Stand Straighter

Stand stranger, O Love, stand stranger, Stand straighter, and lift up thine eyes; The wings of the sun sweep about us--- We, the gift of the earth to the skies. We have done what the god has forbidden, We have leapt to the boughs of our tree. Yea, now the danger of height be unhidden We laugh with how easy we see. Fear was God's name, and of olden We bent for halt steps of his feet. Now the dareways of life wave open And faints in our ears his half beat. He has crawled under dust at our leaping, Lies blind in the dust, and is dead. Brave Sight takes his place and, out-leafing, Glances true My-Space ahead. Brave Sight, that is stronger than Heaven, And purer than peace in a grave, And though Joy's not yet wholly unladen, We are free, and we are not slave. Step up, make it real---your desire; No low-quitting effort should hide. Reach lips in the name of our fire Not curses of Hell can divide! We have life, O Love, we are mortal, And our blossoms of right are in hand; Mid haloing rings of embracement Our Time-taking souls command. Come, let's foot off this little dim shadow, There's a full glad world to view---- Smooth ways or stony to march in ior seek in, Strong ways and first ways and true. Yes, this is the grace of our giving---- That in choosing we use what we are, And the courage of thought undeceiving Outleaps any error by far. Up now, the mountains await us; They list for the beat of our feet. We are coming, Beyond, we are coming; Thine existence shall soon be complete. We are coming, far birds, we are coming; Wing out thy songs upon air! Forest and River, we thy meaning deliver; For the plans of _real_ makers prepare! O Earth, O Rich Matter, Sound Being, On Thee we do set out to win, With Inquisitive Eyes now all seeing And Masterly Thought without sin. Stand stranger, O Love, stand straighter, Show proudly the lust of thine eyes; The praise of the sun pours upon us--- We, the gift of the earth to the skies!