Above the trees, above the mist-wrapped world,
  Where opening chasms yawned on every side. 
  Perforce he stopped; and, roused from revery,
  Gazed on the dark and silent world below. 
  The moon had sunk from sight, the stars grew dim,
  And densest darkness veiled the sleeping world,
  When suddenly bright beams of rosy light
  Shot up the east; the highest mountain-top
  Glittered as if both land and sea had joined
  Their richest jewels and most costly gems
  To make its crown; from mountain-peak to peak
  The brightness spread, and darkness slunk away,
  Until between two giant mountain-tops
  Glittered a wedge of gold; the hills were tinged,
  And soon the sun flooded the world with light
  As when the darkness heard that first command: 
  “Let there be light!” and light from chaos shone. 
  Raptured he gazed upon the glorious scene. 
  “And can it be,” he said, “with floods of light
  Filling the blue and boundless vault above,
  Bathing in brightness mountain, hill and plain,
  Sending its rays to ocean’s hidden depths,
  With light for bird and beast and creeping thing,
  Light for all eyes, oceans of light to spare,
  That man alone from outer darkness comes,
  Gropes blindly on his brief and restless round,
  And then in starless darkness disappears? 
  There must be light, fountains of living light,
  For which my thirsty spirit pining pants
  As pants the hunted hart for water-brooks—­
  Another sun, lighting a better world,
  Where weary souls may find a welcome rest. 
  Gladly I’d climb yon giddy mountain-heights,
  Or gladly take the morning’s wings and fly
  To earth’s remotest bounds, if light were there,
  Welcome to me the hermit’s lonely cell,
  And welcome dangers, labors, fastings, pains—­
  All would be welcome could I bring the light
  To myriads now in hopeless darkness sunk. 
  Farewell to kingdom, comforts, home and friends! 
  All will I leave to seek this glorious light.” 
  The die is cast, the victory is gained. 
  Though love of people, parent, wife and child,
  Half selfish, half divine, may bid him pause,
  A higher love, unselfish, all divine,
  For them and every soul, bade him go forth
  To seek for light, and seek till light be found. 
  Home he returned, now strong to say farewell.

  Meanwhile the sweet Yasodhara still slept,
  And dreamed she saw Siddartha’s empty couch. 
  She dreamed she saw him flying far away,
  And when she called to him he answered not,
  But only stopped his ears and faster flew
  Until he seemed a speck, and then was gone. 
  And then she heard a mighty voice cry out: 
  “The time has come—­his glory shall appear!”
  Waked by that voice, she found his empty couch,
  Siddartha gone, and with him every joy;
  But not all joy, for there Rahula lay,
  With great wide-open eyes and cherub smile,
  Watching the lights that flickered on the wall. 
  Caught in her arms she pressed him to her heart
  To still its tumult and to ease its pain.