Luna Aeternalis

By an alien dream despatched and driven In a land to strange stars given, Stars that summoned forth the moon, Singing a strange red eldritch rune, I heard the coming of the moon With tremulous rim that clomb and rang, Whose rondure on the horizon rang A gong distinct with silvern clang, Re-echoing distantly, until, Arisen soon, In silent silver stood the moon Above the horizon ringing still. Half-waned and hollow was her brow, And caverned by the night; but now Her twilight turned the stars' loud rune To muted music in a swoon, Her low light lulled the stars to drowse, Flicker and fail, and vaguely rouse: I felt the silence come and go As the red stars muttered low.. . . Old with moonlight lay the night, And on the desert lay Ancient and unending light That assured not of the day; For the half-moon stood to stay Fixed at the heavens' height And eternal ere the day. Triumphant stood the moon In a false and cold and constant noon: Surely in conflict fell The true, lost sun of noon; The golden might of Uriel Met some white demon of the moon. By an alien dream despatched and driven, I found a land to demons given, To silvern, silent demons given That flew and fluttered from out the moon, Weaving about her tomb-white face With mop and mow and mad grimace, And circling down from the semilune In a serpentine and sinister dance, To pirouette and pause and prance, To withdraw and advance, AII in a wan eternal dance.