A Dream Within A Dream Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCADEFGHIJKLMNOCPQRS TUVWXYZA2B2C2D2E2F2O B2G2H2I2J2K2L2M2N2MO 2P2Q2R2L2S2T2P2TU2B2 K2V2W2NX2Y2Z2CQ L2TL2A3L2B3C3D3L2E3F 3G3RL2RH3L2D3C X2I3L2D3B2J3K3L3K2M3 N3X2B3L2B3N2H2L2L2KT B3L2O3L2P3L2L2B3Q3B3 Q3L2B3R3L2B3S3B3L2B3 A3T3B2F3U3B3C3KB3V3L 2B3B3N2B3L2L2L2B3B3 JW2W3L2B3L2T B3B3X3L2L2B3Y3L2L2Z3 A4E2CA3B3B4C4L2K3JN2 AB3P3P3Q3L2TP3D4B3E4 L2 L2F4AK3H2L2A4L2L2AP3 U2 A L2L2L2U2B3Q3H2 G4B3JB3W3H4 A4P3C3P3I4B3J4K4L2W3 B3B3C4P3L2B3 L2R3B3B3P3ZR3L2B3B3F 4B3L2ZB3L2V3B3L2L2B3 L2L4L2X3B3L2L2L2B3L2 B3P3Z3L2M4L2B3B3P3N4 O4P4L2Q4B3P3B3P3 L2H2TR4L2B3L2P3L2L2X 3P3L2W2L2P3L2S4U2YB3 L2L2W2P3S4P3B3L2 Q3P3L2L2H2Z3B3L2 B3L2H2R4L2L2L2L2T4N2 U4P3T4C4B3P3P3B3Z3V4 I4T4A3 R2T4Q3W4L2P3L2S4YZ3B 2X4L2B3B3L2S3B3B3L2B 3Q3B3B3B3L2B3L2Y4L2B 3L2H3T4P3B3B2O4P3L2Z 4X4Q4AB3B3P3Q3W2L2B3 B3L2B3L2B3L2B3K3B3B3 B3L2B3S3B3O4T4L2B3P3 B3Z3P3L2J3H2L2L2B3L2 L2P3L2 L4H2B3L2B3HB3Q3Q4O4L 2L2B3B3B3L2L2B3B3V4J O4L2C4YC4B3P3N2L2P3N 2L2L2B3Z B3P3V3L2B3B2B3P4Q3L2 B3P3P3L2B3B3L2L2B3P3 L2S3B3L2C4R3 O4L2B3L2L2B3YL2 Z3B3L2L2B3B3P3B3B2L2 N2P3YB3B3 A3V3L2T4R4B3YB3P4B3N 4L2Q3B3ZL2L2 L2L2P3 JH L2AB3X4R4AL2B3B3 A P4P3B3L2P3P3B3L2L2Q3 V4R3L2L2B3B3 B3L2M4B3L2P3P3B3L2B3 B3B3B3S3Y B3B3B3N2P3B3 P3T4B3L2L2B3B3AB3L2B 3B3B3A3Q3B3B3L2W2P3Z 3B3B3B3N4B3L4B3B3B3T 4S3B3L2 P4Q4L2P3Z3P3C4N2B3Z3 L2B3B3B3B3B3JH3B3S4A 3

THE OUTER DREAM	A
	-
Young as the day's first born Titanic brood	B
Lifting their foreheads jubilant to heaven	C
Rose the great mountains on my opening dream	A
And yet the aged peace of countless years	D
Reposed on every crag and precipice	E
Outfacing ruggedly the storms that swept	F
Far overhead the sheltered furrow vales	G
Which smiled abroad in green as the clouds broke	H
Drifting adown the tide of the wind waves	I
Till shattered on the mountain rocks Oh still	J
And cold and hard to look upon like men	K
Who do stern deeds in times of turbulence	L
Quell the hail rattle with their granite brows	M
And let the thunder burst and pass away	N
They too did gather round sky dwelling peaks	O
The trailing garments of the travelling sun	C
Which he had lifted from his ocean bed	P
And swept along his road They rent them down	Q
In scattering showers upon the trees and grass	R
In noontide rains with heavy ringing drops	S
Or in still twilight moisture tenderly	T
And from their sides were born the gladsome streams	U
Some creeping gently out in tiny springs	V
As they were just created scarce a foot	W
From the hill's surface in the matted roots	X
Of plants whose green betrays the secret birth	Y
Some hurrying forth from caverns deep and dark	Z
Upfilling to the brim a basin huge	A2
Thick covered with soft moss greening the wave	B2
As evermore it welled over the edge	C2
Upon the rocks below in boiling heaps	D2
Fit basin for a demi god at morn	E2
Waking amid the crags to lave his limbs	F2
Then stride Hyperion o'er sun paven peaks	O
And down the hill side sped the fresh born wave	B2
Now hid from sight in arched caverns cold	G2
Now arrowing slantwise down the terraced steep	H2
Now springing like a child from step to step	I2
Of the rough water stair until it found	J2
A deep hewn passage for its slower course	K2
Guiding it down to lowliness and rest	L2
Betwixt wet walls of darkness darker yet	M2
With pine trees lining all their sides like hair	N2
Or as their own straight needles clothe their boughs	M
Until at length in broader light it ran	O2
With more articulate sounds amid the stones	P2
In the slight shadow of the maiden birch	Q2
And the stream loving willow and ere long	R2
Great blossoming trees dropt flowers upon its breast	L2
Chiefly the crimson spotted cream white flowers	S2
Heaped up in cones amid cone drooping leaves	T2
Green hanging leaf cones towering white flower cones	P2
Upon the great cone fashioned chestnut tree	T
