[BNP/E3, 16A – 39]

p. 596 [862]

15-8-10.

Even as upon {…} and cloud-domed day,

When clouds are one cloud till the horizon,

Our thinking senses think[1] the sun away

And say “'tis sunless” and “there is no sun”;

_______

And yet the very day they wrong[2] by

Is of the unseen sun's effluent essence

Their[3] very words do give themselves the lie

The very thought of absence comes from presence.

_______

Even so deem we of evil and of Good[4].

|The very mouth that speaks of absence[5] light,|

|And God is immanent in thoughts of devil,|

Satan a God dethroned into the night.[6]

‘Tis not in vain put forth hell the God’s mirror

|Oh Sun, thou watchword into doubt and error.|

Oh truth of thin own darkness’ error

When we speak of small[7] light we speak of light

And absent God being present devil,

Is still the absent God by essence’ right.

[39v]

However much I write in pain or terror

Of this are place of terror and of pain,

How much more I know myself the creed

Of nature composed in our heart and brain.[8]

_______

Yet can I point with finger unabused 

To these Songs, pre-dawned from my loud-pained heart,

In which |found| Nature its own heart transposed

In pregnant image, |thinking| thought[9] to act

_______

And I can say whatever helpfulness

Just of future |to these songs|[10] may sing

Then shall † them[11] in the thought, for less

Can indeed thought live than none imagining.

     And because I sang pain’s joy, in souls I’ll gain

     The feeling’s sea[12] shall flood {…}

     And each soul my song finds in bare distress

     The feelings smile shall flood to fruitfulness.

 
[1] thinking /|unlit|\ senses think /say\ /deem\
[2] wrong /truth\
[3] Their /Our\
[4] of evil and of Good /through good of what is evil\
[5] The very mouth /He speaks of light\ that speaks of absence /absent\
[6] into the night. /to king of night.\
[7] small /bad\
[8] in our heart and /with\ brain. /by my complex brain.\
[9] thought /sense\
[10] |to these songs| /in like songs\
[11] them /it\
[12] sea /|*smile|\