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diff --git a/old/ldsss10.txt b/old/ldsss10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0555efd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ldsss10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7661 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Old Spookses' Pass, by Isabella Valancy Crawford + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Old Spookses' Pass + +Author: Isabella Valancy Crawford + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6815] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 27, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD SPOOKSES' PASS *** + + + + +Produced by Vital Debroey, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. +This file was produced from images generously made available +by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + + + + +OLD SPOOKSES' PASS +MALCOLM'S KATIE, AND OTHER POEMS, + +BY + +ISABELLA VALANCY CRAWFORD. + +AUTHOR OF +A LITTLE BACCHANTE, OR SOME BLACK SHEEP, ETC., ETC., ETC. + + + +TO JOHN IRWIN CRAWFORD, ESQ., M. D., R. N. +THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED +BY HIS NIECE ISABELLA VALANCY CRAWFORD. + + + + +OLD SPOOKSES' PASS. + + +I. + +We'd camp'd that night on Yaller Bull Flat-- + Thar was Possum Billy, an' Tom, an' me. +Right smart at throwin' a lariat + Was them two fellers, as ever I see; +An' for ridin' a broncho, or argyin' squar + With the devil roll'd up in the hide of a mule, +Them two fellers that camp'd with me thar + Would hev made an' or'nary feller a fool. + + +II. + +Fur argyfyin' in any way, + Thet hed to be argy'd with sinew an' bone, +I never see'd fellers could argy like them; + But just right har I will hev to own +Thet whar brains come in in the game of life, + They held the poorest keerds in the lot; +An' when hands was shown, some other chap + Rak'd in the hull of the blam'd old pot! + + +III. + +We was short of hands, the herd was large, + An' watch an' watch we divided the night; +We could hear the coyotes howl an' whine, + But the darn'd critters kept out of sight +Of the camp-fire blazin'; an' now an' then + Thar come a rustle an' sort of rush, +A rattle a-sneakin' away from the blaze, + Thro' the rattlin', cracklin' grey sage bush. + + +IV. + +We'd chanc'd that night on a pootyish lot, + With a tol'ble show of tall, sweet grass-- +We was takin' Speredo's drove across + The Rockies, by way of "Old Spookses' Pass"-- +An' a mite of a creek went crinklin' down, + Like a "pocket" bust in the rocks overhead, +Consid'able shrunk, by the summer drought, + To a silver streak in its gravelly bed. + + +V. + +'Twas a fairish spot fur to camp a' night; + An' chipper I felt, tho' sort of skeer'd +That them two cowboys with only me, + Couldn't boss three thousand head of a herd. +I took the fust of the watch myself; + An' as the red sun down the mountains sprang, +I roll'd a fresh quid, an' got on the back + Of my peart leetle chunk of a tough mustang. + + +VI. + +An' Possum Billy was sleepin' sound, + Es only a cowboy knows how to sleep; +An' Tommy's snores would hev made a old + Buffalo bull feel kind o' cheap. +Wal, pard, I reckin' thar's no sech time + For dwind'lin' a chap in his own conceit, +Es when them mountains an' awful stars, + Jest hark to the tramp of his mustang's feet. + + +VII. + +It 'pears to me that them solemn hills + Beckin' them stars so big an' calm, +An' whisper, "Make tracks this way, my friends, + We've ring'd in here a specimen man; +He's here alone, so we'll take a look + Thro' his ganzy an' vest, an' his blood an' bone, +An post ourselves as to whether his heart + Is _flesh_, or a rotten, made-up stone!" + + +VIII. + +An' it's often seemed, on a midnight watch, + When the mountains blacken'd the dry, brown sod, +That a chap, if he shut his eyes, might grip + The great kind hand of his Father-God. +I rode round the herd at a sort of walk-- + The shadders come stealin' thick an' black; +I'd jest got to leave tew that thar chunk + Of a mustang tew keep in the proper track. + + +IX. + +Ever see'd a herd ring'd in at night? + Wal, it's sort of cur'us,--the watchin' sky, +The howl of coyotes--a great black mass, + With thar an' thar the gleam of a eye +An' the white of a horn--an', now an' then, + An' old bull liftin' his shaggy head, +With a beller like a broke-up thunder growl-- + An' the summer lightnin', quick an' red, + + +X. + +Twistin' an' turnin' amid the stars, + Silent as snakes at play in the grass, +An' plungin' thar fangs in the bare old skulls + Of the mountains, frownin' above the Pass. +An' all so still, that the leetle creek, + Twinklin' an crinklin' from stone to stone, +Grows louder an' louder, an' fills the air + With a cur'us sort of a singin' tone. +It ain't no matter wharever ye be, + (I'll 'low it's a cur'us sort of case) +Whar thar's runnin' water, it's sure to speak + Of folks tew home an' the old home place; + + +XI. + +An' yer bound tew listen an' hear it talk, + Es yer mustang crunches the dry, bald sod; +Fur I reckin' the hills, an' stars, an' creek + Are all of 'em preachers sent by God. +An' them mountains talk tew a chap this way: + "Climb, if ye can, ye degenerate cuss!" +An' the stars smile down on a man, an say, + "Come higher, poor critter, come up tew us!" + + +XII. + +An' I reckin', pard, thar is One above + The highest old star that a chap can see, +An' He says, in a solid, etarnal way, + "Ye never can stop till ye get to ME!" +Good fur Him, tew! fur I calculate + HE ain't the One to dodge an' tew shirk, +Or waste a mite of the things He's made, + Or knock off till He's finished His great Day's work! + + +XIII. + +We've got to labor an' strain an' snort + Along thet road thet He's planned an' made; +Don't matter a mite He's cut His line + Tew run over a 'tarnal, tough up-grade; +An' if some poor sinner ain't built tew hold + Es big a head of steam es the next, +An' keeps slippin' an' slidin' 'way down hill, + Why, He don't make out that He's awful vex'd. + + +XIV. + +Fur He knows He made Him in that thar way, + Somewhars tew fit In His own great plan, +An' He ain't the Bein' tew pour His wrath + On the head of thet slimpsy an' slippery man, +An' He says tew the feller, "Look here, my son, + You're the worst hard case that ever I see, +But be thet it takes ye a million y'ars, + Ye never can stop till ye git tew ME!" + + +XV. + +Them's my idees es I pann'd them out; + Don't take no stock in them creeds that say, +Thar's a chap with horns thet's took control + Of the rollin' stock on thet up-grade way, +Thet's free to tote up es ugly a log + Es grows in his big bush grim an' black, +An' slyly put it across the rails, + Tew hist a poor critter clar off the track. + + +XVI. + +An' when he's pooty well busted an' smash'd, + The devil comes smilin' an' bowin' round, +Says tew the Maker, "Guess ye don't keer + Tew trouble with stock thet ain't parfactly sound; +Lemme tote him away--best ye can do-- + Neglected, I guess, tew build him with care; +I'll hide him in hell--better thet folks + Shouldn't see him laid up on the track for repair!" + + +XVII. + +Don't take no stock in them creeds at all; + Ain't one of them cur'us sort of moles +Thet think the Maker is bound to let + The devil git up a "corner" in souls. +Ye think I've put up a biggish stake? + Wal, I'll bet fur all I'm wuth, d'ye see? +He ain't wuth shucks thet won't dar tew lay + All his pile on his own idee! + + +XVIII. + +Ye bet yer boots I am safe tew win, + Es the chap thet's able tew smilin' smack +The ace he's been hidin' up his sleeve + Kerslap on top of a feller's jack! +Es I wus sayin', the night wus dark, + The lightnin' skippin' from star to star; +Thar wa'n't no clouds but a thread of mist, + No sound but the coyotes yell afar, + + +XIX. + +An' the noise of the creek as it called tew me, + "Pard, don't ye mind the mossy, green spot +Whar a creek stood still fur a drowzin' spell + Right in the midst of the old home lot? +Whar, right at sundown on Sabba'day, + Ye skinn'd yerself of yer meetin' clothes, +An dove, like a duck, whar the water clar + Shone up like glass through the lily-blows? + + +XX. + +"Yer soul wus white es yer skin them days, + Yer eyes es clar es the creek at rest; +The wust idee in yer head thet time + Wus robbin' a bluebird's swingin' nest. +Now ain't ye changed? declar fur it, pard; + Thet creek would question, it 'pears tew me, +Ef ye looked in its waters agin tew night, + 'Who may this old cuss of a sinner be?'" + + +XXI. + +Thet wus the style thet thet thar creek + In "Old Spookses' Pass," in the Rockies, talked; +Drowzily list'nin' I rode round the herd. + When all of a sudden the mustang balked, +An' shied with a snort; I never know'd + Thet tough leetle critter tew show a scare +In storm or dark; but he jest scrouch'd down, + With his nostrils snuffin' the damp, cool air, + + +XXII. + +An' his flanks a-quiver. Shook up? Wal, yes + Guess'd we hev heaps of tarnation fun; +I calculated quicker'n light + That the herd would be off on a healthy run. +But thar warn't a stir tew horn or hoof; + The herd, like a great black mist, lay spread, +While har an' thar a grazin' bull + Loom'd up, like a mighty "thunder head." + + +XXIII. + +I riz in my saddle an' star'd around-- + On the mustang's neck I felt the sweat; +Thar wus nuthin' tew see--sort of felt the har + Commencin' tew crawl on my scalp, ye bet! +Felt kind of cur'us--own up I did; + Felt sort of dry in my mouth an' throat. +Sez I, "Ye ain't goin' tew scare, old hoss, + At a prowlin' coss of a blamed coyote?" + + +XXIV. + +But 'twan't no coyote nor prowlin' beast. + Nor rattle a-wrigglin' through the grass, +Nor a lurkin' red-skin--'twan't my way + In a game like that to sing out, "I pass!" +But I know'd when I glimps'd the rollin' whites, + The sparks from the black of the mustang's eye, +Thar wus _somethin'_ waltzin' up thet way + Thet would send them critters off on the fly! + + +XXV. + +In the night-air's tremblin', shakin' hands + Felt it beatin' kerslap onto