| |
| LIKE a black enamoured king whispered low the thunder | |
| To the lights of Roslyn, terraced far asunder; | |
| Hovered low the sister cloud in wild warm wonder. | |
| |
| ‘O my love, Dunedin town, the only, the abiding, | |
| Who can look undazzled up where the Norn is riding,— | 5 |
| Watch the sword of Destiny from the scabbard gliding!— | |
| |
| ‘Dark and rich and ringing true, word and look for ever! | |
| Taking to her woman heart all forlorn endeavour; | |
| Heaven’s sea about her feet, not the bounded river! | |
| |
| ‘Sister of the mountain mist and never to be holden | 10 |
| With the weary sophistries that dimmer eyes embolden! | |
| O the dark Dunedin town, shot with green and golden!’ | |
| |
| Then a silver pioneer, netted in the drift, | |
| Leaning over Maori Hill, dreaming in the lift, | |
| Dropped her starry memories through the passioned drift. | 15 |
| |
| ‘Once I do remember them, the glory and the garden, | |
| Ere the elder stars had learned God’s mystery of pardon; | |
| Ere the youngest, I myself, had seen the flaming warden. | |
| |
| ‘Once even after even I stole over shy and early | |
| To mirror me within a glade of Eden cool and pearly, | 20 |
| Where shy and cold and holy ran a torrent sought but rarely. | |
| |
| ‘And fondly could I swear that this my glade had risen newly,— | |
| Burst the burning desert tomb wherein she lieth truly | |
| To keep an Easter with the birds and me who loved her duly!’ | |
| |
| Wailing, laughing, loving, hoar, spake the lordly ocean;— | 25 |
| ‘You are sheen and steadfastness; I am sheen and motion, | |
| Gulfing argosies for whim, navies for a notion. | |
| |
| ‘Sleep you well, Dunedin town, though loud the lulling lyre is; | |
| Lady of the stars terrene, where quick the human fire is,— | |
| Lady of the Maori pines, the turrets and the eyries!’ | 30 |
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