Page:The roamer and other poems (1920).djvu/100

90 Assuming form, itself the masterpiece

Emerging beautiful for love's delight;

And ever, more incarnating the fair,

So grows it dear, and cherished by the gods:

But first must heavenly beauty bathe its eyes."

"Hard is experience," the youth replied,

"That works with fate and chance; other to me

The revelation was that cleansed my sight,—

Imagination's world; there elder men

Made their emotions and ideas a voice

Of aspiration and accomplishment

Unto mankind; oft on their lips I hung,

Lifting my eyes to the fair sight they saw,

Painted, or carven, or visionary sung,—

Infinite forms in one eternal found;

And oft themselves ensouled what seemed most fair.

So with sweet passion for the master's face

Did my own soul put on immortal form,

Clothed with that ray, and grew in fond desire

Of inward purity and outward grace,

Patterned upon the heroes and the gods;

For, in that plastic world of art and thought,

Easy the growth is of immortal souls."

"Imagination hath a higher truth

Than scant reality," the voice returned;

"Experience it concentrates and refines,