Songs of the Springtides and Birthday OdeTaken from The Collected Poetical Works of Algernon CharlesSwinburne—Vol. III
So in that heaven of wondrous words were life

And death brought out of strife;

Yea, by that strong spell of serene increase

Brought out of strife to peace.

And the song lightened, as the wind at morn

Flashes, and even with lightning of the wind

Night's thick-spun web is thinned

And all its weft unwoven and overworn

Shrinks, as might love from scorn.

And as when wind and light on water and land

Leap as twin gods from heavenward hand in hand,

And with the sound and splendour of their leap

Strike darkness dead, and daunt the spirit of sleep,

And burn it up with fire;

So with the light that lightened from the lyre

Was all the bright heat in the child's heart stirred

And blown with blasts of music into flame

Till even his sense became

Fire, as the sense that fires the singing bird

Whose song calls night by name.


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