Endurance

A little while back (curtsy to Og) I read something that brought tears to my eyes, and which reminded me of the emptiness I created in my life, the empty spaces in my memory and my inadequacies as a human being. It also brought to mind this poem by the Irish poet, George William Russell, also known as "A.E.", which I wrote a bit about here.

Endurance by A.E.

HE bent above: so still her breath

What air she breathed he could not say,

Whether in worlds of life or death:

So softly ebbed away, away,

The life that had been light to him,

So fled her beauty leaving dim

The emptying chambers of his heart

Thrilled only by the pang and smart,

The dull and throbbing agony

That suffers still, yet knows not why.

Love’s immortality so blind

Dreams that all things with it conjoined

Must share with it immortal day:

But not of this—but not of this—

The touch, the eyes, the laugh, the kiss,

Fall from it and it goes its way.

So blind he wept above her clay,

“I did not think that you could die.

Only some veil would cover you

Our loving eyes could still pierce through;

And see through dusky shadows still

Move as of old your wild sweet will,

Impatient every heart to win

And flash its heavenly radiance in.

” Though all the worlds were sunk in rest

The ruddy star within his breast

Would croon its tale of ancient pain,

Its sorrow that would never wane,

Its memory of the days of yore

Moulded in beauty evermore.

Ah, immortality so blind,

To dream all things with it conjoined

Must follow it from star to star

And share with it immortal years.

The memory, yearning, grief, and tears,

Fall from it and it goes afar.

He walked at night along the sands,

He saw the stars dance overhead,

He had no memory of the dead,

But lifted up exultant hands

To hail the future like a boy,

The myriad paths his feet might press.

Unhaunted by old tenderness

He felt an inner secret joy—

A spirit of unfettered will

Through light and darkness moving still

Within the All to find its own,

To be immortal and alone.