Each made a tiny ripple where it fell	U2
The trembling pleasure of the smiling wave	B2
Which bore it then in slow funereal course	K2
Down to the outspread sunny sheen where lies	V2
The lake uplooking to the far off snow	W2
Its mother still though now so far away	N
Feeding it still with long descending lines	X2
Of shining speeding streams that gather peace	Y2
In journeying to the rest of that still lake	Z2
Now lying sleepy in the warm red sun	C
Which says its dear goodnight and goeth down	Q
	-
All pale and withered and disconsolate	L2
The moon is looking on impatiently	T
For 'twixt the shining tent roof of the day	L2
And the sun deluged lake for mirror floor	A3
Her thin pale lamping is too sadly grey	L2
To shoot in silver barbed white plumed arrows	B3
Cold maiden splendours on the flashing fish	C3
Wait for thy empire Night day weary moon	D3
And thou shalt lord it in one realm at least	L2
Where two souls walk a single Paradise	E3
Take to thee courage for the sun is gone	F3
His praisers the glad birds have hid their heads	G3
Long ghost like forms of trees lie on the grass	R
All things are clothed in an obscuring light	L2
Fusing their outline in a dreamy mass	R
Some faint dim shadows from thy beauty fall	H3
On the clear lake which melts them half away	L2
Shine faster stronger O reviving moon	D3
Burn up O lamp of Earth hung high in Heaven	C
	-
And through a warm thin summer mist she shines	X2
A silver setting to the diamond stars	I3
And the dark boat cleaveth a glittering way	L2
Where the one steady beauty of the moon	D3
Makes many changing beauties on the wave	B2
Broken by jewel dropping oars which drive	J3
The boat as human impulses the soul	K3
While like the sovereign will the helm's firm law	L3
Directs the whither of the onward force	K2
At length midway he leaves the swaying oars	M3
Half floating in the blue gulf underneath	N3
And on a load of gathered flowers reclines	X2
Leaving the boat to any air that blows	B3
His soul to any pulse from the unseen heart	L2
Straight from the helm a white hand gleaming flits	B3
And settles on his face and nestles there	N2
Pale night belated butterfly to sleep	H2
For on her knees his head lies satisfied	L2
And upward downward dark eyes look and rest	L2
Finding their home in likeness Lifting then	K
Her hair upon her white arm heavily	T
The overflowing of her beauteousness	B3
Her hand that cannot trespass singles out	L2
Some of the curls that stray across her lap	O3
And mingling dark locks in the pallid light	L2
She asks him which is darker of the twain	P3
Which his which hers and laugheth like a lute	L2
But now her hair an unvexed cataract	L2
Falls dark and heavy round his upturned face	B3
And with a heaven shuts out the shallow sky	Q3
A heaven profound the home of two black stars	B3
Till tired with gazing face to face they lie	Q3
Suspended with closed eyelids in the night	L2
Their bodies bathed in conscious sleepiness	B3
While o'er their souls creeps every rippling breath	R3
Of the night gambols of the moth winged wind	L2
Flitting a handbreadth folding up its wings	B3
Its dreamy wings then spreading them anew	S3
And with an unfelt gliding like the years	B3
Wafting them to a water lily bed	L2
Whose shield like leaves and chalice bearing arms	B3
Hold back the boat from the slow sloping shore	A3
Far as a child might shoot with his toy bow	T3
There the long drooping grass drooped to the wave	B2
And ever as the moth wind lit thereon	F3
A small leafed tree whose roots were always cool	U3
Dipped one low bow with many sister leaves	B3
Upon the water's face with a low plash	C3
Lifting and dipping yet and yet again	K
And aye the water drops rained from the leaves	B3
With music laughter as they found their home	V3
And from the woods came blossom fragrance faint	L2
