Lost sister of the clustered seven.
Or hidden on the plains of heaven.
So that to man’s uplifted eye
No answering star point fills the sky;
Lost to the music of the spheres,
Struck from the scroll of heavenly peers
Lost to the calm that contemplates,
That nothing feels, nor loves, nor hates;
Passionless ever gliding on,
Could’st thou mortal nature don,
Leave thy throne of light afar
Thou ruling spirit of a star,
All thine inspirations check
To sigh upon a mortal neck ?
Lost, since to one of earthly mould
A burning love is shown and told.
Found, by the earthborn, found and kneeling
He, in thee a spirit greets;
Found, and loved, away concealing
All a woman's love he meets :
No half passion failing soon,
A heaven lay set to jarring tune,
But an eternal bond that never
Man or spirit more can sever.
Found, Sterope, and thy heart
Must know of love the bliss, the smart.
Must feel a new and inborn pleasure,
Deep in thy soul no words can measure,
Must learn the pain of mortal love
Undreamed of in thy course above,
Must try life’s gold and its alloy,
For earth contains no unmixed joy.
Is’t better thus—or calmly steering
On thy night car space careering
Knowing—ruling—all a Mind
But Soul-less as the passing wind?
Or with mortal love be toying.
Or a mortal mate enjoying,
All a mortal’s joys increasing
And a mortal’s bonds releasing,
Lifting him above his earth
And teaching him a higher worth
Then all his hard earned lore can give.
How in perfect calm to live ?
Lost, or found, the step is taken,
Let not pride old thoughts awaken,
Make the best of thy strange choice.
In a human shape rejoice.
And the faults thou wilt discover
In thy new and grosser lover
Treat them gently, grieve nor pine.
Thou art his and he is thine.
Washington, D.C.[3] T.H.E.
Thomas H. Evans.