the bridge of the dragon.
61
Into white dawn, the dawn to early day,
And in her path the mighty serpent lay.
And in her path the mighty serpent lay.
All morning-fresh, like a new-fallen thought
From God's deep life, stood she. She felt the jar,
The air with freaks of flame, with hiss, and spot
Staining the amber dawn, and blood-red bar,
All elfinly alive: but she saw not,
Nor ever on him looked; she saw afar
Her breathless people through the hiss and flame,
Their babes uplifted towards her as she came.
From God's deep life, stood she. She felt the jar,
The air with freaks of flame, with hiss, and spot
Staining the amber dawn, and blood-red bar,
All elfinly alive: but she saw not,
Nor ever on him looked; she saw afar
Her breathless people through the hiss and flame,
Their babes uplifted towards her as she came.
A moment to her heart crept the chill frost.
One shrinking foot she set on that huge ill,
A sunbeam on a dead trunk, century-mossed;
One step—another and another still!—
Grasping, as he would lick her hand, all lost,
His head upturned;—she passed, and prone he fell
As the glad day came in—death's dull, blue veil
Settling o'er all his limbs and rainbow mail.
One shrinking foot she set on that huge ill,
A sunbeam on a dead trunk, century-mossed;
One step—another and another still!—
Grasping, as he would lick her hand, all lost,
His head upturned;—she passed, and prone he fell
As the glad day came in—death's dull, blue veil
Settling o'er all his limbs and rainbow mail.
