und, whence all men's hearts were
subdued and stirred:
Joy, love, sorrow, the day, the morrow, took life upon them in one
man's word.

Not for him can the years wax dim, nor downward swerve on a
darkening way:
Upward wind they, and leave behind such light as lightens the front
of May:
Fair as youth and sublime as truth we find the fame that we hail
to-day.

THRENODY

OCTOBER 6, 1892

I

Life, sublime and serene when time had power upon it and ruled its
breath,
Changed it, bade it be glad or sad, and hear what change in the
world's ear saith,
Shines more fair in the starrier air whose glory lightens the dusk
of death.

Suns that sink on the wan sea's brink, and moons that kindle and
flame and fade,
Leave more clear for the darkness here the stars that set not and
see not shade
Rise and rise on the lowlier skies by rule of sunlight and
moonlight swayed.

So, when night for his eyes grew bright, his proud head pillowed on
Shakespeare's breast,
Hand in hand with him, soon to stand where shine the glories that
death loves best,
Passed the light of his face from sight, and sank sublimely to
radiant rest.

II

Far above us and all our love, beyond all reach of its voiceless
praise,
Shines for ever the name that never shall feel the shade of the
changeful days
Fall and chill the delight that still sees winter's light on it
shine like May's.

Strong as death is the dark day's breath whose blast has withered
the life we see
Here where light is the child of night, and less than visions or
dreams are we:
Strong as death; but a word, a breath, a dream is stronger than
death can be.

Strong as truth and superb in youth eternal, fair as the sundawn's
flame
Seen when May on her first-born day bids earth exult in her radiant
name,
Lives, clothed round with its praise and crowned with love that
dies not, his love-lit fame.

III

Fairer far than the morning star, and sweet for us as the songs
that rang
Loud through heaven from the choral Seven when all the stars of the
morning sang,