Or full like rising falling harmonies	B3
Luxuriance of life which overflows	B3
In scents ethereal on the ocean air	N2
Each breathing on the rest the blessedness	B3
Of its peculiar being filled with good	L2
Till its cup runneth over with delight	L2
They drank the mingled odours as they lay	L2
The air in which the sensuous being breathes	B3
Till summer sleep fell on their hearts and eyes	B3
	-
The night was mild and innocent of ill	J
'Twas but a sleeping day that breathed low	W2
And babbled in its sleep The moon at length	W3
Grew sleepy too Her level glances crept	L2
Through sleeping branches to their curtained eyes	B3
As down the steep bank of the west she slid	L2
Slowly and slowly	T
	-
But alas alas	B3
The awful time 'twixt moondown and sunrise	B3
It is a ghostly time A low thick fog	X3
Steamed up and swathed the trees and overwhelmed	L2
The floating couch with pall on pall of grey	L2
The sky was desolate dull and meaningless	B3
The blazing hues of the last sunset eve	Y3
And the pale magic moonshine that had made	L2
The common strange all were swept clean away	L2
The earth around the great sky over were	Z3
Like a deserted theatre tomb dumb	A4
The lights long dead the first sick grey of morn	E2
Oozing through rents in the slow mouldering curtain	C
The sweet sounds fled away for evermore	A3
Nought left except a creeping chill a sense	B3
As if dead deeds were strown upon the stage	B4
As if dead bodies simulated life	C4
And spoke dead words without informing thought	L2
A horror as of power without a soul	K3
Dark undefined and mighty unto ill	J
Jarred through the earth and through the vault like air	N2
	-
And on the sleepers fell a wondrous dream	A
That dured till sunrise filling all the cells	B3
Remotest of the throbbing heart and brain	P3
And as I watched them ever and anon	P3
The quivering limb and half unclos d eye	Q3
Witnessed of torture scarce endured and yet	L2
Endured for still the dream had mastery	T
And held them in a helplessness supine	P3
Till by degrees the labouring breath grew calm	D4
Save frequent murmured sighs and o'er each face	B3
Stole radiant sadness and a hopeful grief	E4
And the convulsive motion passed away	L2
	-
Upon their faces reading them I gazed	L2
Reading them earnestly like wondrous book	F4
When suddenly the vapours of the dream	A
Rose and enveloped me and through my soul	K3
Passed with possession will fell fast asleep	H2
And through the portals of the spirit land	L2
Upon whose frontiers time and space grow dumb	A4
Quenched like a cloud that all the roaring wind	L2
Drives not beyond the mountain top I went	L2
And entering beheld them in their dream	A
Their world inwrapt me for the time as mine	P3
And what befel them there I saw and tell	U2
	-
	-
THE INNER DREAM	A
	-
It was a drizzly morning where I stood	L2
The cloud had sunk and filled with fold on fold	L2
The chimneyed city so the smoke rose not	L2
But spread diluted in the cloud and fell	U2
A black precipitate on miry streets	B3
Where dim grey faces vision like went by	Q3
But half awake half satisfied with sleep	H2
	-
Slave engines had begun their ceaseless growl	G4
Of labour Iron bands and huge stone blocks	B3
That held them to their task strained shook until	J
The city trembled Those pale visaged forms	B3
Were hastening on to feed their groaning strength	W3
With labour to the full	H4
	-
Look there they come	A4
Poor amid poverty she with her gown	P3
Drawn over her meek head he trying much	C3
But fruitless half to shield her from the rain	P3
They enter the wide gates amid the jar	I4
And clash and shudder of the awful force	B3
That conquering force still vibrates on as if	J4
With an excess of power hungry for work	K4
With differing strength to different tasks they part	L2
To be the soul of knowledge unto strength	W3
