MUA’S ANSWER

Sweet Mua lifts her eyes toward the heights
That glow afar beneath the softened lights
That rest upon the mountain’s crystalline. 
And see! they change their hues incarnadine
To gold, and emerald, and opaline;
Swift changing to a softened festucine
Before the eye.  And thus they change their hues
To please the sight of every soul that views
Them in that Land; but she heeds not the skies,
Or glorious splendor of her home; her eyes
Have that far look of spirits viewing men
On earth, from the invisible mane,
That erstwhile rests upon the mortal eye,—­
A longing for that home beyond the sky;
A yearning for that bliss that love imparts,
Where pain and sorrow reach no mortal hearts.

A light now breaks across her beauteous face;
She, turning, says to him with Heavenly grace: 

“Dear Izdubar, thou knowest how I love
Thee, how my heart my love doth daily prove;
And, oh, I cannot let thee go alone. 
I know not what awaits each soul there gone. 
Our spirits often leave this glorious land,
Invisible return on earth, and stand
Amidst its flowerets, ’neath its glorious skies. 
Thou knowest every spirit here oft flies
From earth, but none its secrets to us tell,
Lest some dark sorrow might here work its spell. 
And, oh, I could not see dark suffering, woe
There spread, with power none to stop its flow!

“I saw thee coming to us struck with fire,
Oh, how to aid thee did my heart desire! 
Our tablets tell us how dread sorrow spreads
Upon that world and mars its glowing meads. 
But, oh, so happy am I, here to know
That they with us here end all sorrow, woe. 
O precious Izdubar! its sights would strike
Me there with sadness, and my heart would break! 
And yet I learn that it is glorious, sweet! 
To there enjoy its happiness,—­so fleet
It speeds to sorrowing hearts to turn their tears
To joy!  How sweet to them when it appears,
And sends a gleam of Heaven through their lives!

“No! no! dear heart!  I cannot go!  It grieves
Thee! come, my dear one! quick to us return;
We here again will pair our love, and learn
How sweet it is to meet with joy again;
How happy will sweet love come to us then!”

She rests her head upon his breast, and lifts
Her face for Love’s sweet kiss, and from them drifts
A halo o’er the shining gesdin-trees
And spreads around them Heaven’s holy rays. 
He kisses her sweet lips, and brow, and eyes,
Then turns his gaze toward the glowing skies: 

“I bless thee, for thy sweetest spirit here! 
I bless this glorious land, that brings me near
To one that wafts sweet Heaven in my heart;
From thy dear plains how can my soul depart? 
O Mua, Mua! how my heart now sings! 
Thy love is sweeter than all earthly things! 
I would I were not crowned a king!—­away
From this bright land—­here would I ever stay! 
As thou hast said, I soon will here return;
The earth cannot withhold me from this bourne,
And soon my time allotted there will end,
And hitherward how happy I will wend!”