Song of the Road, stolen from Oscar Wilde’s Rosa Mystica. See http://www.hoboes.com/FireBlade/Fiction/Wilde/Rosa/#rosa-rome for the original.
Urbana Mystica: Northwest
The corn has turned from gray to red,
Since first my spirit wandered forth
From the drear cities of the north,
And to the solar mountains fled.
And here I set my face toward home,
For now my pilgrimage doth yield,
Although, methinks, yon blood-red field
Marshals the way to Aureum.
O Mesiemblé, who dost hold
Upon the central roads thy reign!
O Mother without blot or stain,
Crowned with bright crowns of triple gold!
O Meshiaské, at thy feet
I lay this barren gift of song!
For, ah! the way is steep and long
That leads unto thy sacred street.
Urbana Mystica: Southwest
And yet what joy it were for me
To trod my feet upon the earth,
And journeying toward Aira’s birth
To kneel again at Drasoli!
And wandering through the tangled pine
That break the gold of Marsu’s dream,
To see the purple mist and gleam
Of morning on King’s forty-nine.
By many a vineyard-hidden home,
Orchard, and olive-garden gray,
Till from threaded Edekli’s way
The central hill bears up the dome!
Urbana Mystica: Southeast
A pilgrim from the northern seas-
What joy for me to seek alone
The wondrous Temple, and the throne
Of the sacrificial priests!
When, bright with purple and with gold,
Come Flamines maiores,
And borne along the sacred ways
The free-held Quirinalis sword.
O joy to hear before I die
The silver city’s people sing,
And see the crystal spires ring
The seven axes of the sky.
Or at Dupater’s stormy shrine,
Hold high the bloody sacrifice,
And show a God to mortal eyes
Behind the lightning and the wine.
Urbana Mystica: Northeast
For lo, what changes time can bring!
The cycles of revolving years
May free my heart from all its fears,-
And teach my lips a song to sing.
Before yon field of trembling gold
Is garnered into dusty sheaves,
Or ere the autumn’s scarlet leaves
Flutter as birds adown the wold,
I have walked the glorious road,
And caught the torch while yet aflame,
And called upon the sacred name
Of Marta who takes Ed’kli’s cord.