For man has eked his body out with wheels	B3
And cranks and belts and levers pinions screws	B3
One body all pervaded still with life	C4
From man the maker's will 'Mid keen eyed men	P3
Thin featured and exact his part is found	L2
Hers where the dusk air shines with lustrous eyes	B3
	-
And there they laboured through the murky day	L2
Whose air was livid mist their only breath	R3
Foul floating dust of swift revolving wheels	B3
And feathery spoil of fast contorted threads	B3
Making a sultry chaos in the sun	P3
Until at length slow swelled the welcome dark	Z
A dull Lethean heaving tide of death	R3
Up from the caves of Night to make an end	L2
And filling every corner of the place	B3
Choked in its waves the clanking of the looms	B3
And Earth put on her sleeping dress and took	F4
Her children home into its bosom folds	B3
And nursed them as a mother ghost might sit	L2
With her neglected darlings in the dark	Z
So with dim satisfaction in their hearts	B3
Though with tired feet and aching head they went	L2
Parting the clinging fog to find their home	V3
It was a dreary place Unfinished walls	B3
Far drearier than ruins overspread	L2
With long worn sweet forgetfulness amidst	L2
Earth heaps and bricks rain pools and ugliness	B3
Rose up around banishing further yet	L2
The Earth with its spring time young mother smile	L4
From children's eyes that had forgot to play	L2
But though the house was dull and wrapt in fog	X3
It yet awoke to life yea cheerfulness	B3
When darkness oped a fire eye in the grate	L2
And the dim candle's smoky flame revealed	L2
A room which could not be all desolate	L2
Being a temple proven by the signs	B3
Seen in the ancient place For here was light	L2
And blazing fire with darkness on its skirts	B3
Bread and pure water ready to make clean	P3
Beside a chest of holiday attire	Z3
And in the twilight edges of the light	L2
A book scarce seen and for the wondrous veil	M4
Those human forms behind which lay concealed	L2
The Holy of Holies God's own secret place	B3
The lowly human heart wherein He dwells	B3
And by the table altar they sat down	P3
To eat their Eucharist God feeding them	N4
Their food was Love made visible in Form	O4
Incarnate Love in food For he to whom	P4
A common meal can be no Eucharist	L2
Who thanks for food and strength not for the love	Q4
That made cold water for its blessedness	B3
And wine for gladness' sake has yet to learn	P3
The heart delight of inmost thankfulness	B3
For innermost reception	P3
	-
Then they sat	L2
Resting with silence the soul's inward sleep	H2
Which feedeth it with strength till gradually	T
They grew aware of light that overcame	R4
The light within and through the dingy blind	L2
Cast from the window frame two shadow glooms	B3
That made a cross of darkness on the white	L2
Dark messenger of light itself unseen	P3
The woman rose and half she put aside	L2
The veil that hid the whole of glorious night	L2
And lo a wind had mowed the earth sprung fog	X3
And lo on high the white exultant moon	P3
From clear blue window curtained all with white	L2
Greeted them at their shadowy window low	W2
With quiet smile for two things made her glad	L2
One that she saw the glory of the sun	P3
For while the earth lay all athirst for light	L2
She drank the fountain waves The other joy	S4
Sprung from herself she fought the darkness well	U2
Thinning the great cone shadow of the earth	Y
Paling its ebon hue with radiant showers	B3
Upon its sloping side The woman said	L2
With hopeful look To morrow will be bright	L2
With sunshine for our holiday to morrow	W2
Think we shall see the green fields in the sun	P3
So with hearts hoping for a simple joy	S4
Yet high withal being no less than the sun	P3
They laid them down in nightly death that waits	B3
Patiently for the day	L2
	-
That sun was high	Q3
