Bontheia

Hyperion~Deep·in·the·shady·sadness·of·a·vale·Far·sunken·from·the·healthy·breath·
of·morn·Far·from·the·fiery·noon·and·eve·s·one·star·Sat·gray·hair·d·Saturn·quiet·
as·a·stone·Still·as·the·silence·round·about·his·lair·Forest·on·forest·hung·about
·his·head·Like·cloud·on·cloud·No·stir·of·air·was·there·Not·so·much·life·as·on·a·
summer·s·day·Robs·not·one·light·seed·from·the·feather·d·grass·But·where·the·dead
·leaf·fell·there·did·it·rest·A·stream·went·voiceless·by·still·deadened·more·By·r
eason·of·his·fallen·divinity·Spreading·a·shade·the·Naiad·mid·her·reeds·Press·d·h
er·cold·finger·closer·to·her·lips·Along·the·margin·sand·large·foot·marks·went·No
·further·than·to·where·his·feet·had·stray·d·And·slept·there·since·Upon·the·sodde
n·ground·His·old·right·hand·lay·nerveless·listless·dead·Unsceptred·and·his·realm
less·eyes·were·closed·While·his·bow·d·head·seem·d·list·ning·to·the·Earth·His·anc
ient·mother·for·some·comfort·yet·It·seem·d·no·force·could·wake·him·from·his·plac
e·But·there·came·one·who·with·a·kindred·hand·Touch·d·his·wide·shoulders·after·be
nding·low·With·reverence·though·to·one·who·knew·it·not·She·was·a·Goddess·of·the·
infant·world·By·her·in·stature·the·tall·Amazon·Had·stood·a·pigmy·s·height·she·wo
uld·have·ta·en·Achilles·by·the·hair·and·bent·his·neck·Or·with·a·finger·stay·d·Ix
ion·s·wheel·Her·face·was·large·as·that·of·Memphian·sphinx·Pedestal·d·haply·in·a·
palace·court·When·sages·look·d·to·Egypt·for·their·lore·But·oh·how·unlike·marble·
was·that·face·How·beautiful·if·sorrow·had·not·made·Sorrow·more·beautiful·than·Be
auty·s·self·There·was·a·listening·fear·in·her·regard·As·if·calamity·had·but·begu
n·As·if·the·vanward·clouds·of·evil·days·Had·spent·their·malice·and·the·sullen·re
ar·Was·with·its·stored·thunder·labouring·up·One·hand·she·press·d·upon·that·achin
g·spot·Where·beats·the·human·heart·as·if·just·there·Though·an·immortal·she·felt·
cruel·pain·The·other·upon·Saturn·s·bended·neck·She·laid·and·to·the·level·of·his·
ear·Leaning·with·parted·lips·some·words·she·spake·In·solemn·tenour·and·deep·orga
n·tone·Some·mourning·words·which·in·our·feeble·tongue·Would·come·in·these·like·a
ccents·O·how·frail·To·that·large·utterance·of·the·early·Gods·Saturn·look·up·thou
gh·wherefore·poor·old·King·I·have·no·comfort·for·thee·no·not·one·I·cannot·say·O·
wherefore·sleepest·thou·For·heaven·is·parted·from·thee·and·the·earth·Knows·thee·
not·thus·afflicted·for·a·God·And·ocean·too·with·all·its·solemn·noise·Has·from·th
y·sceptre·pass·d·and·all·the·air·Is·emptied·of·thine·hoary·majesty·Thy·thunder·c
onscious·of·the·new·command·Rumbles·reluctant·o·er·our·fallen·house·And·thy·shar
p·lightning·in·unpractised·hands·Scorches·and·burns·our·once·serene·domain·O·ach
ing·time·O·moments·big·as·years·All·as·ye·pass·swell·out·the·monstrous·truth·And
·press·it·so·upon·our·weary·griefs·That·unbelief·has·not·a·space·to·breathe·Satu
rn·sleep·on·O·thoughtless·why·did·I·Thus·violate·thy·slumbrous·solitude·Why·shou
ld·I·ope·thy·melancholy·eyes·Saturn·sleep·on·while·at·thy·feet·I·weep·As·when·up
on·a·tranced·summer·night·Those·green·rob·d·senators·of·mighty·woods·Tall·oaks·b
ranch·charmed·by·the·earnest·stars·Dream·and·so·dream·all·night·without·a·stir·S
ave·from·one·gradual·solitary·gust·Which·comes·upon·the·silence·and·dies·off·As·
