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Robert Laurence Binyon - The Two desires
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What is the spirit`s desire,
 Sprung, springing, singing,
 Fountain--fresh, rainbowed over with lights that awaken
 The inner dishevelled crystal, starrily shaken
 To sevenfold changes of fire?
 Youth in its wonder aflower,
 Up to the sun swinging,
 A March daffodil, braves the bright wind`s cold--
 Sensitive silken softness, yet how bold
 Against the cold snow--flurry and sleet shower!
 Because it seeks--what mark
 Beyond the tower of the lark
 Who sees the dawn from the dark?
 Only itself to unfold,
 Expand, outpour, be told,
 All, all to utter,--
 Delicate thought`s moth--flutter,
 And hope`s proud--sweeping voyage of wings sky--reaping;
 To soar and to explore
 In the midst of this mind--soiling
 Earth--medley, and flesh--toiling
 Cares, betrayal, and pain`s returning sting;
 Still to spring, still to sing,
 Flame and flower of the mind,
 Seeking bliss in this,--
 Itself, itself to find.

 What is the spirit`s desire?
 --Comes Experience after,
 Experience and Comparison, mockers old.
 Trail of a tarnishing cloud is heavily rolled,
 And, harsher than shadow or cold,
 Pitiless light searches the shallows of laughter
 For terrible truth in the world rock--seated.
 Yet not because shadow--fearing or world--defeated
 But natively in its own unprompted sort,
 Because of desire profounder than desire,
 O now where aims the spirit? Higher, higher
 Than ever flight up--carried it! Now that aim
 Is a greatness greater than hero`s name and fame,
 A beauty passionate more than flesh can support,
 Divine greatness, divine beauty, a pain
 Appeasing all pains; flying not blight or bruise,
 But seeking its own afar--conceived resort,
 The spirit is only fain
 Itself to lose,
 Lose, lose.
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