The Book of Thel. Part II

5The Cloud then shewd his golden head & his bright form emerg'd.

6Hovering and glittering on the air before the face of Thel.

7O virgin know'st thou not our steeds drink of the golden springs

8Where Luvah doth renew his horses: lookst thou on my youth.

9And fearest thou because I vanish and am seen no more.

10Nothing remains; O maid I tell thee, when I pass away.

11It is to tenfold life, to love, to peace, and raptures holy:

12Unseen descending, weigh my light wings upon balmy flowers:

13And court the fair eyed dew, to take me to her shining tent

14The weeping virgin, trembling kneels before the risen sun.

15Till we arise link'd in a golden band and never part:

16But walk united bearing food to all our tender flowers.

17Dost thou O little cloud? I fear that I am not like thee:

18For I walk through the vales of Har, and smell the sweetest flowers:

19But I feed not the little flowers: I hear the warbling birds,

20But I feed not the warbling birds, they fly and seek their food:

21But Thel delights in these no more because I fade away

22And all shall say, without a use this shining women liv'd,

23Or did she only live to be at death the food of worms.

24The Cloud reclind upon his airy throne and answerd thus.

25Then if thou art the food of worms, O virgin of the skies,

26How great thy use, how great thy blessing, every thing that lives.

27Lives not alone nor or itself: fear not and I will call,

28The weak worm from its lowly bed, and thou shalt hear its voice.

29Come forth worm and the silent valley, to thy pensive queen.

30The helpless worm arose and sat upon the Lillys leaf,

31And the bright Cloud saild on, to find his partner in the vale.