Sunday, January 01, 2006

New Year's Chimes by Francis Thompson

New Year's Chimes
by Francis Thompson

What is the song the stars sing?
(And a million songs are as song of one)
This is the song the stars sing:
(Sweeter song's none).

One to set, and many to sing.
(And a million songs are as song of one)
One to stand, and many to cling,
The many things and the one Thing,
The one that runs not, the many that run.

The ever new weaveth the ever old,
(And a million songs are as song of one)
Ever telling the never told;
The silver saith, and the said is gold,
And done ever the never done.

The Chase that's chased is the Lord o' the chase,
(And a million songs are as song of one)
And the Pursued cries on in the race;
And the hounds in leash are the hounds that run.

Hidden stars by the shown stars' sheen;
(And a million suns are but as one)
Colours unseen by the colours seen,
And sounds unheard heard sounds between.
And a night is in the light of the sun.

An ambuscade of light in night,
(And a million secrets are but as one)
And a night is dark in the sun's light,
And a world in the world man looks upon.

The world above in the world below,
(And a million worlds are but as one)
And the One in all; as the sun's strength so
Strives in all strength, glows in all glow
Of the earth that wits not, and man thereon.

Braced in its own fourfold embrace
(and a million worlds are but as one)
And round it all God's arms of grace,
The world, so as the Vision says,
Doth with its great lightning tramples on.

And the thunder bruiteth into thunder,
(And a million sounds are as sound of one)
From stellate peak to peak is tossed a voice of wonder
And the height stoops down to the depths thereunder,
And sun leans forth to his brother sun.

And the more ample years unfold
(With a million songs as song of one)
A little new of the ever old,
A little told of the never told,
Added act of the never done.

Loud the descant, and low the theme,
(A million songs are as song of one)
And the dream of the world is dream in dream,
But the one Is is, or nought could seem;
And the song runs round to the song begun.

This is the song the stars sing,
(Tunéd all in time)
Tintinnabulous, tuned to ring
A multitudinous-single thing
(Rung all in rhyme).

4 Comments:

At 01 January, 2006 10:43, Blogger Dr. Thursday said...

This is one of my most favourite poems - it is so profound, uniting the great science of Astronomy with Music, with Ontology, with the mystery of the Word-Made-Flash... a neverending source of meditation and delight...

Ontology? Why do I mention the branch of philosophy which deals with "being" - with the things that are? It's very clear - the bold and mystic kind of stuff Aquinas might write:

"One to stand, and many to cling,
The many things and the one Thing,
The one that runs not, the many that run.

...

But the one Is is, or nought could seem;
And the song runs round to the song begun."

After you read it (again, if necessary!), I would very much like to hear your comments, and see if it has any kind of the same impact on you...

 
At 02 January, 2006 08:32, Blogger rhapsody said...

It is a beautiful poem, Dr. Thursday- I wish I could write music when I read a poem like this.

The 'Word-Made-Flash' is an interesting commentary, too!

We are ALL the ones from the One, Who is the Alpha & the Omega...

Are we the ones running as He is the steadfast One- the Good Shepherd? The Good Shepherd goes after its sheep...

Or are the ones running false gods or the fallen angels following the morning star?

 
At 02 January, 2006 09:39, Blogger Dr. Thursday said...

Just in case someone wonders: That wasn't an allusion to a comic book hero - it was merely a typo.

It was supposed to be "Word-Made-Flesh"!

 
At 05 January, 2006 08:25, Blogger rhapsody said...

Again, Dr. Thursday, it is a magnificent poem- about on a par with the poetry that you have written.

The reference to a super-hero is too interesting not to comment on-

Larger-than-life characters do hold a fascination within popular culture...

To me, proving a need for the 'Ultimate Super Hero.'

Hmmm- who might that be?

 

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