When they awoke at length The moon low down	P3
Had almost vanished clothed upon with light	L2
And night was swallowed up of day In haste	L2
Chiding their weariness that leagued with sleep	H2
They having clothed themselves in clean attire	Z3
By the low door stooping with priestly hearts	B3
Entered God's vision room his wonder world	L2
	-
One side the street the windows all were moons	B3
To light the other that in shadow lay	L2
The path was almost dry the wind asleep	H2
And down the sunny side a woman came	R4
In a red cloak that made the whole street glad	L2
Fit clothing though she was so feeble and old	L2
For when they stopped and asked her how she fared	L2
She said with cheerful words and smile that owed	L2
None of its sweetness to an ivory lining	T4
I'm always better in the open air	N2
Dear heart said they how freely she will breathe	U4
In the open air of heaven She stood in the morn	P3
Like a belated autumn flower in spring	T4
Dazed by the rushing of the new born life	C4
Up the earth's winding cavern stairs to see	B3
Through window buds the calling waking sun	P3
Or as in dreams we meet the ghost of one	P3
Beloved in youth who walketh with few words	B3
And they are of the past Yet joy to her	Z3
She too from earthy grave was climbing up	V4
Unto the spirit windows high and far	I4
She the new life for a celestial spring	T4
Answering the light that shineth evermore	A3
	-
With hopeful sadness thus they passed along	R2
Dissolving streets towards the smiles of spring	T4
Of which green visions gleamed and glided by	Q3
Across far narrowing avenues of brick	W4
The ripples only of her laughter float	L2
Through the low winding caverns of the town	P3
Yet not a stone upon the paven street	L2
But shareth in the impulse of her joy	S4
Heaven's life that thrills anew through the outworn earth	Y
Descending like the angel that did stir	Z3
Bethesda's pool and made the sleepy wave	B2
Pulse with quick healing through the withered limb	X4
In joyous pangs By an unfinished street	L2
Forth came they on a wide and level space	B3
Green fields lay side by side and hedgerow trees	B3
Stood here and there as waiting for some good	L2
But no calm river meditated through	S3
The weary flat to the less level sea	B3
No forest trees on pillared stems and boughs	B3
Bent in great Gothic arches bore aloft	L2
A cloudy temple roof of tremulous leaves	B3
No clear line where the kissing lips of sky	Q3
And earth meet undulating but a haze	B3
That hides oh if it hid wild waves alas	B3
It hides but fields it hides but fields and trees	B3
Save eastward where a few hills far away	L2
Came forth in the sun or drew back when the clouds	B3
Went over them dissolving them in shade	L2
But the life robe of earth was beautiful	Y4
As all most common things are loveliest	L2
A forest of green waving fairy trees	B3
That carpeted the earth for lowly feet	L2
Bending unto their tread lowliest of all	H3
Earth's lowly children born for ministering	T4
Unto the heavenly stranger stately man	P3
That he by subtle service from all kinds	B3
From every breeze and every bounding wave	B2
From night sky cavernous with heaps of storm	O4
And from the hill rejoicing in the sun	P3
Might grow a humble lowly child of God	L2
Lowly as knowing his high parentage	Z4
Humble because all beauties wait on him	X4
Like lady servants ministering for love	Q4
And he that hath not rock and hill and stream	A
Must learn to look for other beauty near
To know the face of ocean solitudes	B3
The darkness dashed with glory and the shades	B3
Wind fretted and the mingled tints upthrown	P3
From shallow bed or raining from the sky	Q3
And he that hath not ocean and dwells low	W2
Not hill befriended if his eyes have ceased	L2
To drink enjoyment from the billowy grass	B3
And from the road side flower like one who dwells	B3