me, +Like them waves thet chas'd thet President chap + Thet went on the war-trail in old Judee. +The air wus bustin'--but silent es death; + An' lookin' up, in a second I seed +The sort of sky thet allers looks down + On the rush an' the roar of a night stampede. + + +XXVI. + +Tearin' along the indigo sky + Wus a drove of clouds, snarl'd an' black; +Scuddin' along to'ards the risin' moon, + Like the sweep of a darn'd hungry pack +Of preairie wolves to'ard a bufferler, + The heft of the herd, left out of sight; +I dror'd my breath right hard, fur I know'd + We wus in fur a'tarnal run thet night. + + +XXVII. + +Quiet? Ye bet! The mustang scrounch'd, + His neck stretch'd out an' his nostrils wide, +The moonshine swept, a white river down, + The black of the mighty mountain's side, +Lappin' over an' over the stuns an' brush + In whirls an' swirls of leapin' light, +Makin' straight fur the herd, whar black an' still, + It stretch'd away to the left an' right + + +XXVIII. + +On the level lot;--I tell ye, pard, + I know'd when it touch'd the first black hide, +Me an' the mustang would hev a show + Fur a breezy bit of an' evenin' ride! +One! it flow'd over a homely pine + Thet riz from a cranny, lean an' lank, +A cleft of the mountain;--reckinin' two, + It slapp'd onto an' old steer's heavin' flank, + + +XXIX. + +Es sound he slept on the skirt of the herd, + Dreamin' his dreams of the sweet blue grass +On the plains below; an' afore it touched + The other wall of "Old Spookses' Pass" +The herd wus up!--not one at a time, + _Thet_ ain't the style in a midnight run,-- +They wus up an' off like es all thair minds + Wus roll'd in the hide of only one! + + +XXX. + +I've fit in a battle, an' heerd the guns + Blasphemin' God with their devils' yell; +Heerd the stuns of a fort like thunder crash + In front of the scream of a red-hot shell; +But thet thar poundin' of iron hoofs, + The clatter of horns, the peltin' sweep +Of three thousand head of a runnin' herd, + Made all of them noises kind of cheap. + + +XXXI. + +The Pass jest open'd its giant throat + An' its lips of granite, an' let a roar +Of answerin' echoes; the mustang buck'd, + Then answer'd the bridle; an', pard, afore +The twink of a fire-bug, lifted his legs + Over stuns an' brush, like a lopin' deer-- +A smart leetle critter! An' thar wus I + 'Longside of the plungin' leadin' steer! + + +XXXII. + +A low-set critter, not much account + For heft or looks, but one of them sort +Thet kin fetch a herd at his darn'd heels + With a toss of his horns or a mite of a snort, +Fur a fight or a run; an' thar wus I, + Pressin' clus to the steel of his heavin' flank, +An' cussin' an' shoutin'--while overhead + The moon in the black clouds tremblin' sank, + + +XXXIII. + +Like a bufferler overtook by the wolves, + An' pull'd tew the ground by the scuddin' pack. +The herd rush'd oh with a din an' crash, + Dim es a shadder, vast an' black; +Couldn't tell ef a hide wus black or white, + But from the dim surges a-roarin' by +Bust long red flashes--the flamin' light + From some old steer's furious an' scareful eye. + + +XXXIV. + +Thet pass in the Rockies fairly roar'd; + An sudden' es winkin' came the bang +An rattle of thunder. Tew see the grit + Of thet peart little chunk of a tough mustang! +Not a buck nor a shy!--he gev a snort + Thet shook the foam on his steamin' hide, +An' leap'd along--Wal, pard, ye bet + I'd a healthy show fur a lively ride. + + +XXXV. + +An' them cowboys slept in the leetle camp, + Calm es three kids in a truckle bed; +Declar the crash wus enough tew put + Life in the dust of the sleepin' dead! +The thunder kept droppin' its awful shells, + One at a minute, on mountain an' rock: +The pass with its stone lips thunder'd back; + An' the rush an' roar an' whirlin' shock +Of the runnin' herd wus fit tew bust + A tenderfoot's heart hed he chanc'd along; +But I jest let out of my lungs an' throat + A rippin' old verse of a herdsman's song, + + +XXXVI. + +An' sidl'd the mustang closer up, + 'Longside of the leader, an' hit him flat +On his steamin' flank with a lightsome stroke + Of the end of my limber lariat; +He never swerv'd, an' we thunder'd on, + Black in the blackness, red in the red +Of the lightnin' blazin' with ev'ry clap + That bust from the black guns overhead! + + +XXXVII. + +The mustang wus shod, an' the lightnin' bit + At his iron shoes each step he run, +Then plung'd in the yearth--we rode in flame, + Fur the flashes roll'd inter only one, +Same es the bellers made one big roar; + Yet thro' the whirl of din an' flame +I sung an' shouted, an' call'd the steer + I sidl'd agin by his own front name, + + +XXXVIII. + +An' struck his side with my fist an' foot-- + 'Twas jest like hittin' a rushin' stone, +An' he thunder'd ahead--I couldn't boss + The critter a mossel, I'm free tew own. +The sweat come a-pourin' down my beard; + Ef ye wonder wharfor, jest ye spread +Yerself far a ride with a runnin' herd, + A yawnin' gulch half a mile ahead. + + +XXXIX. + +Three hundred foot from its grinnin' lips + Tew the roarin' stream on its stones below. +Once more I hurl'd the mustang up + Agin the side of the cuss call'd Joe; +Twan't a mite of use--he riz his heels + Up in the air, like a scuddin' colt; +The herd mass'd closer, an' hurl'd down + The roarin' Pass, like a thunderbolt. + + +XL. + +I couldn't rein off--seem'd swept along + In the rush an' roar an' thunderin' crash; +The lightnin' struck at the runnin' herd + With a crack like the stroke of a cowboy's lash. +Thar! I could see it; I tell ye, pard, + Things seem'd whittl'd down sort of fine-- +We wasn't five hundred feet from the gulch, + With its mean little fringe of scrubby pine. + + +XLI. + +What could stop us? I grit my teeth; + Think I pray'd--ain't sartin of thet; +When, whizzin' an' singin', thar came the rush + Right past my face of a lariat! +"Bully fur you, old pard!" I roar'd, + Es it whizz'd roun' the leader's steamin' chest, +An' I wheel'd the mustang fur all he was wuth + Kerslap on the side of the old steer's breast. + + +XLII. + +He gev a snort, an' I see him swerve-- + I foller'd his shoulder clus an' tight; +Another swerve, an' the herd begun + To swing around.--Shouts I, "All right +"Ye've fetch'd 'em now!" The mustang gave + A small, leettle whinney. I felt him flinch. +Sez I, "Ye ain't goin' tew weaken now, + Old feller, an' me in this darn'd pinch?" + + +XLIII. + +"No," sez he, with his small, prickin' ears, + Plain es a human could speak; an' me-- +I turn'd my head tew glimpse ef I could, + Who might the chap with the lariat be. +Wal, Pard, I weaken'd--ye bet yer life! + Thar wasn't a human in sight around, +But right in front of me come the beat + Of a hoss's hoofs on the tremblin' ground-- + + +XLIV. + +Steddy an' heavy--a slingin' lope; + A hefty critter with biggish bones +Might make jest sich--could hear the hoofs + Es they struck on the rattlin', rollin' stones-- +The jingle of bit--an' clar an' shrill + A whistle es ever left cowboy's lip, +An' cuttin' the air, the long, fine hiss + Of the whirlin' lash of a cowboy's whip. + + +XLV. + +I crowded the mustang back, ontil + He riz on his haunches--an' I sed, +"In the Maker's name, who may ye be?" + Sez a vice, "Old feller, jest ride ahead!" +"All right!" sez I, an' I shook the rein. + "Ye've turn'd the herd in a hansum style-- +Whoever ye be, I'll not back down!" + An' I didn't, neither,--ye bet yer pile! + + +XLVI. + +Clus on the heels of that unseen hoss, + I rode on the side of the turnin' herd, +An' once in a while I answer'd back + A shout or a whistle or cheerin' word-- +From lips no lightnin' was strong tew show. + 'Twas sort of scareful, that midnight ride; +But we'd got our backs tew the gulch--fur that + I'd hev foller'd a curiouser sort of guide! + + +XLVII. + +'Twas kind of scareful tew watch the herd, + Es the plungin' leaders squirm'd an' shrank-- +Es I heerd the flick of the unseen lash + Hiss on the side of a steamin' flank. +Guess the feller was smart at the work! + We work'd them leaders round, ontil +They overtook the tail of the herd, + An' the hull of the crowd begun tew "mill." + + +XLVIII. + +Round spun the herd in a great black wheel, + Slower an' slower--ye've seen beneath +A biggish torrent a whirlpool spin, + Its waters black es the face of Death? +'Pear'd sort of like that the "millin'" herd + We kept by the leaders--HIM and me, +Neck by neck, an' he sung a tune, + About a young gal, nam'd Betsey Lee! + + +XLIX. + +Jine in the chorus? Wal, yas, I did. + He sung like a regilar mockin' bird. +An' us cowboys allus sing out ef tew calm + The scare, ef we can, of a runnin' herd. +Slower an' slower wheel'd round the "mill"; + The maddest old steer of a leader slow'd; +Slower an' slower sounded the hoofs + Of the hoss that HIM in front of me rode. + + +L. + +Fainter an' fainter grow'd that thar song + Of Betsey Lee an' her har of gold; +Fainter an' fainter grew the sound + Of the unseen hoofs on the tore-up mold. +The leadin' steer, that cuss of a Joe + Stopp'd an' shook off the foam an' the sweat, +With a stamp and a beller--the run was done, + Wus glad of it, tew, yer free tew bet! + + +LI. + +The herd slow'd up;--an' stood in a mass + Of blackness, lit by the lightnin's eye: +An' the mustang cower'd es _something_ swept + Clus to his wet flank in passin' by. +"Good night tew ye, Pard!" "Good night," sez I, + Strainin' my sight on the empty air; +The har riz rustlin' up on my head, + Now that I hed time tew scare. + + +LII. + +The mustang flinch'd till his saddle girth + Scrap'd on the dust of the tremblin' ground-- +There cum a laugh--the crack of a whip, + A whine like the cry of a well pleas'd hound, +The noise of a hoss thet rear'd an' sprang + At the touch of a spur--then all was still; +But the sound of the thunder dyin' down + On the stony breast of the highest hill! + + +LIII. + +The herd went back to its rest an' feed, + Es quiet a crowd es ever wore hide; +An' them boys in camp never heerd a lisp + Of the thunder an' crash of that run an' ride. +An' I'll