if·the·ebbing·air·had·but·one·wave·So·came·these·words·and·went·the·while·in·tea
rs·She·touch·d·her·fair·large·forehead·to·the·ground·Just·where·her·falling·hair
·might·be·outspread·A·soft·and·silken·mat·for·Saturn·s·feet·One·moon·with·altera
tion·slow·had·shed·Her·silver·seasons·four·upon·the·night·And·still·these·two·we
re·postured·motionless·Like·natural·sculpture·in·cathedral·cavern·The·frozen·God
·still·couchant·on·the·earth·And·the·sad·Goddess·weeping·at·his·feet·Until·at·le
ngth·old·Saturn·lifted·up·His·faded·eyes·and·saw·his·kingdom·gone·And·all·the·gl
oom·and·sorrow·of·the·place·And·that·fair·kneeling·Goddess·and·then·spake·As·wit
h·a·palsied·tongue·and·while·his·beard·Shook·horrid·with·such·aspen·malady·O·ten
der·spouse·of·gold·Hyperion·Thea·I·feel·thee·ere·I·see·thy·face·Look·up·and·let·
me·see·our·doom·in·it·Look·up·and·tell·me·if·this·feeble·shape·Is·Saturn·s·tell·
me·if·thou·hear·st·the·voice·Of·Saturn·tell·me·if·this·wrinkling·brow·Naked·and·
bare·of·its·great·diadem·Peers·like·the·front·of·Saturn·Who·had·power·To·make·me
·desolate·whence·came·the·strength·How·was·it·nurtur·d·to·such·bursting·forth·Wh
ile·Fate·seem·d·strangled·in·my·nervous·grasp·But·it·is·so·and·I·am·smother·d·up
·And·buried·from·all·godlike·exercise·Of·influence·benign·on·planets·pale·Of·adm
onitions·to·the·winds·and·seas·Of·peaceful·sway·above·man·s·harvesting·And·all·t
hose·acts·which·Deity·supreme·Doth·ease·its·heart·of·love·in·I·am·gone·Away·from
·my·own·bosom·I·have·left·My·strong·identity·my·real·self·Somewhere·between·the·
throne·and·where·I·sit·Here·on·this·spot·of·earth·Search·Thea·search·Open·thine·
eyes·eterne·and·sphere·them·round·Upon·all·space·space·starr·d·and·lorn·of·light
·Space·region·d·with·life·air·and·barren·void·Spaces·of·fire·and·all·the·yawn·of
·hell·Search·Thea·search·and·tell·me·if·thou·seest·A·certain·shape·or·shadow·mak
ing·way·With·wings·or·chariot·fierce·to·repossess·A·heaven·he·lost·erewhile·it·m
ust·it·must·Be·of·ripe·progress·Saturn·must·be·King·Yes·there·must·be·a·golden·v
ictory·There·must·be·Gods·thrown·down·and·trumpets·blown·Of·triumph·calm·and·hym
ns·of·festival·Upon·the·gold·clouds·metropolitan·Voices·of·soft·proclaim·and·sil
ver·stir·Of·strings·in·hollow·shells·and·there·shall·be·Beautiful·things·made·ne
w·for·the·surprise·Of·the·sky·children·I·will·give·command·Thea·Thea·Thea·where·
is·Saturn·This·passion·lifted·him·upon·his·feet·And·made·his·hands·to·struggle·i
n·the·air·His·Druid·locks·to·shake·and·ooze·with·sweat·His·eyes·to·fever·out·his
·voice·to·cease·He·stood·and·heard·not·Thea·s·sobbing·deep·A·little·time·and·the
n·again·he·snatch·d·Utterance·thus·But·cannot·I·create·Cannot·I·form·Cannot·I·fa
shion·forth·Another·world·another·universe·To·overbear·and·crumble·this·to·nough
t·Where·is·another·chaos·Where·That·word·Found·way·unto·Olympus·and·made·quake·T
he·rebel·three·Thea·was·startled·up·And·in·her·bearing·was·a·sort·of·hope·As·thu
s·she·quick·voic·d·spake·yet·full·of·awe·This·cheers·our·fallen·house·come·to·ou
r·friends·O·Saturn·come·away·and·give·them·heart·I·know·the·covert·for·thence·ca
me·I·hither·Thus·brief·then·with·beseeching·eyes·she·went·With·backward·footing·
through·the·shade·a·space·He·follow·d·and·she·turn·d·to·lead·the·way·Through·age