I br STRIDE the hill, Sower, br Up to the sky ridge, br Flinging the seed, br Scattering, exultant! br Mouthing great rhythms br To the long sea-beats br On the wide shore, behind br The ridge of the hillside. br br Below in the darkness br The slumber of mothers, br The cradles at rest, br The fire-seed sleeping br Deep in white ashes! br br Give to darkness and sleep, br O Sower, O Seer! br Give me to the earth br With the seed I would enter! br Oh, the growth through the silence br From strength to new strength; br Then the strong bursting forth br Against primal forces, br To laugh in the sunshine, br To gladden the world! br br II br Who will bring the red fire br Unto a new hearth? br Who will lay the wide stone br On the waste of the earth? br br Who is fain to begin br To build day by day br To raise up his house br Of the moist yellow clay? br br There's clay for the making br Moist in the pit, br There are horses to trample br The rushes through it. br br Above where the wild duck br Arise up and fly, br There one can build br To the wind and the sky. br br There are boughs in the forest br To pluck young and green, br O'er them thatch of the crop br Shall be heavy and clean. br br I speak unto him br Who in dead of the night br Sees the red streaks br In the ash deep and white; br br While around him he hears br Men stir in their rest, br And the stir of the babe br That is close to the breast! br br He shall arise, br He shall go forth alone, br Lay stone on the earth, br And bring fire to stone.