.jpg)
Kowhai Gold
[Helen Glen Turner]
The Sea Hath Taken
Last night we laughed beside the sea;
Now the sea has taken him;
Taken him and keepin' him
Down among the terrors.
The sea that's always hunted him,
Moon by moon been stalkin' him;
Now the hunter's taken him
In a mesh of shadows.
Last night he lay against my breast,
All his thought was loving me;
page 97
So the sea is mocking me,
Mocking me and callin'.
Slow, cold tides pass over him—
Oh, the sea is clever!
Even the green slanting light
Cannot reach him ever;
Even my poor loving words
Go stumbling to him never.
Day to day and night to night,
Knowing no to-morrow,
He is sleeping sound, no doubt,
And I'm broke with sorrow.
God Rest Michael
God rest Michael,
Who reached out to the stars,
And set his passionate eyes to peaks of dream
Beyond our sight,
And never knew the ecstasies of life;
Cool fingers of the wind upon his face,
Pearled waters placid in a summer's dawn,
The flight of seagulls and a birch's grace.
Comfort him,
Whom stars left comfortless.
For oh, his feet walked all too restlessly;
God quiet Michael.
Lament
There is no starshine in the misty skies,
Nor any light upon the quiet sea;
Nor any light upon an ashen world,
Since love, with folded wings o'er his sad eyes,
Deserted me.
No rustling, tender-fingered noon breeze blowing,
But homeless night winds through the pine trees sighing
Nor any sunny garden spaces glowing,
Nor little, happy singing birds athrill,
But sea-gulls, crying,
The Return
He came back under darkling skies;
He took my heart with his two eyes.
He took my heart with his sweet eyes,
Once gay, and now so deeply wise.
I would be crying him for words
That seek my heart as homing birds;
Searching in that dream darkness dim
The lips and loving arms of him.
But he has dreams I may not share
Since he passed down the sea's green stair;
And I go grieving love is fled,
Now he walks bravely with the dead;
So he is come to comfort me,
That I may sleep all quietly.
The face of him is gone, is gone,
That I would die for looking on.