Page:Poems, Household Edition, Emerson, 1904.djvu/350

314 The sun set, but set not his hope:—

Stars rose, his faith was earlier up:

Fixed on the enormous galaxy,

Deeper and older seemed his eye,

And matched his sufferance sublime

The taciturnity of Time.

Beside his hut and shading oak,

Thus to himself the poet spoke,

I have supped to-night with gods,

I will not go under a wooden roof:

As I walked among the hills

In the love which Nature fills,

The great stars did not shine aloof,

They hurried down from their deep abodes

And hemmed me in their glittering troop.

'Divine Inviters! I accept

The courtesy ye have shown and kept

From ancient ages for the bard,

To modulate

With finer fate

A fortune harsh and hard.

With aim like yours

I watch your course,

Who never break your lawful dance

By error or intemperance.

O birds of ether without wings!

O heavenly ships without a sail!