never forget, while a wild cat claws, + Or a cow loves a nibble of sweet blue grass, +The cur'us pardner that rode with me + In the night stampede in "Old Spookses Pass!" + + + + +THE HELOT. + + +I. + +Low the sun beat on the land, + Red on vine and plain and wood; +With the wine-cup in his hand, + Vast the Helot herdsman stood. + + +II. + +Quench'd the fierce Achean gaze, + Dorian foemen paus'd before, +Where cold Sparta snatch'd her bays + At Achaea's stubborn door. + + +III. + +Still with thews of iron bound, + Vastly the Achean rose, +Godward from the brazen ground, + High before his Spartan foes. + + +IV. + +Still the strength his fathers knew + (Dauntless when the foe they fac'd) +Vein and muscle bounded through, + Tense his Helot sinews brac'd. + + +V. + +Still the constant womb of Earth, + Blindly moulded all her part; +As, when to a lordly birth, + Achean freemen left her heart. + + +VI. + +Still, insensate mother, bore + Goodly sons for Helot graves; +Iron necks that meekly wore + Sparta's yoke as Sparta's slaves. + + +VII. + +Still, O God mock'd mother! she + Smil'd upon her sons of clay: +Nurs'd them on her breast and knee, + Shameless in the shameful day. + + +VIII. + +Knew not old Achea's fires + Burnt no more in souls or veins-- +Godlike hosts of high desires + Died to clank of Spartan chains. + + +IX. + +Low the sun beat on the land, + Purple slope and olive wood; +With the wine cup in his hand, + Vast the Helot herdsman stood. + + +X. + +As long, gnarl'd roots enclasp + Some red boulder, fierce entwine +His strong fingers, in their grasp + Bowl of bright Caecuban wine. + + +XI. + +From far Marsh of Amyclae, + Sentried by lank poplars tall-- +Thro' the red slant of the day, + Shrill pipes did lament and call. + + +XII. + +Pierc'd the swaying air sharp pines, + Thyrsi-like, the gilded ground +Clasp'd black shadows of brown vines, + Swallows beat their mystic round. + + +XIII. + +Day was at her high unrest; + Fever'd with the wine of light, +Loosing all her golden vest, + Reel'd she towards the coming night. + + +XIV. + +Fierce and full her pulses beat; + Bacchic throbs the dry earth shook; +Stirr'd the hot air wild and sweet; + Madden'd ev'ry vine-dark brook. + + +XV. + +Had a red grape never burst, + All its heart of fire out; +To the red vat all a thirst, + To the treader's song and shout: + + +XVI. + +Had the red grape died a grape; + Nor, sleek daughter of the vine, +Found her unknown soul take shape + In the wild flow of the wine: + + +XVII. + +Still had reel'd the yellow haze: + Still had puls'd the sun pierc'd sod +Still had throbb'd the vine clad days: + To the pulses of their God. + + +XVIII. + +Fierce the dry lips of the earth + Quaff'd the subtle Bacchic soul: +Felt its rage and felt its mirth, + Wreath'd as for the banquet bowl. + + +XIX. + +Sapphire-breasted Bacchic priest + Stood the sky above the lands; +Sun and Moon at East and West, + Brazen cymbals in his hands. + +XX. + +Temples, altars, smote no more, + Sharply white as brows of Gods: +From the long, sleek, yellow shore, + Oliv'd hill or dusky sod, + + +XXI. + +Gaz'd the anger'd Gods, while he, + Bacchus, made their temples his; +Flushed their marble silently + With the red light of his kiss. + + +XXII. + +Red the arches of his feet + Spann'd grape-gleaming vales; the earth +Reel'd from grove to marble street, + Mad with echoes of his mirth. + + +XXIII. + +Nostrils widen'd to the air, + As above the wine brimm'd bowl: +Men and women everywhere + Breath'd the fierce, sweet Bacchic soul. + + +XXIV. + +Flow'd the vat and roar'd the beam, + Laugh'd the must; while far and shrill, +Sweet as notes in Pan-born dream, + Loud pipes sang by vale and hill. + + +XXV. + +Earth was full of mad unrest, + While red Bacchus held his state; +And her brown vine-girdl'd breast + Shook to his wild joy and hate. + + +XXVI. + +Strife crouch'd red ey'd in the vine + In its tendrils Eros strayed; +Anger rode upon the wine; + Laughter on the cup-lip play'd. + + +XXVII. + +Day was at her chief unrest-- + Red the light on plain and wood +Slavish ey'd and still of breast, + Vast the Helot herdsman stood: + + +XXVIII. + +Wide his hairy nostrils blew, + Maddning incense breathing up; +Oak to iron sinews grew, + Round the rich Caecuban cup. + + +XXIX. + +"Drink, dull slave!" the Spartan said, + "Drink, until the Helot clod +"Feel within him subtly bred + "Kinship to the drunken God! + + +XXX. + +"Drink, until the leaden blood + "Stirs and beats about thy brain: +"Till the hot Caecuban flood + "Drown the iron of thy chain. + + +XXXI. + +"Drink, till even madness flies + "At the nimble wine's pursuit; +"Till the God within thee lies + "Trampled by the earth-born brute. + + +XXXII. + +"Helot drink--nor spare the wine; + "Drain the deep, the madd'ning bowl, +"Flesh and sinews, slave, are mine, + "Now I claim thy Helot soul. + + +XXXIII. + +"Gods! ye love our Sparta; ye + "Gave with vine that leaps and runs +"O'er her slopes, these slaves to be + "Mocks and warnings to her sons! + + +XXXIV. + +"Thou, my Hermos, turn thy eyes, + "(God-touch'd still their frank, bold blue) +"On the Helot--mark the rise + "Of the Bacchic riot through + + +XXXV. + +"Knotted vein, and surging breast: + "Mark the wild, insensate, mirth: +"God-ward boast--the driv'ling jest, + "Till he grovel to the earth. + + +XXXVI. + +"Drink, dull slave," the Spartan cried: + Meek the Helot touch'd the brim; +Scented all the purple tide: + Drew the Bacchic soul to him. + + +XXXVII. + +Cold the thin lipp'd Spartan smiled: + Couch'd beneath the weighted vine, +Large-ey'd, gaz'd the Spartan child, + On the Helot and the wine. + + +XXXVIII. + +Rose pale Doric shafts behind, + Stern and strong, and thro' and thro', +Weaving with the grape-breath'd wind, + Restless swallows call'd and flew. + + +XXXIX. + +Dropp'd the rose-flush'd doves and hung, + On the fountains murmuring brims; +To the bronz'd vine Hermos clung-- + Silver-like his naked limbs + + +XL. + +Flash'd and flush'd: rich copper'd leaves, + Whiten'd by his ruddy hair; +Pallid as the marble eaves, + Aw'd he met the Helot's stare. + + +XLI. + +Clang'd the brazen goblet down; + Marble-bred loud echoes stirr'd: +With fix'd fingers, knotted, brown, + Dumb, the Helot grasp'd his beard. + + +XLII. + +Heard the far pipes mad and sweet. + All the ruddy hazes thrill: +Heard the loud beam crash and beat, + In the red vat on the hill. + + +XLIII. + +Wide his nostrils as a stag's + Drew the hot wind's fiery bliss; +Red his lips as river flags, + From the strong, Caecuban kiss. + + +XLIV. + +On his swarthy temples grew, + Purple veins like cluster'd grapes; +Past his rolling pupils blew, + Wine-born, fierce, lascivious shapes. + + +XLV. + +Cold the haughty Spartan smiled-- + His the power to knit that day, +Bacchic fires, insensate, wild, + To the grand Achean clay. + + +XLVI. + +His the might--hence his the right! + Who should bid him pause? nor Fate +Warning pass'd before his sight, + Dark-robed and articulate. + + +XLVII. + +No black omens on his eyes, + Sinistre--God-sent, darkly broke; +Nor from ruddy earth nor skies, + Portends to him mutely spoke. + + +XLVIII. + +"Lo," he said, "he maddens now! + "Flames divine do scathe the clod; +"Round his reeling Helot brow + "Stings the garland of the God." + + +XLIX. + +"Mark, my Hermos--turn to steel + The soft tendons of thy soul! +Watch the God beneath the heel + Of the strong brute swooning roll! + + +L. + +"Shame, my Hermos! honey-dew + Breeds not on the Spartan spear; +Steel thy mother-eyes of blue, + Blush to death that weakling tear. + + +LI. + +"Nay, behold! breed Spartan scorn + Of the red lust of the wine; +Watch the God himself down-borne + By the brutish rush of swine! + + +LII. + +"Lo, the magic of the drink! + At the nimble wine's pursuit, +See the man-half'd satyr sink + All the human in the brute! + + +LIII. + +"Lo, the magic of the cup! + Watch the frothing Helot rave! +As great buildings labour up + From the corpse of slaughter'd slave, + + +LIV. + +"Build the Spartan virtue high + From the Helot's wine-dead soul; +Scorn the wild, hot flames that fly + From the purple-hearted bowl! + + +LV. + +"Helot clay! Gods! what its worth, + Balanc'd with proud Sparta's rock? +Ours--its force to till the earth; + Ours--its soul to gyve and mock! + + +LVI. + +"Ours, its sullen might. Ye Gods! + Vastly build the Achean clay; +Iron-breast our slavish clods-- + _Ours_ their Helot souls to slay! + + +LVII. + +"Knit great thews--smite sinews vast + Into steel--build Helot bones +Iron-marrowed:--such will last + Ground by ruthless Sparta's stones. + + +LVIII. + +"Crown the strong brute satyr wise! + Narrow-wall his Helot brain; +Dash the soul from breast and eyes, + Lash him toward the earth again. + + +LIX. + +"Make a giant for our need, + Weak to feel and strong to toil; +Dully-wise to dig or bleed + On proud Sparta's alien soil! + + +LX. + +"Gods! recall thy spark at birth, + Lit his soul with high desire; +Blend him, grind him with the earth, + Tread out old Achea's fire! + + +LXI. + +"Lo, my Hermos! laugh and mark, + See the swift mock of the wine; +Faints the primal, God-born spark, + Trodden by the rush of swine! + + +LXII. + +"Gods! ye love our Sparta--ye + Gave with vine that leaps and runs +O'er her slopes, these slaves to be + Mocks and warnings to her sons!" + + +LXIII. + +Cold the haughty Spartan smil'd. + Madd'ning from the purple hills +Sang the far pipes, sweet and wild. + Red as sun-pierc'd daffodils + + +LXIV. + +Neck-curv'd, serpent, silent, scaled + With lock'd rainbows, stole the sea; +On the sleek, long beaches; wail'd + Doves from column and from tree. + + +LXV. + +Reel'd the mote swarm'd haze, and thick + Beat the hot pulse of the air; +In the Helot, fierce and quick, + All his soul sprang from its lair. + + +LXVI. + +As the drowzing tiger, deep + In the dim cell, hears the shout +From the arena--from his sleep + Launches to its thunders out-- + + +LXVII. + +So to fierce calls of the wine + (Strong the red Caecuban bowl!) +From its slumber, deep, supine, + Panted up the Helot soul. + + +LXVIII. + +At his blood-flush'd eye-balls rear'd, + (Mad and sweet came pipes and songs), +Rous'd at last the wild soul glar'd, + Spear-thrust with a million wrongs. + + +LXIX. + +Past--the primal, senseless bliss; + Past--red laughter of the grapes; +Past--the wine's first honey'd kiss; + Past--the wine-born, wanton shapes! + + +LXX. + +Still the Helot stands--his feet + Set like oak roots: in his gaze +Black clouds roll and lightnings meet-- + Flames from old Achean days. + + +LXXI. + +Who may quench the God-born fire, + Pulsing at the soul's deep root? +Tyrants! grind it in the mire, + Lo, it vivifies the brute! + + +LXXII. + +Stings the chain-embruted clay, + Senseless to his yoke-bound shame; +Goads him on to rend and slay, + Knowing not the spurring flame. + + +LXXIII. + +Tyrants, changeless stand the Gods! + Nor their calm might yielded ye! +Not beneath thy chains and rods + Dies man's God-gift, Liberty! + + +LXXIV. + +Bruteward lash thy Helots--hold + Brain and soul and clay in gyves; +Coin their blood and sweat in gold, + Build thy cities on their lives. + + +LXXV. + +Comes a day the spark divine + Answers to the Gods who gave; +Fierce the hot flames pant and shine + In the bruis'd breast of the slave! + + +LXXVI. + +Changeless stand the Gods!