The Philosopher

Enough of thought, philosopher!

Too long hast thou been

Unlightened, in this chamber drear,

While summer's sun is beaming!

Space-sweeping soul, what sad

Concludes thy musings once again?"Oh, for the time when I shall

Without identity.

And never care how rain may steep,

Or snow may cover me!

No promised heaven, these wild

Could all, or half fulfil;

No threatened hell, with quenchless fires,

Subdue this quenchless will!""So said I, and still say the same;

Still, to my death, will say—Three gods, within this little frame,

Are warring night; and day;

Heaven could not hold them all, and

They all are held in me;

And must be mine till I

My present entity!

Oh, for the time, when in my

Their struggles will be o'er!

Oh, for the day, when I shall rest,

And never suffer more!""I saw a spirit, standing, man,

Where thou dost stand—an hour ago,

And round his feet three rivers ran,

Of equal depth, and equal flow—A golden stream—and one like blood;

And one like sapphire seemed to be;

But, where they joined their triple

It tumbled in an inky

The spirit sent his dazzling

Down through that ocean's gloomy night;

Then, kindling all, with sudden blaze,

The glad deep sparkled wide and bright—White as the sun, far, far more

Than its divided sources were!""And even for that spirit, seer,

I've watched and sought my life-time long;

Sought him in heaven, hell, earth, and air,

An endless search, and always wrong.

Had I but seen his glorious

CE light the clouds that wilder me;

I ne'er had raised this coward

To cease to think, and cease to be;

I ne'er had called oblivion blest,

Nor stretching eager hands to death,

Implored to change for senseless

This sentient soul, this living breath—Oh, let me die—that power and

Their cruel strife may close;

And conquered good, and conquering

Be lost in one repose!"