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Title: The Secret Way
Author: Zona Gale
Release date: August 21, 2019 [eBook #60146]
Most recently updated: October 17, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Tim Lindell, Chuck Greif and the Online
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET WAY ***
THE SECRET WAY
| By ZONA GALE |
|
Birth Christmas Mothers to Men Heart’s Kindred Friendship Village Neighborhood Tales Peace in Friendship Village When I Was a Little Girl Friendship Village Love Stories The Loves of Pelleas and Ettarre |
Copyrighted by E. O. Hoppé
THE SECRET WAY
BY
ZONA GALE
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1921
All rights reserved
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Copyright, 1921,
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and printed. Published September, 1921.
Press of
J. J. Little & Ives Company
New York, U. S. A.
“A great life, an entire civilization lies just outside the pale of common thought.... Such life is different from any yet imagined.... I see as clearly as the noonday that this is not all. I see other and higher conditions than existence.... The very idea that there is another Idea is something gained.”
—Richard Jeffries.
CONTENTS
PART I
EARLY VERSE
THE SECRET WAY
Stark on the window’s early grey
Lined out in squares by casement bars,
She saw her lily lift to take
The sinking stars.
Lined out in squares by casement bars,
She saw her lily lift to take
The sinking stars.
Within the room’s delaying dark
Intimate things lay dim and still
With all their day-time friendliness
Gone false and chill.
Intimate things lay dim and still
With all their day-time friendliness
Gone false and chill.
Her hand upon the coverlet,
Her face low in the linen’s cleft,
They were as wan as water-flowers
By light bereft.
Her face low in the linen’s cleft,
They were as wan as water-flowers
By light bereft.
And never was bloom brought to her couch
But shed the odour of a sigh
Because she was as white as they,
And they must die.
But shed the odour of a sigh
Because she was as white as they,
And they must die.
“O Pale, lit deep within the dark
Of your young eyes, a stifled light
Leaps thin and keen as melody
And leavens night.
Of your young eyes, a stifled light
Leaps thin and keen as melody
And leavens night.
“It is a light that did not burn
When you were gay at mart and fair;
O Pale, what is that starry fire,
Fed unaware?”
When you were gay at mart and fair;
O Pale, what is that starry fire,
Fed unaware?”
Then softly she: “I may not tell
What other eyes behold in mine;
But I have melted night and day
In some wild wine.
What other eyes behold in mine;
But I have melted night and day
In some wild wine.
“I may not read the graven cup
Exhaustless as a brimming bell
Distilling silver; but I drank
And all is well.
Exhaustless as a brimming bell
Distilling silver; but I drank
And all is well.
“One morn like this, bitter still,
I waited for the early stir
Of those who slept the while I watched
What muffled wonders were.
I waited for the early stir
Of those who slept the while I watched
What muffled wonders were.
“I saw my lily on the sill;
I saw my mirror on the wall
Take light that was not; and I saw
My spectral taper tall.
I saw my mirror on the wall
Take light that was not; and I saw
My spectral taper tall.
“Why I had known these quiet things
Since I could speak. Yet suddenly
They all touched hands and in one breath
They spoke to me.
Since I could speak. Yet suddenly
They all touched hands and in one breath
They spoke to me.
“I may not tell you what they said.
The strange part is that I must lie
And never tell you what we say——
These things and I.
The strange part is that I must lie
And never tell you what we say——
These things and I.
“I only know that common things
Bear sudden little spirits set
Free by the rose of dawn and by
Night’s violet.
Bear sudden little spirits set
Free by the rose of dawn and by
Night’s violet.
“I only know that when I hear
Clear tone, the haunted echoes bear
Legions of little winged feet
On printless air.
Clear tone, the haunted echoes bear
Legions of little winged feet
On printless air.
“And when warm colour weds my look
A word is uttered tremblingly,
With meaning fall—but I know not
What it may be.