--nor he + Knows he answers their behest; +Feels the might of their decree + In the blind rage of his breast. + + +LXXVII. + +Tyrants! tremble when ye tread + Down the servile Helot clods; +Under despot heel is bred + The white anger of the Gods! + + +LXXVIII. + +Thro' the shackle-canker'd dust, + Thro' the gyv'd soul, foul and dark +Force they, changeless Gods and just! + Up the bright eternal spark. + + +LXXIX. + +Till, like lightnings vast and fierce, + On the land its terror smites; +Till its flames the tyrants pierce, + Till the dust the despot bites! + + +LXXX. + +Day was at its chief unrest, + Stone from stone the Helot rose; +Fix'd his eyes--his naked breast + Iron-wall'd his inner throes. + + +LXXXI. + +Rose-white in the dusky leaves, + Shone the frank-ey'd Spartan child; +Low the pale doves on the eaves, + Made their soft moan, sweet and wild. + + +LXXXII. + +Wand'ring winds, fire-throated, stole, + Sybils whisp'ring from their books; +With the rush of wine from bowl, + Leap'd the tendril-darken'd brooks. + + +LXXXIII. + +As the leathern cestus binds + Tense the boxer's knotted hands; +So the strong wine round him winds, + Binds his thews to iron bands. + + +LXXXIV. + +Changeless are the Gods--and bred + All their wrath divine in him! +Bull-like fell his furious head, + Swell'd vast cords on breast and limb. + + +LXXXV. + +As loud-flaming stones are hurl'd + From foul craters--thus the gods +Cast their just wrath on the world, + From the mire of Helot clods. + + +LXXXVI. + +Still the furious Helot stood, + Staring thro' the shafted space; +Dry-lipp'd for the Spartan blood, + He of scourg'd Achea's race. + + +LXXXVII. + +Sprang the Helot--roar'd the vine, + Rent from grey, long-wedded stones-- +From pale shaft and dusky pine, + Beat the fury of his groans. + + +LXXXVIII. + +Thunders inarticulate: + Wordless curses, deep and wild; +Reach'd the long pois'd sword of Fate, + To the Spartan thro' his child. + + +LXXXIX. + +On his knotted hands, upflung + O'er his low'r'd front--all white, +Fair young Hermos quiv'ring hung; + As the discus flashes bright + + +XC. + +In the player's hand--the boy, + Naked--blossom-pallid lay; +Rous'd to lust of bloody joy, + Throbb'd the slave's embruted clay. + + +XCI. + +Loud he laugh'd--the father sprang + From the Spartan's iron mail! +Late--the bubbling death-cry rang + On the hot pulse of the gale! + + +XCII. + +As the shining discus flies, + From the thrower's strong hand whirl'd; +Hermos cleft the air--his cries + Lance-like to the Spartan hurl'd. + + +XCIII. + +As the discus smites the ground, + Smote his golden head the stone; +Of a tall shaft--burst a sound + And but one--his dying groan! + + +XCIV. + +Lo! the tyrant's iron might! + Lo! the Helot's yokes and chains! +Slave-slain in the throbbing light + Lay the sole child of his veins. + + +XCV. + +Laugh'd the Helot loud and full, + Gazing at his tyrant's face; +Low'r'd his front like captive bull, + Bellowing from the fields of Thrace. + + +XCVI. + +Rose the pale shaft redly flush'd, + Red with Bacchic light and blood; +On its stone the Helot rush'd-- + Stone the tyrant Spartan stood. + + +XCVII. + +Lo! the magic of the wine + From far marsh of Amyclae! +Bier'd upon the ruddy vine, + Spartan dust and Helot lay! + + +XCVIII. + +Spouse of Bacchus reel'd the day, + Red track'd on the throbbing sods; +Dead--but free--the Helot lay, + Just and changeless stand the Gods! + + + + +MALCOLM'S KATIE: A LOVE STORY + +PART I. + +Max plac'd a ring on little Katie's hand, +A silver ring that he had beaten out +From that same sacred coin--first well-priz'd wage +For boyish labour, kept thro' many years. +"See, Kate," he said, "I had no skill to shape +Two hearts fast bound together, so I grav'd +Just K. and M., for Katie and for Max." +"But, look; you've run the lines in such a way, +That M. is part of K., and K. of M.," +Said Katie, smiling. "Did you mean it thus? +I like it better than the double hearts." +"Well, well," he said, "but womankind is wise! +Yet tell me, dear, will such a prophecy +Not hurt you sometimes, when I am away? +Will you not seek, keen ey'd, for some small break +In those deep lines, to part the K. and M. +For you? Nay, Kate, look down amid the globes +Of those large lilies that our light canoe +Divides, and see within the polish'd pool +That small, rose face of yours,--so dear, so fair,-- +A seed of love to cleave into a rock, +And bourgeon thence until the granite splits +Before its subtle strength. I being gone-- +Poor soldier of the axe--to bloodless fields, +(Inglorious battles, whether lost or won). +That sixteen summer'd heart of yours may say: +"'I but was budding, and I did not know +My core was crimson and my perfume sweet; +I did not know how choice a thing I am; +I had not seen the sun, and blind I sway'd +To a strong wind, and thought because I sway'd, +'Twas to the wooer of the perfect rose-- +That strong, wild wind has swept beyond my ken-- +The breeze I love sighs thro' my ruddy leaves." +"O, words!" said Katie, blushing, "only words! +You build them up that I may push them down; +If hearts are flow'rs, I know that flow'rs can root-- +"Bud, blossom, die--all in the same lov'd soil; +They do so in my garden. I have made +Your heart my garden. If I am a bud +And only feel unfoldment--feebly stir +Within my leaves: wait patiently; some June, +I'll blush a full-blown rose, and queen it, dear, +In your lov'd garden. Tho' I be a bud, +My roots strike deep, and torn from that dear soil +Would shriek like mandrakes--those witch things I read +Of in your quaint old books. Are you content?" +"Yes--crescent-wise--but not to round, full moon. +Look at yon hill that rounds so gently up +From the wide lake; a lover king it looks, +In cloth of gold, gone from his bride and queen; +And yet delayed, because her silver locks +Catch in his gilded fringes; his shoulders sweep +Into blue distance, and his gracious crest, +Not held too high, is plum'd with maple groves;-- +One of your father's farms. A mighty man, +Self-hewn from rock, remaining rock through all." +"He loves me, Max," said Katie: "Yes, I know-- +A rock is cup to many a crystal spring. +Well, he is rich; those misty, peak-roof'd barns-- +Leviathans rising from red seas of grain-- +Are full of ingots, shaped like grains of wheat. +His flocks have golden fleeces, and his herds +Have monarchs worshipful, as was the calf +Aaron call'd from the furnace; and his ploughs, +Like Genii chained, snort o'er his mighty fields. +He has a voice in Council and in Church--" +"He work'd for all," said Katie, somewhat pain'd. +"Aye, so, dear love, he did; I heard him tell +How the first field upon his farm was ploughed. +He and his brother Reuben, stalwart lads, +Yok'd themselves, side by side, to the new plough; +Their weaker father, in the grey of life +(But rather the wan age of poverty +Than many winters), in large, gnarl'd hands +The plunging handles held; with mighty strains +They drew the ripping beak through knotted sod, +Thro' tortuous lanes of blacken'd, smoking stumps; +And past great flaming brush heaps, sending out +Fierce summers, beating on their swollen brows. +O, such a battle! had we heard of serfs +Driven to like hot conflict with the soil, +Armies had march'd and navies swiftly sail'd +To burst their gyves. But here's the little point-- +The polish'd di'mond pivot on which spins +The wheel of Difference--they OWN'D the rugged soil, +And fought for love--dear love of wealth and pow'r, +And honest ease and fair esteem of men; +One's blood heats at it!" "Yet you said such fields +Were all inglorious," Katie, wondering, said. +"Inglorious? yes; they make no promises +Of Star or Garter, or the thundering guns +That tell the earth her warriors are dead. +Inglorious! aye, the battle done and won +Means not--a throne propp'd up with bleaching bones; +A country sav'd with smoking seas of blood; +A flag torn from the foe with wounds and death; +Or Commerce, with her housewife foot upon +Colossal bridge of slaughter'd savages, +The Cross laid on her brawny shoulder, and +In one sly, mighty hand her reeking sword; +And in the other all the woven cheats +From her dishonest looms. Nay, none of these. +It means--four walls, perhaps a lowly roof; +Kine in a peaceful posture; modest fields; +A man and woman standing hand in hand +In hale old age, who, looking o'er the land, +Say: 'Thank the Lord, it all is mine and thine!' +It means, to such thew'd warriors of the Axe +As your own father;--well, it means, sweet Kate, +Outspreading circles of increasing gold, +A name of weight; one little daughter heir. +Who must not wed the owner of an axe, +Who owns naught else but some dim, dusky woods +In a far land; two arms indifferent