229. The Rose of Flame

OH, fair immaculate rose of the world, rose of my dream, my Rose!

Beyond the ultimate gates of dream I have heard thy mystical call:

It is where the rainbow of hope suspends and the river of rapture flows—

And the cool sweet dews from the wells of peace for ever fall.

And all my heart is aflame because of the rapture and peace,

And I dream, in my waking dreams and deep in the dreams of sleep,

Till the high sweet wonderful call that shall be the call of release

Shall ring in my ears as I sink from gulf to gulf and from deep to deep—

Sink deep, sink deep beyond the ultimate dreams of all desire—

Beyond the uttermost limit of all that the craving spirit knows:

Then, then, oh then I shall be as the inner flame of thy fire,

O fair immaculate rose of the world, Rose of my dream, my Rose!