I br br I saw a staring virgin stand br Where holy Dionysus died, br And tear the heart out of his side. br And lay the heart upon her hand br And bear that beating heart away; br Of Magnus Annus at the spring, br As though God's death were but a play. br br Another Troy must rise and set, br Another lineage feed the crow, br Another Argo's painted prow br Drive to a flashier bauble yet. br The Roman Empire stood appalled: br It dropped the reins of peace and war br When that fierce virgin and her Star br Out of the fabulous darkness called. br br II br br In pity for man's darkening thought br He walked that room and issued thence br In Galilean turbulence; br The Babylonian starlight brought br A fabulous, formless darkness in; br Odour of blood when Christ was slain br Made all platonic tolerance vain br And vain all Doric discipline. br br Everything that man esteems br Endures a moment or a day. br Love's pleasure drives his love away, br The painter's brush consumes his dreams; br The herald's cry, the soldier's tread br Exhaust his glory and his might: br Whatever flames upon the night br Man's own resinous heart has fed.