strong--" +"And Katie's heart," said Katie, with a smile; +For yet she stood on that smooth, violet plain, +Where nothing shades the sun; nor quite believed +Those blue peaks closing in were aught but mist +Which the gay sun could scatter with a glance. +For Max, he late had touch'd their stones, but yet +He saw them seam'd with gold and precious ores, +Rich with hill flow'rs and musical with rills. +"Or that same bud that will be Katie's heart, +Against the time your deep, dim woods are clear'd, +And I have wrought my father to relent." +"How will you move him, sweet? why, he will rage +And fume and anger, striding o'er his fields, +Until the last bought king of herds lets down +His lordly front, and rumbling thunder from +His polish'd chest, returns his chiding tones. +How will you move him, Katie, tell me how?" +"I'll kiss him and keep still--that way is sure," +Said Katie, smiling. "I have often tried." +"God speed the kiss," said Max, and Katie sigh'd, +With pray'rful palms close seal'd, "God speed the axe!" + + * * * * * + + O, light canoe, where dost thou glide? + Below thee gleams no silver'd tide, + But concave heaven's chiefest pride. + + * * * * * + + Above thee burns Eve's rosy bar; + Below thee throbs her darling star; + Deep 'neath thy keel her round worlds are! + + * * * * * + + Above, below, O sweet surprise, + To gladden happy lover's eyes; + No earth, no wave--all jewell'd sides! + + * * * * * + + +PART II. + +The South Wind laid his moccasins aside, +Broke his gay calumet of flow'rs, and cast +His useless wampun, beaded with cool dews, +Far from him, northward; his long, ruddy spear +Flung sunward, whence it came, and his soft locks +Of warm, fine haze grew silver as the birch. +His wigwam of green leaves began to shake; +The crackling rice-beds scolded harsh like squaws: +The small ponds pouted up their silver lips; +The great lakes ey'd the mountains, whisper'd "Ugh!" +"Are ye so tall, O chiefs? Not taller than +Our plumes can reach." And rose a little way, +As panthers stretch to try their velvet limbs, +And then retreat to purr and bide their time. +At morn the sharp breath of the night arose +From the wide prairies, in deep struggling seas, +In rolling breakers, bursting to the sky; +In tumbling surfs, all yellow'd faintly thro' +With the low sun--in mad, conflicting crests, +Voic'd with low thunder from the hairy throats +Of the mist-buried herds; and for a man +To stand amid the cloudy roll and moil, +The phantom waters breaking overhead, +Shades of vex'd billows bursting on his breast, +Torn caves of mist wall'd with a sudden gold, +Reseal'd as swift as seen--broad, shaggy fronts, +Fire-ey'd and tossing on impatient horns +The wave impalpable--was but to think +A dream of phantoms held him as he stood. +The late, last thunders of the summer crash'd, +Where shrieked great eagles, lords of naked cliffs. +The pulseless forest, lock'd and interlock'd +So closely, bough with bough, and leaf with leaf, +So serf'd by its own wealth, that while from high +The moons of summer kiss'd its green-gloss'd locks; +And round its knees the merry West Wind danc'd; +And round its ring, compacted emerald; +The south wind crept on moccasins of flame; +And the fed fingers of th' impatient sun +Pluck'd at its outmost fringes--its dim veins +Beat with no life--its deep and dusky heart, +In a deep trance of shadow, felt no throb +To such soft wooing answer: thro' its dream +Brown rivers of deep waters sunless stole; +Small creeks sprang from its mosses, and amaz'd, +Like children in a wigwam curtain'd close +Above the great, dead, heart of some red chief, +Slipp'd on soft feet, swift stealing through the gloom, +Eager for light and for the frolic winds. +In this shrill moon the scouts of winter ran +From the ice-belted north, and whistling shafts +Struck maple and struck sumach--and a blaze +Ran swift from leaf to leaf, from bough to bough; +Till round the forest flash'd a belt of flame. +And inward lick'd its tongues of red and gold +To the deep, tranied inmost heart of all. +Rous'd the still heart--but all too late, too late. +Too late, the branches welded fast with leaves, +Toss'd, loosen'd, to the winds--too late the sun +Pour'd his last vigor to the deep, dark cells +Of the dim wood. The keen, two-bladed Moon +Of Falling Leaves roll'd up on crested mists +And where the lush, rank boughs had foiled the sun +In his red prime, her pale, sharp fingers crept +After the wind and felt about the moss, +And seem'd to pluck from shrinking twig and stem +The burning leaves--while groan'd the shudd'ring wood. +Who journey'd where the prairies made a pause, +Saw burnish'd ramparts flaming in the sun, +With beacon fires, tall on their rustling walls. +And when the vast, horn'd herds at sunset drew +Their sullen masses into one black cloud, +Rolling thund'rous o'er the quick pulsating plain, +They seem'd to sweep between two fierce red suns +Which, hunter-wise, shot at their glaring balls +Keen shafts, with scarlet feathers and gold barbs, +By round, small lakes with thinner, forests fring'd, +More jocund woods that sung about the feet +And crept along the shoulders of great cliffs; +The warrior stags, with does and tripping fawns, +Like shadows black upon the throbbing mist +Of Evening's rose, flash'd thro' the singing woods-- +Nor tim'rous, sniff'd the spicy, cone-breath'd air; +For never had the patriarch of the herd +Seen limn'd against the farthest rim of light +Of the low-dipping sky, the plume or bow +Of the red hunter; nor when stoop'd to drink, +Had from the rustling rice-beds heard the shaft +Of the still hunter hidden in its spears; +His bark canoe close-knotted in its bronze, +His form as stirless as the brooding air, +His dusky eyes too, fix'd, unwinking, fires; +His bow-string tighten'd till it subtly sang +To the long throbs, and leaping pulse that roll'd +And beat within his knotted, naked breast. +There came a morn. The Moon of Falling Leaves, +With her twin silver blades had only hung +Above the low set cedars of the swamp +For one brief quarter, when the sun arose +Lusty with light and full of summer heat, +And pointing with his arrows at the blue, +Clos'd wigwam curtains of the sleeping moon, +Laugh'd with the noise of arching cataracts, +And with the dove-like cooing of the woods, +And with the shrill cry of the diving loon +And with the wash of saltless, rounded seas, +And mock'd the white moon of the Falling Leaves. +"Esa! esa! shame upon you, Pale Face! +"Shame upon you, moon of evil witches! +"Have you kill'd the happy, laughing Summer? +"Have you slain the mother of the Flowers +"With your icy spells of might and magic? +"Have you laid her dead within my arms? +"Wrapp'd her, mocking, in a rainbow blanket. +"Drown'd her in the frost mist of your anger? +"She is gone a little way before me; +"Gone an arrow's flight beyond my vision; +"She will turn again and come to meet me, +"With the ghosts of all the slain flowers, +"In a blue mist round her shining tresses; +"In a blue smoke in her naked forests-- +"She will linger, kissing all the branches, +"She will linger, touching all the places, +"Bare and naked, with her golden fingers, +"Saying, 'Sleep, and dream of me, my children +"'Dream of me, the mystic Indian Summer; +"'I, who, slain by the cold Moon of Terror, +"'Can return across the path of Spirits, +"'Bearing still my heart of love and fire; +"'Looking with my eyes of warmth and splendour; +"'Whisp'ring lowly thro' your sleep of sunshine? +"'I, the laughing Summer, am not turn'd +"'Into dry dust, whirling on the prairies,-- +"'Into red clay, crush'd beneath the snowdrifts. +"'I am still the mother of sweet flowers +"'Growing but an arrow's flight beyond you-- +"'In the Happy Hunting Ground--the quiver +"'Of great Manitou, where all the arrows +"'He has shot from his great bow of Pow'r, +"'With its clear, bright, singing cord of Wisdom, +"'Are re-gather'd, plum'd again and brighten'd, +"'And shot out, re-barb'd with Love and Wisdom; +"'Always shot, and evermore returning. +"'Sleep, my children, smiling in your heart-seeds +"'At the spirit words of Indian Summer!'" +"Thus, O Moon of Falling Leaves, I mock you! +"Have you slain my gold-ey'd squaw, the Summer?" +The mighty morn strode laughing up the land, +And Max, the labourer and the lover, stood +Within the forest's edge, beside a tree; +The mossy king of all the woody tribes, +Whose clatt'ring branches rattl'd, shuddering, +As the bright axe cleav'd moon-like thro' the air, +Waking strange thunders, rousing echoes link'd +From the full, lion-throated roar, to sighs +Stealing on dove-wings thro' the distant aisles. +Swift fell the axe, swift follow'd roar on roar, +Till the bare woodland bellow'd in its rage, +As the first-slain slow toppl'd to his fall. +"O King of Desolation, art thou dead?" +Thought Max, and laughing, heart and lips, leap'd on +The vast, prone trunk. "And have I slain a King? +"Above his ashes will I build my house-- +No slave beneath its pillars, but--a King!" +Max wrought alone, but for a half-breed lad, +With tough, lithe sinews and deep Indian eyes, +Lit with a Gallic sparkle. Max, the lover, found +The labourer's arms grow mightier day by day-- +More iron-welded as he slew the trees; +And with the constant yearning of his heart +Towards little Kate, part of a world away, +His young soul grew and shew'd a virile front, +Full-muscl'd and large statur'd, like his flesh. +Soon the great heaps of brush were builded high, +And like a victor, Max made pause to clear +His battle-field, high strewn with tangl'd dead. +Then roar'd the crackling mountains, and their fires +Met in high heaven, clasping flame with flame. +The thin winds swept a cosmos of red sparks +Across the bleak, midnight sky; and the sun +Walk'd pale behind the resinous, black smoke. +And Max car'd little for the blotted sun, +And nothing for the startl'd, outshone stars; +For Love, once set within a lover's breast, +Has its own Sun--it's own peculiar sky, +All one great daffodil--on which do lie +The sun, the