With homely features round him every day	L2
And so takes refuge in the loving eyes	B3
Which are their heaven the dwelling place of light	L2
Must straightway lift his eyes unto the heavens	B3
Like God's great palette where His artist hand	L2
Never can strike the brush but beauty wakes	B3
Vast sweepy comet curves that net the soul	K3
In pleasure endless sky stairs patient clouds	B3
White till they blush at the sun's goodnight kiss	B3
And filmy pallours and great mountain crags	B3
But beyond all absorbing all the rest	L2
Lies the great heaven the expression of deep space	B3
Foreshortened to a vaulted dome of blue	S3
The Infinite crowded in a single glance	B3
Where yet the eye descends depth within depth
Like mystery of Truth clothed in high form	O4
Evasive spiritual no limiting	T4
But something that denies an end and yet	L2
Can be beheld by wondering human eyes	B3
There looking up one well may feel how vain	P3
To search for God in this vast wilderness	B3
For over him would arch void depth for ever	Z3
Nor ever would he find a God or Heaven	P3
Though lifting wings were his to soar abroad	L2
Through boundless heights of space or eyes to dive	J3
To microscopic depths he would come back
And say There is no God and sit and weep	H2
Till in his heart a child's voice woke and cried	L2
Father my Father Then the face of God	L2
Breaks forth with eyes everywhere suddenly	B3
And not a space of blue nor floating cloud	L2
Nor grassy vale nor distant purple height	L2
But trembling with a presence all divine	P3
Says Here I am my child	L2
	-
Gazing awhile	L4
They let the lesson of the sky sink deep	H2
Into their hearts withdrawing then their eyes	B3
They knew the Earth again And as they went	L2
Oft in the changing heavens those distant hills	B3
Shone clear upon the horizon Then awoke	H
A strange and unknown longing in their souls	B3
As if for something loved in years gone by	Q3
And vanished in its beauty and its love	Q4
So long that it retained no name or form	O4
And lay on childhood's verge all but forgot	L2
Wrapt in the enchanted rose mists of that land	L2
As if amidst those hills were wooded dells	B3
Summer and gentle winds and odours free	B3
Deep sleeping waters gorgeous flowers and birds	B3
Pure winged throats But here all things around	L2
Were in their spring The very light that lay	L2
Upon the grass seemed new born like the grass	B3
Sprung with it from the earth The very stones	B3
Looked warm The brown ploughed earth seemed swelling up	V4
Filled like a sponge with sunbeams which lay still	J
Nestling unseen and broodingly and warm	O4
In every little nest corner or crack
Wherein might hide a blind and sleepy seed	L2
Waiting the touch of penetrative life	C4
To wake and grow and beautify the earth	Y
The mossy stems and boughs where yet no life	C4
Exuberant overflowed in buds and leaves	B3
Were clothed in golden splendours interwoven	P3
With many shadows from the branches bare	N2
And through their tops the west wind rushing went	L2
Calling aloud the sleeping sap within	P3
The thrill passed downwards from the roots in air	N2
To the roots tremulous in the embracing ground	L2
And though no buds with little dots of light	L2
Sparkled the darkness of the hedgerow twigs	B3
Softening expanding in the warm light bath
Seemed the dry smoky bark	Z
	-
Thus in the fields	B3
They spent their holiday And when the sun	P3
Was near the going down they turned them home	V3
With strengthened hearts For they were filled with light	L2
And with the spring and like the bees went back
To their dark house laden with blessed sights	B3
With gladsome sounds home to their treasure cave	B2
Where henceforth sudden gleams of spring would pass	B3
Thorough the four walled darkness of the room	P4
And sounds of spring time whisper trembling by	Q3
