Pure--throated Flower, br Smelling of Spring, br Shaped beyond art's br Imagining; br br Fathomless colour, br Breathed as an ether br Of flame and of stillness br Melted together; br br Soul of the sun's beam br Changed to fairy br Flesh, so delicate, br Poised and airy! br br I think of my own kind, br Hardly winning br A thousand battles br For joy's beginning; br br Victory bloody br And with evil shared, br Splendour soiled br And greatness snared; br br Truth conceded br Or won by halves, br Pitiful sores br And sorrier salves; br br Blind authority br Treading like oxen's heels br All that sees clearest, br All that most feels. br br But you are absolute br (Follow who can!) br As a commandment br Of God to man. br br Straight you spring br And whole you spend, br And fall upon fruitful earth, br Clean to the end.