moon, the stars--all seen at once, +And never setting; but all shining straight +Into the faces of the trinity,-- +The one belov'd, the lover, and sweet Love! +It was not all his own, the axe-stirr'd waste. +In these new days men spread about the earth, +With wings at heel--and now the settler hears, +While yet his axe rings on the primal woods, +The shrieks of engines rushing o'er the wastes; +Nor parts his kind to hew his fortunes out. +And as one drop glides down the unknown rock +And the bright-threaded stream leaps after it, +With welded billions, so the settler finds +His solitary footsteps beaten out, +With the quick rush of panting, human waves +Upheav'd by throbs of angry poverty; +And driven by keen blasts of hunger, from +Their native strands--so stern, so dark, so dear! +O, then, to see the troubl'd, groaning waves, +Throb down to peace in kindly, valley beds; +Their turbid bosoms clearing in the calm +Of sun-ey'd Plenty--till the stars and moon, +The blessed sun himself, has leave to shine +And laugh in their dark hearts! So shanties grew +Other than his amid the blacken'd stumps; +And children ran, with little twigs and leaves +And flung them, shouting, on the forest pyres, +Where burn'd the forest kings--and in the glow +Paus'd men and women when the day was done. +There the lean weaver ground anew his axe, +Nor backward look'd upon the vanish'd loom, +But forward to the ploughing of his fields; +And to the rose of Plenty in the cheeks. +Of wife and children--nor heeded much the pangs +Of the rous'd muscles tuning to new work. +The pallid clerk look'd on his blister'd palms +And sigh'd and smil'd, but girded up his loins +And found new vigour as he felt new hope. +The lab'rer with train'd muscles, grim and grave, +Look'd at the ground and wonder'd in his soul, +What joyous anguish stirr'd his darken'd heart, +At the mere look of the familiar soil, +And found his answer in the words--"_Mine own!_" +Then came smooth-coated men, with eager eyes, +And talk'd of steamers on the cliff-bound lakes; +And iron tracks across the prairie lands; +And mills to crush the quartz of wealthy hills; +And mills to saw the great, wide-arm'd trees; +And mills to grind the singing stream of grain; +And with such busy clamour mingled still +The throbbing music of the bold, bright Axe-- +The steel tongue of the Present, and the wail +Of falling forests--voices of the Past. +Max, social-soul'd, and with his practised thews, +Was happy, boy-like, thinking much of Kate, +And speaking of her to the women-folk; +Who, mostly, happy in new honeymoons +Of hope themselves, were ready still to hear +The thrice told tale of Katie's sunny eyes +And Katie's yellow hair, and household ways: +And heard so often, "There shall stand our home-- +"On yonder slope, with vines about the door!" +That the good wives were almost made to see +The snowy walls, deep porches, and the gleam +Of Katie's garments flitting through the rooms; +And the black slope all bristling with burn'd stumps +Was known amongst them all as "Max's House." + + * * * * * + + O, Love builds on the azure sea, + And Love builds on the golden sand; + And Love builds on the rose-wing'd cloud, + And sometimes Love builds on the land. + + * * * * * + + O, if Love build on sparkling sea-- + And if Love build on golden strand-- + And if Love build on rosy cloud-- + To Love these are the solid land. + + * * * * * + + O, Love will build his lily walls, + And Love his pearly roof, will rear,-- + On cloud or land, or mist or sea-- + Love's solid land is everywhere! + + * * * * * + + +PART III. + +The great farm house of Malcolm Graem stood +Square shoulder'd and peak roof'd upon a hill, +With many windows looking everywhere; +So that no distant meadow might lie hid, +Nor corn-field hide its gold--nor lowing herd +Browse in far pastures, out of Malcolm's ken. +He lov'd to sit, grim, grey, and somewhat stern, +And thro' the smoke-clouds from his short clay pipe +Look out upon his riches; while his thoughts +Swung back and forth between the bleak, stern past, +And the near future, for his life had come +To that close balance, when, a pendulum, +The memory swings between me "Then" and "Now"; +His seldom speech ran thus two diff'rent ways: +"When I was but a laddie, this I did"; +Or, "Katie, in the Fall I'll see to build +"Such fences or such sheds about the place; +"And next year, please the Lord, another barn." +Katie's gay garden foam'd about the walls, +'Leagur'd the prim-cut modern sills, and rush'd +Up the stone walls--and broke on the peak'd roof. +And Katie's lawn was like a Poet's sward, +Velvet and sheer and di'monded with dew; +For such as win their wealth most aptly take +Smooth, urban ways and blend them with their own; +And Katie's dainty raiment was as fine +As the smooth, silken petals of the rose; +And her light feet, her nimble mind and voice, +In city schools had learn'd the city's ways, +And grafts upon the healthy, lonely vine +They shone, eternal blossoms 'mid the fruit. +For Katie had her sceptre in her hand +And wielded it right queenly there and here, +In dairy, store-room, kitchen--ev'ry spot +Where women's ways were needed on the place. +And Malcolm took her through his mighty fields, +And taught her lore about the change of crops; +And how to see a handsome furrow plough'd; +And how to choose the cattle for the mart; +And how to know a fair day's work when done; +And where to plant young orchards; for he said, +"God sent a lassie, but I need a son-- +"Bethankit for His mercies all the same." +And Katie, when he said it, thought of Max-- +Who had been gone two winters and two springs, +And sigh'd, and thought, "Would he not be your son?" +But all in silence, for she had too much +Of the firm will of Malcolm in her soul +To think of shaking that deep-rooted rock; +But hop'd the crystal current of his love +For his one child, increasing day by day, +Might fret with silver lip, until it wore +Such channels thro' the rock, that some slight stroke +Of circumstance might crumble down the stone. +The wooer, too, had come, Max prophesied; +Reputed wealthy; with the azure eyes +And Saxon-gilded locks--the fair, clear face, +And stalwart form that most women love. +And with the jewels of some virtues set +On his broad brow. With fires within his soul +He had the wizard skill to fetter down +To that mere pink, poetic, nameless glow, +That need not fright a flake of snow away-- +But if unloos'd, could melt an adverse rock +Marrow'd with iron, frowning in his way. +And Malcolm balanc'd him by day and night; +And with his grey-ey'd shrewdness partly saw +He was not one for Kate; but let him come, +And in chance moments thought: "Well, let it be-- +"They make a bonnie pair--he knows the ways +"Of men and things: can hold the gear I give, +"And, if the lassie wills it, let it be." +And then, upstarting from his midnight sleep, +With hair erect and sweat upon his brow, +Such as no labor e'er had beaded there; +Would cry aloud, wide-staring thro' the dark-- +"Nay, nay; she shall not wed him--rest in peace." +Then fully waking, grimly laugh and say: +"Why did I speak and answer when none spake?" +But still lie staring, wakeful, through the shades; +List'ning to the silence, and beating still +The ball of Alfred's merits to and fro-- +Saying, between the silent arguments: +"But would the mother like it, could she know? +"I would there was a way to ring a lad +"Like silver coin, and so find out the true; +"But Kate shall say him 'Nay' or say him 'Yea' +"At her own will." And Katie said him "Nay," +In all the maiden, speechless, gentle ways +A woman has. But Alfred only laugh'd +To his own soul, and said in his wall'd mind: +"O, Kate, were I a lover, I might feel +"Despair flap o'er my hopes with raven wings; +"Because thy love is giv'n to other love. +"And did I love--unless I gain'd thy love, +"I would disdain the golden hair, sweet lips, +"Air-blown form and true violet eyes; +"Nor crave the beauteous lamp without the flame; +"Which in itself would light a charnel house. +"Unlov'd and loving, I would find the cure +"Of Love's despair in nursing Love's disdain-- +"Disdain of lesser treasure than the whole. +"One cares not much to place against the wheel +"A diamond lacking flame--nor loves to pluck +"A rose with all its perfume cast abroad +"To the bosom of the gale. Not I, in truth! +"If all man's days are three score years and ten, +"He needs must waste them not, but nimbly seize +"The bright consummate blossom that his will +"Calls for most loudly. Gone, long gone the days +"When Love within my soul for ever stretch'd +"Fierce hands of flame, and here and there I found +"A blossom fitted for him--all up-fill'd +"With love as with clear dew--they had their hour +"And burn'd to ashes with him, as he droop'd +"In his own ruby fires. No Phoenix he, +"To rise again because of Katie's eyes, +"On dewy wings, from ashes such as his! +"But now, another Passion bids me forth. +"To crown him with the fairest I can find, +"And makes me lover--not of Katie's face, +"But of her father's riches! O, high fool, +"Who feels the faintest pulsing of a wish +"And fails to feed it into lordly life! +"So that, when stumbling back to Mother Earth, +"His freezing lip may curl in cold disdain +"Of those poor, blighted fools who starward stare +"For that fruition, nipp'd and scanted here. +"And, while the clay, o'ermasters all his blood-- +"And he can feel the dust knit with his flesh-- +"He yet can say to them, 'Be ye content; +"'I tasted perfect fruitage thro' my life, +"'Lighted all lamps of passion, till the oil +"'Fail'd from their wicks; and now, O now, I know +"'There is no Immortality could give +"'Such boon as this--to simply cease to be! +"'_There_ lies your Heaven, O ye dreaming slaves, +"'If ye would only live to make it so; +"'Nor paint upon the blue skies lying shades +"'Of--_what is not_. Wise, wise and strong the man +"'who poisons that fond haunter of the mind, +"'Craving for a hereafter with deep draughts +"'Of wild delights--so fiery, fierce, and