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A breath stirs the dark abysses。 。 。 。 The deeps below the deep Are
troubled and vexed 。 。 。 and a thousand worlds Fall on eternal sleep！
THE COMRADE
I
HATH not man at his noblest An air of something more than man？ A
hint of grace immortal； Born of his greatly daring to assist the gods In
conquering these shaggy wastes； These desert worlds； And planting life
and order in these stars？ So Woman at her best： Her eyes are bright with
visions and with dreams That triumph over time； Her plumed thought；
wing for wing； is mate with his。
II
The world rolls on from dream to dream； And 'neath the vast
impersonal revenges of its going；
Crushed fools that cried defeat Lie dead amid the dust they
prophesied Ye doubters of man's larger destiny； Ye that despair； Look
backward down the vistaed years； And all is battleand all victory！ Man
fought； to be a man！ Through painful centuries the slow beast fought；
Blinded and baffled； fought to gain his soul； Wild； hairy； shag； and
feared of shadows； Yet the clouds Made him strange signals that he
puzzled o'er； Beast； child； and ape； And yet the winds harped to him； and
the sea Rolled in upon his consciousness Its tides of wonder and romance；…
… Uncouth and caked with mire； And yet the stars said something to him；
and the sun Declared itself a god； The lagging cycles turned at last
The pictures into thought； Thought flowered in soul； But； oh； the myriad
weary years Ere Caliban was Shakespeare's self And Darwin's ape had
Darwin's brain！ The battling； battling； and the steep ascent； The fight to
hold the little gained； The loss； the doubt； the shaken heart； The stubborn；
groping slow recovery！ But looking backward toward the dim
beginnings； You that despair； Hath he not climbed and conquered？ Look
backward and all's Victory！ What coward looks forward and foresees
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DREAMS & DUST
defeat？
III
Who climbed beside him； and who fought And suffered and was glad？
Is she a lesser thing than he； Who stained the slopes with bloody feet； or
stood Beside him on some hard…won eminence of hope Exulting as the
bold dawn swept A harper hand along the ringing hills？ Flesh of his flesh；
and of his soul the soul； Hath she not fought； hath she not climbed？
And how is she a lesser thing？ Nay； if she ever was 'Twas we that
made her so； who called her queen But kept her slave。
IV
Had she not courage for the fight？ Hath she not courage for the years
to come？ Hath she not courage who descends alone （How pitifully alone；
except for Love！） Where man's thought even falters that would
follow； Into the shadowy abyss （Through vast and murmurous caverns
dark with crowding dread And terrible with hovering wings）； To
battle there with Death？to battle There with Death； and wrest from him；
O Conqueror and Mother； Life！
V
Hath she too long dwelt dream…bound in the world of love；
Unconscious of the sterner throes； The more austere； impersonal； wide
faith； The urge that drives Christs to the cross Not for the love of one
beloved； But for the love of all？ If so； she wakes！ Wakes and demands a
share in all man's bolder destinies； The high； audacious ventures of
the soul That thinks to scale the bastioned slopes And strike stark Chaos
from his throne。 We still stand in the dawn of time。 Not meanly let us
stand nor shaken with low doubts！ For there beyond the verge and
margin of gray cloud The future thrills with promise And the skies are
tremulous with golden light； She too would share those victories；
Comrade； and more than comrade； New times； new needs confront us
now； We must evolve new powers To battle with； We must go forward
now together； Or perchance we fail！
ENVOI
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DREAMS & DUST
A LITTLE WHILE
A little while the tears and laughter； The willow and the rose A
little while； and what comes after No man knows。
An hour to sing； to love and linger 。 。 。 Then lutanist and lute Will
fall on silence； song and singer Both be mute。
Our gods from our desires we fashion。 。 。 。 Exalt our baffled lives；
And dream their vital bloom and passion Still survives；
But when we're done with mirth and weeping； With myrtle； rue； and
rose； Shall Death take Life into his keeping？ 。 。 。 No man knows。
What heart hath not； through twilight places； Sought for its dead
again To gild with love their pallid faces？ 。 。 。 Sought in vain！ 。 。 。
Still mounts the Dream on shining pinion 。 。 。 Still broods the dull
distrust 。 。 。 Which shall have ultimate dominion； Dream； or dust？
A little while with grief and laughter； And then the day will close；
The shadows gather 。 。 。 what comes after No man knows！
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