ON THE ELEUSINIAN WAY—SPRING

Hush! Walk slowly; All this winding road is holy; Place your votive image in a niche By Pass of Daphne, where rocks forward pitch. Now, sit lowly— Under dim firs that cool the dust-white way Curving from Athens to Eleusis Bay. Soft! Speak lightly! See’st this myriad Concourse? all the sprightly Luminous Mystæ? Naked flower forms Dancing in close commingled color-swarms So brightly? Follow them in their green-hot Mænad flame, Their sweet mysterious rapture of no name. Watch! Far-seeing Demeter’s yellow torches fitful fleeing. And seed processions moving towards the shrine Where motion, moisture, act in soft sunshine; And being Earth-taught, flower-figures of desire Sway toward white Oreads quick with fire. Take, unceasing Joy of powers these Mystæ are releasing Eternal, they, who seem so lovely-brief. Soft luminous shapes of petal and of leaf Increasing, They sweep across Semele’s ancient fields Handing the torch the calm Earth-mother yields. Yea—the senses Have their holy truths and recompenses Sweetly simple may their teachings be “Wine flashing clusters from a sacred tree”; Defences From all our sorry wisdoms have these flowers Who teach deep truths with Dionysiac powers!