Though stony streets with iron echoed round	L2
And as they crossed a field they came by chance	B3
Upon a place where once a home had been	P3
Fragments of ruined walls half overgrown	P3
With moss for even stones had their green robe
It had been a small cottage with a plot	L2
Of garden ground in front mapped out with walks	B3
Now scarce discernible but that the grass	B3
Was thinner the ground harder to the foot	L2
The place was simply shadowed with an old	L2
Almost erased human carefulness	B3
Close by the ruined wall where once had been	P3
The door dividing it from the great world	L2
Making it home a single snowdrop grew	S3
'Twas the sole remnant of a family	B3
Of flowers that in this garden once had dwelt	L2
Vanished with all their hues of glowing life	C4
Save one too white for death	R3
	-
And as its form	O4
Arose within the brain a feeling sprung
Up in their souls new white and delicate	L2
A waiting longing patient hopefulness	B3
The snowdrop of the heart The heavenly child	L2
Pale with the earthly cold hung its meek head	L2
Enduring all and so victorious	B3
The Summer's earnest in the waking Earth	Y
The spirit's in the heart	L2
	-
I love thee flower	Z3
With a love almost human tenderly	B3
The Spring's first child yea thine my hoping heart	L2
Upon thy inner leaves and in thy heart	L2
Enough of green to tell thou know'st the grass	B3
In thy white mind remembering lowly friends	B3
But most I love thee for that little stain	P3
Of earth on thy transfigured radiancy	B3
Which thou hast lifted with thee from thy grave	B2
The soiling of thy garments on thy road	L2
Travelling forth into the light and air	N2
The heaven of thy pure rest Some gentle rain	P3
Will surely wash thee white and send the earth	Y
Back to the place of earth but now it signs	B3
Thee child of earth of human birth as we	B3
	-
With careful hands uprooting it they bore	A3
The little plant a willing captive home	V3
Willing to enter dark abodes secure
In its own tale of light As once of old	L2
Bearing all heaven in words of promising	T4
The Angel of the Annunciation came	R4
It carried all the spring into that house	B3
A pot of mould its only tie to Earth	Y
Its heaven an ell of blue 'twixt chimney tops	B3
Its world henceforth that little low ceiled room	P4
Symbol and child of spring it took its place	B3
'Midst all those types to be a type with them	N4
Of what so many feel not knowing it	L2
The hidden springtime that is drawing nigh	Q3
And henceforth when the shadow of the cross	B3
Will enter clothed in moonlight still and dark	Z
The flower will nestle at its foot till day	L2
Pale drooping heart content	L2
	-
To rest they went	L2
And all night long the snowdrop glimmered white	L2
Amid the dark unconscious and unseen	P3
	-
Before the sun had crowned his eastern hill	J
With its world diadem they woke	H
	-
I looked	L2
Out of the windows of the inner dream	A
And saw the edge of the sun's glory rise	B3
Eastward behind the hills the lake cup's rim	X4
And as it came it sucked up in itself
As deeds drink words or daylight candle flame	R4
That other sun rising to light the dream	A
They lay awake and thoughtful comforted	L2
With yesterday which nested in their hearts	B3
Yet haunted with the sound of grinding wheels	B3
	-
	-
THE OUTER DREAM	A
	-
And as they lay and looked into the room	P4
It wavered changed dissolved beneath the sun	P3
Which mingled both the mornings in their eyes	B3
Till the true conquered and the unreal passed	L2
No walls but woods bathed in a level sun	P3
No ceiling but the vestal sky of morn	P3
No bed but flowers floating 'mid floating leaves	B3
On water which grew audible as they stirred	L2
And lifted up their heads And a low wind	L2
That flowed from out the west washed from their eye	Q3
The last films of the dream And they sat up	V4
