<h3><SPAN name="THE_MOTE" name="THE_MOTE"></SPAN>THE MOTE.</h3>
<p>Two shapes of august bearing, seraph tall,
<br/>Of indolent imperturbable regard,
<br/>Stood in the Tavern door to drink. As the first
<br/>Lifted his glass to let the warm light melt
<br/>In the slow bubbles of the wine, a sunbeam,
<br/>Red and broad as smouldering autumn, smote
<br/>Down through its mystery; and a single fleck,
<br/>The tiniest sun-mote settling through the air,
<br/>Fell on the grape-dark surface and there swam.
<br/>
<br/>Gently the Drinker with fastidious care
<br/>Stretched hand to clear the speck away. "No, no!"—
<br/>His comrade stayed his arm. "Why," said the first,
<br/>"What would you have me do?" "Ah, let it float
<br/>A moment longer!" And the second smiled.
<br/>"Do you not know what that is?" "No, indeed."
<br/>"A mere dust-mote, a speck of soot, you think,
<br/>A plague-germ still unsatisfied. It is not.
<br/>That is the Earth. See, I will stretch my hand
<br/>Between it and the sun; the passing shadow
<br/>Gives its poor dwellers a glacial period.
<br/>Let it but stand an hour, it would dissolve,
<br/>Intangible as the color of the wine.
<br/>There, throw it away now! Lift it from the sweet
<br/>Enveloping flood it has enjoyed so well;"
<br/>(He smiled as only those who live can smile)
<br/>"Its time is done, its revelry complete,
<br/>Its being accomplished. Let us drink again."</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.