But I who know her heart's desire, Fear neither spell nor frown; For not till fire shall stifle fire, Or water water drown, Or love hate love, can any harm In kindred hearts abide. Oh! she can combat charm with charm, My elfin-hearted bride!
And ye, whose minds are set to win Fame's leaf or fortune's prize! Beware the spell that lurks within The circle of her eyes; For she has power to blow like straws Earth's baubles from the hand, And call the souls of all who pause, Away to fairyland.
"To labour is to pray." We heave The heavy clay; we dig and cleave; And knees and hands deep in the sod, Search out and shape the Will of God Creation's purpose to achieve.
Slant showers may wound, sharp winds bereave-- We lift no soiled and suppliant sleeve: (Sure God and Mary bless the rod:) To labour is to pray.
And so we are content to leave Prayers for long-headed folk to weave. We work His Will in ear and pod; And when His harvest-eyes applaud, We know--what others but believe-- To labour is to pray.
_The Builder of the Cretan Labyrinth and his Son_
Quote Daedalus to Icarus: "With rule and plumbline,--thus, and--thus, We space and build our labyrinth, And build, besides, a graven plinth To bear the future fame of Us," Quote Daedalus to Icarus.
Quoth Icarus to Daedalus: "Before these Cretans make a fuss, And set our names up with a shout, Perhaps we'd better first get out, And show the master-mind of Us," Quoth Icarus to Daedalus.
Then round and round went Daedalus, And out and in went Icarus. They parted for an hour's whole space.... They met upon the selfsame place! "I think we're stuck," quoth Icarus, "I think we are," quoth Daedalus.
In short, to be perspicuous, Like this old tale of Daedalus; 'Spite of our mouths with freedom filled, From life's poor trivial things we build A maze about the feet of us That shuts us in like Daedalus.
But Daedalus and Icarus Made wings, and set them--thus, and--thus; And that blind maze that hemmed them in They sloughed, as drops the snake its skin: And so at last shall all of us, Like Daedalus and Icarus.
As the silk-worm, shut from sight, Cuts a pathway into light; Makes on mottled leaves repast Till its wormy coat is cast; Winds itself in silken weed; Sheds the future's pearly seed; Leaves behind its dower of silk, And with wings as white as milk Spread for flight, completes its span; So evolves the soul of man.