A word is uttered tremblingly,
With meaning fall—but I know not
What it may be.
“I only know that now I find
Abiding beauty everywhere;
Or if it bide not, that it fades
Is still more fair.
Abiding beauty everywhere;
Or if it bide not, that it fades
Is still more fair.
I long to question those I love
And yet I know not what to say;
I am alone as one upon
Some secret way.
And yet I know not what to say;
I am alone as one upon
Some secret way.
“My words are barren of my bliss;
The strange part is that I must lie
And never tell you what we say—
These things and I.
The strange part is that I must lie
And never tell you what we say—
These things and I.
“So will it be when I am not.
A little more perhaps to tell;
Yet then as now I may not say
What I know well.”
A little more perhaps to tell;
Yet then as now I may not say
What I know well.”
TERZA RIMA
I: Old Talk
Old Eyelot sees what never is.
She says: “Pale lights move on the hill,
Deep in the air are treasuries.”
She says: “Pale lights move on the hill,
Deep in the air are treasuries.”
She says: “I never go to mill
Wood-way but something walks with me,
So go wood-way I always will.
Wood-way but something walks with me,
So go wood-way I always will.
Wood-walking, I go mad to see
What will die out just as I turn
To catch it by the crooked tree.
What will die out just as I turn
To catch it by the crooked tree.
I pass the bush that I saw burning
With wild black flame at full of moon.
That was a sight to set one learning
With wild black flame at full of moon.
That was a sight to set one learning
What things one merely doubts at noon.
A-well, I know not what I learned.
God send that you may learn it soon.
A-well, I know not what I learned.
God send that you may learn it soon.
Windows for walls, thoughts that have turned
Back into folk, gateways of horn,
And the wild hearts that men have burned,
Back into folk, gateways of horn,
And the wild hearts that men have burned,
These things I see. And ay, one morn
I saw the little people bear
Away my little child new-born.
I saw the little people bear
Away my little child new-born.
They gave her food yielded in air,
Honey and rose-down.
I looked and she was very fair.
Honey and rose-down.
I looked and she was very fair.
So when the people of the town
(Who did not know) believed her dead
And wrapped her in a cloudy gown
(Who did not know) believed her dead
And wrapped her in a cloudy gown
I did not mourn. I only said:
“She is the daughter of the Day
And with the Night she has been wed.
“She is the daughter of the Day
And with the Night she has been wed.
“I am the mother of that one
Born for two worlds. And I am she
Who sees more things than moon and sun
And little stars will ever see.”
Born for two worlds. And I am she
Who sees more things than moon and sun
And little stars will ever see.”
II: Magic
An ancient wildwood showed its heart to me.
(O Little Wind that brought me what it said!)
I went within its great nave reverently.
(O Little Wind that brought me what it said!)
I went within its great nave reverently.
There dwelt the silence ever lightly wed
With winged sound. There the persuading green
Took ancient citadels with soundless tread.
With winged sound. There the persuading green
Took ancient citadels with soundless tread.
Was not the opening blue of buds between
Soft solitary leaves a lyric set
To music of the things that lift and lean?
Soft solitary leaves a lyric set
To music of the things that lift and lean?
My hands were mother-tender of the net
Of silk they found. My feet were light
To loose no dew from the least violet.
Of silk they found. My feet were light
To loose no dew from the least violet.
The fragile fabric of dissolved night
Seemed in the air. A million little minds
Kept concert in the very realm of sight.
Seemed in the air. A million little minds
Kept concert in the very realm of sight.
O—and suddenly as sunlight finds
White towers I heard the ancient wood unfold
Its ancient secret piped by little winds.
White towers I heard the ancient wood unfold
Its ancient secret piped by little winds.
“Behold the beauty in me. O behold
The beauty that makes utter peace, in me;
Beauty that is immeasurably old.”
The beauty that makes utter peace, in me;
Beauty that is immeasurably old.”
