That Bright Chimeric Beast

That bright chimeric beast

Conceived yet never born,

Save in the poet's breast,

The white-flanked unicorn,

Never may be shaken

From his solitude;

Never may be taken

In any earthly wood.

That bird forever feathered,

Of its new self the sire,

After aeons weathered,

Reincarnate by fire,

Falcon may not nor eagle

Swerve from his eyrie,

Nor any crumb inveigle

Down to an earthly tree.

That fish of the dread regime

Invented to become

The fable and the dream

Of the Lord's aquarium,

Leviathan, the jointed

Harpoon was never wrought

By which the Lord's anointed

Will suffer to be caught.

Bird of the deathless breast,

Fish of the frantic fin,

That bright chimeric beast

Flashing the argent skin,—

If beasts like these you'd harry,

Plumb then the poet's dream;

Make it your aviary,

Make it your wood and stream.

There only shall the swish

Be heard of the regal fish;

There like a golden knife

Dart the feet of the unicorn,

And there, death brought to life,

The dead bird be reborn.