Sailor, What of the Isles: To Millicent Huddleston Rogers
by EDITH SITWELL
“Sailor, what of the isles —
The green worlds grown
From a little seed? What of the islands known and those unknown?”
The green worlds grown
From a little seed? What of the islands known and those unknown?”
“ I have returned over the long and lonely sea,
And only human need
For the world of men is mine; I have forgot Immensity.
And only human need
For the world of men is mine; I have forgot Immensity.
The rustling sea was a green world of leaves;
The isle of Hispaniola in its form
Was like the leaf of a chestnut tree in June.
And there is the gold region — the gold falls like rain with a long and leafy tune.
The isle of Hispaniola in its form
Was like the leaf of a chestnut tree in June.
And there is the gold region — the gold falls like rain with a long and leafy tune.
An old man bore us lumps of gold . . . the small.
Like walnuts husked with earth; the great,
As large as oranges; and leafy earth
Still clung to them. And when you thought that fireflies lit the night.
These were but nuggets, lying on the dark earth, burning bright.”
Like walnuts husked with earth; the great,
As large as oranges; and leafy earth
Still clung to them. And when you thought that fireflies lit the night.
These were but nuggets, lying on the dark earth, burning bright.”
“Sailor, what of the maps of the known world?" “The old Chinese,
Whose talk was like the sound of June leaves drinking rain.
Constructed maps of the known world —the few
Islands and the two countries that they knew.
Whose talk was like the sound of June leaves drinking rain.
Constructed maps of the known world —the few
Islands and the two countries that they knew.
They thought the heavens were round.
The earth square, and their empire at the centre . . . Just as you
And I believe we are the world’s centre and the stars
Are grown from us as the bright seas in a rind of gold
Are grown from the smooth stem of the orange-tree.”
The earth square, and their empire at the centre . . . Just as you
And I believe we are the world’s centre and the stars
Are grown from us as the bright seas in a rind of gold
Are grown from the smooth stem of the orange-tree.”
“Sailor, what of the maps of skies? Is that Orion?” “No, the sight
Is of a far island. What you see.
Is where they are gathering carbuncles, garnets, diamonds bright
As fireflies with a gardener’s rake under the spice-trees and the orange-trees.”
Is of a far island. What you see.
Is where they are gathering carbuncles, garnets, diamonds bright
As fireflies with a gardener’s rake under the spice-trees and the orange-trees.”
“Sailor, what do you know of this world, my Self ... a child
Standing before you? — Or an isle
To which no sail has crossed over the long and lonely sea?
What do you know of this island, of the soil
In which all sainthood or insanity, murder or mocking grows, — a leafy tree?”
Standing before you? — Or an isle
To which no sail has crossed over the long and lonely sea?
What do you know of this island, of the soil
In which all sainthood or insanity, murder or mocking grows, — a leafy tree?”
“No more than the gardeners and astronomers who make
Their catalogue of stars for heavens and seeds for garden beds
Know of their green worlds; or the soil, of the great beasts
Whose skin shines like gold fire or fireflies, and whose nostrils snort great stars —
Their catalogue of stars for heavens and seeds for garden beds
Know of their green worlds; or the soil, of the great beasts
Whose skin shines like gold fire or fireflies, and whose nostrils snort great stars —
The beasts — huge flowers grown from the stem of the green darkness. Each beast holds
The entire world of plants.
All elements and all the planetary system in
Itself (while the flower holds only the plant-world)
And is freed from its stem by light, like the flowers in air —
The entire world of plants.
All elements and all the planetary system in
Itself (while the flower holds only the plant-world)
And is freed from its stem by light, like the flowers in air —
No more than the father knows of the child, or the sailor of chartless isles.”