Silent for one long cool delicious breath	R3
Gazing upon each other lost and found	L2
With a dumb ecstasy new undefined	L2
Followed a long embrace and then the oars	B3
Broke up their prison bands	B3
	-
And through the woods	B3
They slowly went beneath a firmament	L2
Of boughs and clouded leaves filmy and pale	M4
In the sunshine but shadowy on the grass	B3
And roving odours met them on their way	L2
Sun quickened odours which the fog had slain	P3
And their green sky had many a blossom moon	P3
And constellations thick with starry flowers	B3
And deep and still were all the woods except	L2
For the Memnonian glory stricken birds	B3
And golden beetles 'mid the shadowy roots	B3
Green goblins of the grass and mining mice	B3
And on the leaves the fairy butterflies	B3
Or doubting in the air scarlet and blue	S3
The divine depth of summer clasped the Earth	Y
	-
But 'twixt their hearts and summer's perfectness	B3
Came a dividing thought that seemed to say	B3
Ye wear strange looks Did summer speak or they	B3
They said within We know that ye are fair	N2
Bright flowers but ye shine far away as in	P3
A land of other thoughts Alas alas	B3
	-
Where shall we find the snowdrop bell half blown	P3
What shall we do we feel the throbbing spring	T4
Bursting in new and unexpressive thoughts	B3
Our hearts are swelling like a tied up bud	L2
And summer crushes them with too much light	L2
Action is bubbling up within our souls	B3
The woods oppress us more than stony streets	B3
That was the life indeed this is the dream	A
Summer is too complete for growing hearts	B3
They need a broken season and a land	L2
With shadows pointing ever far away	B3
Where incompleteness rouses longing thoughts	B3
With spires abrupt and broken spheres and circles	B3
Cut that they may be widened evermore	A3
Through shattered cloudy roof looks in the sky	Q3
A discord from a loftier harmony	B3
And tempests waken peace within our thoughts	B3
Driving them inward to the inmost rest	L2
Come my beloved we will haste and go	W2
To those pale faces of our fellow men	P3
Our loving hearts burning with summer fire	Z3
Will cast a glow upon their pallidness	B3
Our hands will help them far as servants may	B3
Hands are apostles still to saviour hearts	B3
So we may share their blessedness with them	N4
So may the snowdrop time be likewise ours	B3
And Earth smile tearfully the spirit smile	L4
Wherewith she smiled upon our holiday	B3
As a sweet child may laugh with weeping eyes	B3
If ever we return these glorious flowers	B3
May all be snowdrops of a higher spring	T4
Their eyes one moment met and then they knew	S3
That they did mean the same thing in their hearts	B3
So with no farther words they turned and went	L2
Back to the boat and so across the mere
	-
I wake from out my dream and know my room	P4
My darling books the cherub forms above	Q4
I know 'tis springtime in the world without	L2
I feel it springtime in my world within	P3
I know that bending o'er an early flower	Z3
Crocus or primrose or anemone	P3
The heart that striveth for a higher life	C4
And hath not yet been conquered findeth there	N2
A beauty deep unshared by any rose	B3
A human loveliness about the flower	Z3
That a heath bell upon a lonely waste	L2
Hath more than scarlet splendour on thick leaves	B3
That a blue opening 'midst rain bosomed clouds	B3
Is more than Paphian sun set harmonies	B3
That higher beauty dwells on earth because	B3
Man seeks a higher home than Paradise	B3
And having lost is roused thereby to fill	J
A deeper need than could be filled by all	H3
The lost ten times restored and so he loves	B3
The snowdrop more than the magnolia
Spring hope is more to him than summer joy	S4
Dark towns than Eden groves with rivers four	A3

George Macdonald

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