Upon the Heights

And victor of life and silence, I stood upon the Heights; triumphant, With upturned eyes, I stood, And smiled unto the sun, and sang A beautifully sad farewell unto the dying day. And my thoughts and the eve gathered Their serpentine mysteries around me, My thoughts like alien breezes, The eve like a fragrant legend. My feeling was that I stood as one Serenely poised for flight, as a muse Of golden melody and lofty grace. Yea, I stood as one scorning the swords And wanton menace of the cities. The sun had heavily sunk into the seas beyond, And left me a tempting sweet and twilight. The eve with trailing shadows westward Swept on, and the lengthened shadows of trees Disappeared: how silently the songs of silence Steal into my soul! And still I stood Among the crickets, in the beauteous profundity Sung by stars; and I saw me Softly melted into the eve. The moon Slowly rose: my shadow on the ground Dreamily began a dreamy roam, And I upward smiled silent welcome.