Mason A. Freeman, Jr. From the Vedic. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

From the Vedic

By Mason A. Freeman, Jr.


The Egg WHAT lies hidden in the shell
Was born through torment deep in hell;
And it will burst its bonds to sense
Analogous experience,
And swing through poles of heaven and hell	5
To lurk again within the shell.

Ecce Homo Behold the man indeed—the inner self
Who sits inside, no bigger than one’s thumb;
Who limbless moves, and lacking eyes can see;
Scans all the past, can all the future plumb.	10

The Herdsman I hail the wandering herdsman of the night,
The watcher and the shepherd of the stars,
Who points the pathway leading to the light,
And for the sheep lets down the golden bars.

The Rosary Within the all-enfolding hands	15
The worlds are being told like beads.
Lift up your eyes and look thereon!—
What need have ye of forms and creeds?

Creation The moon was gendered from my mind,
And from my eye the sun had birth,	20
And from my breast the winds burst forth,
And underneath my feet the earth.