CUERVO - Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

PARACELSUS
God joys therein I The wroth sea's waves are edged
With foam, white as the bitten lip of Hate,
When in the solitary, waste, strange groups
Of young volcanos come up, cyclops-like,
Staring together with their eyes on flame ;-
God tastes a pleasure in their uncouLh pride I
Then all is still: earth is a wintry clod;
But spring-wind, like a dancing psaltress, passes
Over its breast to waken it; rare verdure
Buds tenderly upon rough banks, between
The withered tree-roots and the cracks of frost,
Like a smile striving with a wrinkled face;
The grass grows bright, the boughs are swoln with blooms,
Like chrysalids impatient for the air ;
The shining dOffs are busy; beetles run
Along the furrows, ants make their ado;
Above, birds fly in merry flocks-the lark
Soars up and up, shivering for very joy;
Afar the ocean sleeps ; white fishing-gulls
Flit where the strand is purple with its tribe
Of nested limpets; savage creatures seek
Their loves in wood and plain; and God renews
His ancient rapture J Thus he dwells in all,
From life's minute beginnings, up at last
To man-the consummaUon of this scheme
Of being, the completion of this sphere
Of life: whose attributes had here and there
Been scattered o'er the visible world before,
Asking to be combined-dim fragments meant
To be united in some wondrous whole­
Imperfect qualities throughout creation,
Suggesting some one creature yet to make-
Some point where all those scattered rays should m eet
Convergent in the faculties of man.
Power; neither put forth blindly, nor controlled
Calmly by perfect knowledge; to be used
At risk, inspired or checked by hope and fear ;
Knowledge; not intuition, but the slow
Uncertain fruit of an enhancing toil,
Strengthened by love: love; not serenely pure,
But strong from weakness, like a chance-sown plant
'Which, cast on stubborn soil, puts forth changed buds,
And softer stains, unknown in happier climes;
Love which endures, and doubts, and is oppressed,
And cherished, suffering much, and much sustained,
A blind, oft-failing, yet believing love,
A half-enlightened, often-chequered trust:­
Hints and previsions of which faculties,
Are strewn confusedly everywhere about
©Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia
125