
And feed with flame, renew and trim,
And keep for aye from falling dim
That monstrous and immeasurable wick—
Say rather—everlastingly keep bright
That awful, mystic, God-created Light!
LIV.
Picton Harbour by Night.
Warm is the night and still; the misty clouds
Obscure the moon so that there scarce is light
Left in the world; all round, the silent hills
Sleep mystically; and no night-haunting bird
Obscure the moon so that there scarce is light
Left in the world; all round, the silent hills
Sleep mystically; and no night-haunting bird