Star over Bethlehem (9 page)

He took up his pen and wrote:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth … And behind me I heard a great voice as of a trumpet … Saying:

I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last … I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death … Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be …

 

PROLOGUE: SUNG BY COLUMBINE

HARLEQUIN'S SONG

PIERROT'S SONG TO THE MOON

PIERRETTE DANCING ON THE GREEN

COLUMBINE'S SONG

PULCINELLA

THE SONG OF PIERROT BY THE HEARTH

THE LAST SONG OF COLUMBINE

PIERROT GROWN OLD

EPILOGUE: SPOKEN BY PUNCHINELLO

 

H
IGH
on the hills and over the plains,

A thousand years ago,

Hand in hand, and side by side,

Here with a skip, and there with a glide,

Together we went the wide world through,

A thousand years ago.

Invisible spirits throughout the land,

Side by side, and hand in hand,

Harlequin and Columbine

A thousand years ago!

 

I
PASS

Where'er I've a mind,

With a laugh as I dance,

And a leap so high,

With a lightning glance,

And a crash and a flash

In the summer sky!

I come in the wind,

And I go with a sigh …

And nobody ever sees Harlequin,

Happy-go-lucky Harlequin,

Go by …

(But never again with Columbine,

Never again with you.

Side by side, and hand in hand,

We wandered the wide world through!

And because I could not understand,

Columbine

Will never be mine,

Will never again be mine …)

I come

With a tap on the cheek,

And a quip so gay,

An invisible sprite

In my motley array,

With a dangle o' spangle

To flash in the light!

And lo! when they seek—

I have vanished from sight!

For nobody ever sees Harlequin,

Happy-go-lucky Harlequin,

In flight …

(But never again with Columbine,

Never again with you.

For with all the craft of my magic art

I never guessed what she loved the best

Was the song of a human heart …

I gave her the earth, and the stars above,

And she bartered them all for a song of love!

A song that I never knew …

So Columbine

Will never be mine,

Will never again be mine …)

I pass

With a call and a cry

And a taunt so gay,

Like the flash of a dart

I speed on my way!

In a hush, with the rush

Of my magic art!

And I cannot die,

I must play my part …

For never a soul has Harlequin,

Happy-go-lucky Harlequin,

Only a broken heart …

 

I
AM
Pierrot, simple Pierrot, singing to the moon

Loving, longing, craving, crying,

Ever seeking, ever sighing,

Through the night to noon.

I am he all lovers know!

Wandering through the world I go

In search of Columbine …

I am Pierrot, lovelorn Pierrot, seeking Columbine!

As I see her in my dreaming,

She is fair beyond all seeming,

Gentle and divine …

And I wander through life's ways,

Living lonely all my days,

For love of Columbine!

Pierrette calls me, laughing Pierrette, with a merry cry:

“Pierrot! here is love and laughter!

Take no heed for what comes after,

Put your moon dreams by!

Come and dance! The world is wide!

You'll forget you ever sighed

For love of Columbine!”

I am Pierrot, wand'ring Pierrot, passing on my way.

Though my love be never told her,

Though my arms shall never hold her,

I am hers alway.

Every lover knows my cry!

I go singing till I die

For love of Columbine …

 

P
IERRETTE
dancing on the green

Merrily, so merrily!

Curls of gold, and smile so sweet,

And her eyes

Are blue as skies

The bluest ever seen!

Oh! never a care has gay Pierrette!

Only a pair of dancing feet,

Dancing on the green.

“Pierrot, come and dance with me

Merrily, so merrily!

Must you ever sigh and seek?

Columbine

May be divine,

Yours she'll never be!

But ever a smile has gay Pierrette,

Rosebud mouth and a dimpled cheek!

Come and dance with me.”

Pierrette dancing far and near

Daintily, so daintily!

If we never more should meet,

Would your eyes

As blue as skies

Shed a single tear?

Oh! never a heart has gay Pierrette!

Only a pair of dancing feet,

Dancing far and near.

“Handsome Pierrot, go your way

Wearily, so wearily!

Sing of dove-eyed Columbine,

Tears I leave

For her to grieve,

I go ever gay!

Oh! many a swain has fair Pierrette!

Many a foot to follow mine!

Pierrot! Go your way.”

Pierrette dancing on the green

Merrily, so merrily!

Curls of gold, and smile so sweet,

And her eyes

Are blue as skies

The bluest ever seen!

Oh! never a care has gay Pierrette!

Only a pair of dancing feet,

Dancing on the green.

 

P
IERROT
singing to the moon

For love of me …

And his singing

Goes on ringing,

Softly clinging

To my heart …

Harlequin! Your magic art,

Reaching to the skies above,

Circling round the world so free,

Never made a song of love …

A song of love for me …

Pierrot singing to the moon

“Alack is me!”

And his breaking

Heart is making,

Softly waking

Love unknown …

Harlequin! Go on alone.

I will lead a mortal life,

Toil and spin in poverty.

Come now, Sorrow, Pain and Strife,

And Pierrot's love for me.

Pierrot singing to the moon

For love of me …

Ages welling

Find me dwelling,

Ne'er rebelling,

By his fire.

Harlequin! by my desire

I have won a soul at last.

I forget when I was free,

I forget the days long past

Ere Pierrot sang to me …

 

O
NCE
upon a time, they say,

(Listen how it chanced,)

Punchinello pulled the strings

And Pulcinella danced!

All the world's a puppet show,

(Queen of Puppets, I!)

Silk and satin is my wear,

See my richly braided hair!

Bought and sold

For love of gold,

Queen of Puppets, I!

Long ago I had a heart, and sighed alas! alack!

(Pierrot, cease your singing, lest you bring remembrance back.)

Long ago I had a soul, innocent and wise,

(Columbine, oh, turn aside, I dare not meet your eyes.)

Long ago I laughed and danced, youthful on the green!

(Pierrette, stay your dancing, lest I mourn for what has been.)

For my heart is dead at last,

And my soul died in the past,

And my youth is dying fast …

Poor painted Pulcinella!

All the world's a puppet show,

(I, the Puppet Queen!)

Love I scorned and passed it by,

Rainbow-tinted fragile tie,

Gold I sought,

And gold I bought,

I, the Puppet Queen!

Once upon a time, they say,

(Listen how it chanced,)

Punchinello pulled the string,

The olden string,

The golden string,

And Pulcinella danced!

 

C
OLUMBINE
sits by my fire!

She is mine! She is mine!

Columbine!

Can a lover's heart, then, never

Rest content, but must it ever

Still go caring, grieving, fearing …

Tremble with delight and dread

Lest some day I find her fled …?

Watch her, when the fire burns low,

Start up with a sudden cry!

(Well, I know what she is hearing,

Harlequin is passing by …)

Lightning flashes up above!

(Memories waken in her eyes,

Memories I do not know)

And the love-light slowly dies …

Harlequin can hold her so!

Harlequin has every art!

Pierrot but his longing heart …

And his song of love!

Courage, Pierrot, courage yet!