Page:Modern Czech Poetry, 1920.djvu/29

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Faint with the heat, a murmur on the calm branches falls, Motionless hanging, while in grievous intervals The forest breathed, oppressed; sap in a bitter tide From the burst herbage let crude-savoured fragrance glide. 'Neath the unmoving trees pale faintness sought a place, Sat by my side and breathed forebodings in my face, Grief of the ceaseless question in my eyes immersed, And with my soul in speech of lifeless words conversed. The sun's o'erripened bloom quivered in glows of white, Quailed in the dusk of boughs and 'mid blue leaves took flight With listless calm's mute wane of strength; in mosses hid lt smouldered, lulling me in weariness amid A bath of mystic breath, as though 'neath wawes l lay, And from my opened veins blood softly oozed away. “Dawning in the West” (1896).

Flash of my coming hours illumined this moment in dreams And bloomed in my festive halls with every lustre ablaze, My coming springtides and hidden graces rippled in tuneful streams, l was dazed by lips, with breath that beguiles, with laughter that gleams, And eyes where awaited me muteness of rapture glowed there with yearning gaze.

But vainly l strode where quivered, in rhythm that dumbfound, Life's chant. The shadow of One before me and after me wended. Flitting from hall unto hall, bright blaze at its coming was drowned, Mirrors grew dim, yearning trembled and music's conquering sound As if thrust into lowliest octaves of silent anguish was blended.