strong, +"'That when their dregs are deeply, deeply drain'd, +"'What once was blindly crav'd of purblind Chance, +"'Life, life eternal--throbbing thro' all space +"'Is strongly loath'd--and with his face in dust, +"'Man loves his only Heav'n--six feet of Earth!' +"So, Katie, tho' your blue eyes say me 'Nay,' +"My pangs of love for gold must needs be fed, +"And shall be, Katie, if I know my mind." +Events were winds close nest'ling in the sails +Of Alfred's bark, all blowing him direct +To his wish'd harbour. On a certain day, +All set about with roses and with fire; +One of three days of heat which frequent slip, +Like triple rubies, in between the sweet, +Mild, emerald days of summer, Katie went, +Drawn by a yearning for the ice-pale blooms, +Natant and shining--firing all the bay +With angel fires built up of snow and gold. +She found the bay close pack'd with groaning logs, +Prison'd between great arms of close hing'd wood. +All cut from Malcolm's forests in the west, +And floated hither to his noisy mills; +And all stamp'd with the potent "G." and "M.," +Which much he lov'd to see upon his goods, +The silent courtiers owning him their king. +Out clear beyond the rustling ricebeds sang, +And the cool lilies starr'd the shadow'd wave. +"This is a day for lily-love," said Kate, +While she made bare the lilies of her feet; +And sang a lily song that Max had made, +That spoke of lilies--always meaning Kate. + + * * * * * + + "While Lady of the silver'd lakes, + Chaste Goddess of the sweet, still shrines. + The jocund river fitful makes, + By sudden, deep gloom'd brakes, + Close shelter'd by close weft and woof of vine, + Spilling a shadow gloomy-rich as wine, + Into the silver throne where thou dost sit, + Thy silken leaves all dusky round thee knit! + + * * * * * + + "Mild soul of the unsalted wave! + White bosom holding golden fire + Deep as some ocean-hidden cave + Are fix'd the roots of thy desire, + Thro' limpid currents stealing up, + And rounding to the pearly cup + Thou dost desire, + With all thy trembling heart of sinless fire, + But to be fill'd + With dew distill'd + From clear, fond skies, that in their gloom + Hold, floating high, thy sister moon, + Pale chalice of a sweet perfume, + Whiter-breasted than a dove-- + To thee the dew is--love!" + + * * * * * + +Kate bared her little feet, and pois'd herself +On the first log close grating on the shore; +And with bright eyes of laughter, and wild hair-- +A flying wind of gold--from log to log +Sped, laughing as they wallow'd in her track, +Like brown-scal'd monsters rolling, as her foot +Spurn'd each in turn with its rose-white sole. +A little island, out in middlewave, +With its green shoulder held the great drive brac'd +Between it and the mainland; here it was +The silver lilies drew her with white smiles; +And as she touch'd the last great log of all, +It reel'd, upstarting, like a column brac'd, +A second on the wave--and when it plung'd +Rolling upon the froth and sudden foam, +Katie had vanish'd, and with angry grind +The vast logs roll'd together,--nor a lock +Of drifting yellow hair--an upflung hand, +Told where the rich man's chiefest treasure sank +Under his wooden wealth. But Alfred, laid +With pipe and book upon the shady marge, +Of the cool isle, saw all, and seeing hurl'd +Himself, and hardly knew it, on the logs; +By happy chance a shallow lapp'd the isle +On this green bank; and when his iron arms +Dash'd the bark'd monsters, as frail stems of rice, +A little space apart, the soft, slow tide +But reach'd his chest, and in a flash he saw +Kate's yellow hair, and by it drew her up, +And lifting her aloft, cried out, "O, Kate!" +And once again said, "Katie! is she dead?" +For like the lilies broken by the rough +And sudden riot of the armor'd logs, +Kate lay upon his hands; and now the logs +Clos'd in upon him, nipping his great chest, +Nor could he move to push them off again +For Katie in his arms. "And now," he said, +"If none should come, and any wind arise +"To weld these woody monsters 'gainst the isle, +"I shall be crack'd like any broken twig; +"And as it is, I know not if I die, +"For I am hurt--aye, sorely, sorely hurt!" +Then look'd on Katie's lily face, and said, +"Dead, dead or living? Why, an even chance. +"O lovely bubble on a troubl'd sea, +"I would not thou shoulds't lose thyself again +"In the black ocean whence thy life emerg'd, +"But skyward steal on gales as soft as love, +"And hang in some bright rainbow overhead, +"If only such bright rainbow spann'd the earth." +Then shouted loudly, till the silent air +Rous'd like a frighten'd bird, and on its wings +Caught up his cry and bore it to the farm. +There Malcolm, leaping from his noontide sleep, +Upstarted as at midnight, crying out, +"She shall not wed him--rest you, wife, in peace!' +They found him, Alfred, haggard-ey'd and faint, +But holding Katie ever towards the sun, +Unhurt, and waking in the fervent heat. +And now it came that Alfred being sick +Of his sharp hurts and tended by them both, +With what was like to love, being born of thanks, +Had choice of hours most politic to woo, +And used his deed as one might use the sun, +To ripen unmellow'd fruit; and from the core +Of Katie's gratitude hop'd yet to nurse +A flow'r all to his liking--Katie's love. +But Katie's mind was like the plain, broad shield +Of a table di'mond, nor had a score of sides; +And in its shield, so precious and so plain, +Was cut, thro' all its clear depths--Max's name! +And so she said him "Nay" at last, in words +Of such true sounding silver, that he knew +He might not win her at the present hour, +But smil'd and thought--"I go, and come again! +"Then shall we see. Our three-score years and ten +"Are mines of treasure, if we hew them deep, +"Nor stop too long in choosing out our tools!" + + * * * * * + + +PART IV. + +From his far wigwam sprang the strong North Wind +And rush'd with war-cry down the steep ravines, +And wrestl'd with the giants of the woods; +And with his ice-club beat the swelling crests. +Of the deep watercourses into death, +And with his chill foot froze the whirling leaves +Of dun and gold and fire in icy banks; +And smote the tall reeds to the harden'd earth; +And sent his whistling arrows o'er the plains, +Scatt'ring the ling'ring herds--and sudden paus'd +When he had frozen all the running streams, +And hunted with his war-cry all the things +That breath'd about the woods, or roam'd the bleak +Bare prairies swelling to the mournful sky. +"White squaw," he shouted, troubl'd in his soul, +"I slew the dead, wrestl'd with naked chiefs +"Unplum'd before, scalped of their leafy plumes; +"I bound sick rivers in cold thongs of death, +"And shot my arrows over swooning plains, +"Bright with the Paint of death--and lean and bare. +"And all the braves of my loud tribe will mock +"And point at me--when our great chief, the Sun, +"Relights his Council fire in the moon +"Of Budding Leaves." "Ugh, ugh! he is a brave! +"He fights with squaws and takes the scalps of babes! +"And the least wind will blow his calumet-- +"Fill'd with the breath of smallest flow'rs--across +"The warpaint on my face, and pointing with +"His small, bright pipe, that never moved a spear +"Of bearded rice, cry, 'Ugh! he slays the dead!' +"O, my white squaw, come from thy wigwam grey, +"Spread thy white blanket on the twice-slain dead; +"And hide them, ere the waking of the Sun!" + + * * * * * + + High grew the snow beneath the low-hung sky, + And all was silent in the Wilderness; + In trance of stillness Nature heard her God + Rebuilding her spent fires, and veil'd her face + While the Great Worker brooded o'er His work. + + * * * * * + + "Bite deep and wide, O Axe, the tree, + What doth thy bold voice promise me?" + + * * * * * + + "I promise thee all joyous things, + That furnish forth the lives of kings! + + * * * * * + + "For ev'ry silver ringing blow, + Cities and palaces shall grow!" + + * * * * * + + "Bite deep and wide, O Axe, the tree, + Tell wider prophecies to me." + + * * * * * + + "When rust hath gnaw'd me deep and red; + A nation strong shall lift his head! + + * * * * * + + "His crown the very Heav'ns shall smite, + Aeons shall build him in his might!" + + * * * * * + + "Bite deep and wide, O Axe, the tree; + Bright Seer, help on thy prophecy!" + + * * * * * + +Max smote the snow-weigh'd tree and lightly laugh'd. +"See, friend," he cried to one that look'd and smil'd, +"My axe and I--we do immortal tasks-- +We build up nations--this my axe and I!" +"O," said the other with a cold, short smile, +"Nations are not immortal! is there now +"One nation thron'd upon the sphere of earth, +"That walk'd with the first Gods, and saw +"The budding world unfold its slow-leav'd flow'r? +"Nay; it is hardly theirs to leave behind +"Ruins so eloquent, that the hoary sage +"Can lay his hand upon their stones, and say: +"'These once were thrones!' The lean, lank lion peals +"His midnight thunders over lone, red plains, +"Long-ridg'd and crested on their dusty waves, +"With fires from moons red-hearted as the sun; +"And deep re-thunders all the earth to him. +"For, far beneath the flame-fleck'd, shifting sands, +"Below the roots of palms, and under stones +"Of younger ruins, thrones, tow'rs and cities +"Honeycomb the earth. The high, solemn walls +"Of hoary ruins--their foundings all unknown +"(But to the round-ey'd worlds that walk +"In the blank paths of Space and blanker Chance). +"At whose stones young mountains wonder, and the seas' +"New-silv'ring, deep-set valleys pause and gaze; +"Are rear'd upon old shrines, whose very Gods +"Were dreams to the shrine-builders, of a time +"They caught in far-off flashes--as the child +"Half thinks he can remember how one came +"And took him in her hand and shew'd him that +"He thinks, she call'd the sun. Proud ships rear high +"On ancient billows that have torn the roots +"Of cliffs, and bitten at the golden lips +"Of firm, sleek beaches, till they conquer'd all, +"And sow'd the reeling earth with salted waves. +"Wrecks