III: Night Is Here
Night is here and star-rise
And demeanour of the dark.
Visioned by my closed eyes
And demeanour of the dark.
Visioned by my closed eyes
Now I lie within an arc.
Lyric loom,
All the silence is a-hark
Lyric loom,
All the silence is a-hark
For a poppy bud to bloom
In some flowery harmony
Woven through this quiet room.
In some flowery harmony
Woven through this quiet room.
Prick of light and shadow take me,
Fire and stars and voices keep,
Fairy clamour will not wake me ...
... Sleep.
Fire and stars and voices keep,
Fairy clamour will not wake me ...
... Sleep.
BALLADES OF THREE SENSES
I
BALLADE OF EYES THAT SEE
Leaves loosened when there blow
No winds; long fields whose green
Dim beneath the darling bow
Of the May-moon is seen;
Robins at dawn; the keen
Sour odour of vines—these show
Frail meanings caught between
The bourne of yes and no.
Yet there is tender art
To fathom what they mean,
Deep in the heart.
No winds; long fields whose green
Dim beneath the darling bow
Of the May-moon is seen;
Robins at dawn; the keen
Sour odour of vines—these show
Frail meanings caught between
The bourne of yes and no.
Yet there is tender art
To fathom what they mean,
Deep in the heart.
Envoy
II
BALLADE OF LISTENING
On summer slopes lit white
With old desire of day,
The air with pearl bedight
Prepares for gold array.
The sun-drugged stars delay
To die; the winds take fright
And question, and betray
Frail sounds for my delight.
O voice of ancient springs!
O little echo-flight!
O harp of things!
With old desire of day,
The air with pearl bedight
Prepares for gold array.
The sun-drugged stars delay
To die; the winds take fright
And question, and betray
Frail sounds for my delight.
O voice of ancient springs!
O little echo-flight!
O harp of things!
Envoy
III
BALLADE OF OLD PERFUMES
Now out of dream old springs
Flow soft with many red
And golden fluttering things.
Sweetly from underhead
All the wan air is fed
With faint rememberings
Of hours long buried.
Rose-rumours steal and stir;
They come on wind-like wings.
The old odours that were
Nard and mint and myrrh.
Flow soft with many red
And golden fluttering things.
Sweetly from underhead
All the wan air is fed
With faint rememberings
Of hours long buried.
Rose-rumours steal and stir;
They come on wind-like wings.
The old odours that were
Nard and mint and myrrh.
Envoy
HOKKU
The way that shadow fell along the floor!
I too have waited for a shadow.
I too have waited for a shadow.
Hokku
Two butterflies. Two birds. O the wide night of space.
Sweet, hold me close.
Sweet, hold me close.
Hokku
Yellow I see is my close friend.
She can create a sun.
She can create a sun.
Hokku
Hokku
A child’s faint cry. But you and I have had
A birth since birth. Only there was no cry.
A birth since birth. Only there was no cry.
Hokku
A candle flame. My love has put it out.
It did not know its bliss. Shall I, in death?
It did not know its bliss. Shall I, in death?
Hokku
Cloths, fans, stones slumberous, colour and fancy and lilt.
No hard straight place to be. O quiet sky.
No hard straight place to be. O quiet sky.
Hokku
SONNETS AND VARIATIONS
WHEN DID SPRING DIE?
When did Spring die? I did not see her go
Down the bright lane she painted. All flower-still
She moved among her emblems on the hill
Touching away their burden of old snow.
Was it on some great down where long winds flow
That the wild spirit of Spring went out to fill
The eyes of Summer? Did a daffodil
Lift the pale urn remote where she lies low?
Down the bright lane she painted. All flower-still
She moved among her emblems on the hill
Touching away their burden of old snow.
Was it on some great down where long winds flow
That the wild spirit of Spring went out to fill
The eyes of Summer? Did a daffodil
Lift the pale urn remote where she lies low?