Of owl to owl from unseen towers. Afar

A dog barked. High and hidden in the haar

Which blew in from the sea a heron cried

Honk! and he heard his wings, but not espied

The heavy flight. Slow, slow the orb was filled

With light, and with the light his heart was thrilled

[22]

With opening music, faint, expectant, sharp

As the first chords one picks out from the harp

To prelude paean. Venturing all, he lift

His eyes, and there encurtained in a drift

Of sea-blue mantle close-drawn, he espies

Helen above him watching, her grave eyes

Upon him fixt, blue homes of mystery

Unfathomable, eternal as the sea,

And as unresting.

So in that still place,

In that still hour stood those two face to face.

[23]

THIRD STAVE

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