plunge, prow foremost, down still, solemn slopes, +"And bring their dead crews to as dead a quay; +"Some city built before that ocean grew, +"By silver drops from many a floating cloud, +"By icebergs bellowing in their throes of death, +"By lesser seas toss'd from their rocking cups, +"And leaping each to each; by dew-drops flung +"From painted sprays, whose weird leaves and flow'rs +"Are moulded for new dwellers on the earth, +"Printed in hearts of mountains and of mines. +"Nations immortal? where the well-trimm'd lamps +"Of long-past ages, when Time seem'd to pause +"On smooth, dust-blotted graves that, like the tombs +"Of monarchs, held dead bones and sparkling gems? +"She saw no glimmer on the hideous ring +"Of the black clouds; no stream of sharp, clear light +"From those great torches, pass'd into the black +"Of deep oblivion. She seem'd to watch, but she +"Forgot her long-dead nations. When she stirr'd +"Her vast limbs in the dawn that forc'd its fire +"Up the black East, and saw the imperious red +"Burst over virgin dews and budding flow'rs, +"She still forgot her molder'd thrones and kings, +"Her sages and their torches, and their Gods, +"And said, 'This is my birth--my primal day!' +"She dream'd new Gods, and rear'd them other shrines, +"Planted young nations, smote a feeble flame +"From sunless flint, re-lit the torch of mind; +"Again she hung her cities on the hills, +"Built her rich towers, crown'd her kings again, +"And with the sunlight on her awful wings +"Swept round the flow'ry cestus of the earth, +"And said, 'I build for Immortality!' +"Her vast hand rear'd her tow'rs, her shrines, her thrones; +"The ceaseless sweep of her tremendous wings +"Still beat them down and swept their dust abroad; +"Her iron finger wrote on mountain sides +"Her deeds and prowess--and her own soft plume +"Wore down the hills! Again drew darkly on +"A night of deep forgetfulness; once more +"Time seem'd to pause upon forgotten graves-- +"Once more a young dawn stole into her eyes-- +"Again her broad wings stirr'd, and fresh clear airs, +"Blew the great clouds apart;--again Time said, +"'This is my birth--my deeds and handiwork +"'Shall be immortal.' Thus and so dream on +"Fool'd nations, and thus dream their dullard sons. +"Naught is immortal save immortal--Death!" +Max paus'd and smil'd: "O, preach such gospel, friend, +"To all but lovers who most truly love; +"For _them_, their gold-wrought scripture glibly reads +"All else is mortal but immortal--Love!" +"Fools! fools!" his friend said, "most immortal fools!-- +"But pardon, pardon, for, perchance, you love?" +"Yes," said Max, proudly smiling, "thus do I +"Possess the world and feel eternity!" +Dark laughter blacken'd in the other's eyes: +"Eternity! why, did such Iris arch +"Ent'ring our worm-bored planet, never liv'd +"One woman true enough such tryst to keep!" +"I'd swear by Kate," said Max; "and then, I had +"A mother, and my father swore by her." +"By Kate? Ah, that were lusty oath, indeed! +"Some other man will look into her eyes, +"And swear me roundly, 'By true Catherine!' +"And Troilus swore by Cressed--so they say." +"You never knew my Kate," said Max, and pois'd +His axe again on high, "But let it pass-- +"You are too subtle for me; argument +"Have I none to oppose yours with--but this, +"Get you a Kate, and let her sunny eyes +"Dispel the doubting darkness in your soul." +"And have not I a Kate? pause, friend, and see. +"She gave me this faint shadow of herself +"The day I slipp'd the watch-star of our loves-- +"A ring--upon her hand--she loves me, too; +"Yet tho' her eyes be suns, no Gods are they +"To give me worlds, or make me feel a tide +"Of strong Eternity set towards my soul; +"And tho' she loves me, yet am I content +"To know she loves me by the hour--the year-- +"Perchance the second--as all women love." +The bright axe falter'd in the air, and ripp'd +Down the rough bark, and bit the drifted snow, +For Max's arm fell, wither'd in its strength, +'Long by his side. "Your Kate," he said; "your Kate!" +"Yes, mine, while holds her mind that way, my Kate; +"I sav'd her life, and had her love for thanks; +"Her father is Malcolm Graem--Max, my friend, +"You pale! what sickness seizes on your soul?" +Max laugh'd, and swung his bright axe high again: +"Stand back a pace--a too far reaching blow +"Might level your false head with yon prone trunk-- +"Stand back and listen while I say, "You lie! +"That is my Katie's face upon your breast, +"But 'tis my Katie's love lives in my breast-- +"Stand back, I say! my axe is heavy, and +"Might chance to cleave a liar's brittle skull. +"Your Kate! your Kate! your Kate!--hark, how the woods +"Mock at your lie with all their woody tongues, +"O, silence, ye false echoes! not his Kate +"But mine--I'm certain I will have your life!" +All the blue heav'n was dead in Max's eyes; +Doubt-wounded lay Kate's image in his heart, +And could not rise to pluck the sharp spear out. +"Well, strike, mad fool," said Alfred, somewhat pale; +"I have no weapon but these naked hands." +"Aye, but," said Max, "you smote my naked heart! +"O shall I slay him?--Satan, answer me-- +"I cannot call on God for answer here. +"O Kate--!" +A voice from God came thro' the silent woods +And answer'd him--for suddenly a wind +Caught the great tree-tops, coned with high-pil'd snow, +And smote them to and fro, while all the air +Was sudden fill'd with busy drifts, and high +White pillars whirl'd amid the naked trunks, +And harsh, loud groans, and smiting, sapless boughs +Made hellish clamour in the quiet place. +With a shrill shriek of tearing fibres, rock'd +The half-hewn tree above his fated head; +And, tott'ring, asked the sudden blast, "Which way?" +And, answ'ring its windy arms, crash'd and broke +Thro' other lacing boughs, with one loud roar +Of woody thunder; all its pointed boughs +Pierc'd the deep snow--its round and mighty corpse, +Bark-flay'd and shudd'ring, quiver'd into death. +And Max--as some frail, wither'd reed, the sharp +And piercing branches caught at him, +As hands in a death-throe, and beat him to the earth-- +And the dead tree upon its slayer lay. +"Yet hear we much of Gods;--if such there be, +"They play at games of chance with thunderbolts," +Said Alfred, "else on me this doom had come. +"This seals my faith in deep and dark unfaith! +"Now Katie, are you mine, for Max is dead-- +"Or will be soon, imprison'd by those boughs, +"Wounded and torn, sooth'd by the deadly palms +"Of the white, trait'rous frost; and buried then +"Under the snows that fill those vast, grey clouds, +"Low-sweeping on the fretted forest roof. +"And Katie shall believe you false--not dead; +"False, false!--And I? O, she shall find me true-- +"True as a fabl'd devil to the soul +"He longs for with the heat of all hell's fires. +"These myths serve well for simile, I see. +"And yet--Down, Pity! knock not at my breast, +"Nor grope about for that dull stone my heart; +"I'll stone thee with it, Pity! Get thee hence, +"Pity, I'll strangle thee with naked hands; +"For thou dost bear upon thy downy breast +"Remorse, shap'd like a serpent, and her fangs +"Might dart at me and pierce my marrow thro'. +"Hence, beggar, hence--and keep with fools, I say! +"He bleeds and groans! Well, Max, thy God or mine +"Blind Chance, here play'd the butcher--'twas not I. +"Down, hands! ye shall not lift his fall'n head; +"What cords tug at ye? What? Ye'd pluck him up +"And staunch his wounds? There rises in my breast +"A strange, strong giant, throwing wide his arms +"And bursting all the granite of my heart! +"How like to quiv'ring flesh a stone may feel! +"Why, it has pangs! I'll none of them. I know +"Life is too short for anguish and for hearts-- +"So I wrestle with thee, giant! and my will +"Turns the thumb, and thou shalt take the knife. +"Well done! I'll turn thee on the arena dust, +"And look on thee--What? thou wert Pity's self, +"Stol'n in my breast; and I have slaughter'd thee-- +"But hist--where hast thou hidden thy fell snake, +"Fire-fang'd Remorse? Not in my breast, I know, +"For all again is chill and empty there, +"And hard and cold--the granite knitted up. +"So lie there, Max--poor fond and simple Max, +"'Tis well thou diest: earth's children should not call +"Such as thee father--let them ever be +"Father'd by rogues and villains, fit to cope +"With the foul dragon Chance, and the black knaves +"Who swarm'd in loathsome masses in the dust. +"True Max, lie there, and slumber into death." + + * * * * * + + +PART V. + +Said the high hill, in the morning: "Look on me-- +"Behold, sweet earth, sweet sister sky, behold +"The red flames on my peaks, and how my pines +"Are cressets of pure gold; my quarried scars +"Of black crevase and shadow-fill'd canon, +"Are trac'd in silver mist. How on my breast +"Hang the soft purple fringes of the night; +"Close to my shoulder droops the weary moon, +"Dove-pale, into the crimson surf the sun +"Drives up before his prow; and blackly stands +"On my slim, loftiest peak, an eagle, with +"His angry eyes set sunward, while his cry +"Falls fiercely back from all my ruddy heights; +"And his bald eaglets, in their bare, broad nest, +"Shrill pipe their angry echoes: "'Sun, arise, +"'And show me that pale dove, beside her nest, +"'Which I shall strike with piercing beak and tear +"'With iron talons for my hungry young.'" +And that mild dove, secure for yet a space, +Half waken'd, turns her ring'd and glossy neck +To watch dawn's ruby pulsing on her breast, +And see the first bright golden motes slip down +The gnarl'd trunks about her leaf-deep nest, +Nor sees nor fears the eagle on the peak. + + * * * * * + +"Aye, lassie, sing--I'll smoke my pipe the while, +"And let it be a simple, bonnie song, +"Such as an old, plain man can gather in +"His dulling ear, and feel it slipping thro' +"The cold, dark, stony places of his heart." +"Yes, sing, sweet Kate," said Alfred in her ear; +"I often heard you singing in my dreams +"When I was far away the winter past." +So Katie on the moonlit window lean'd, +And in the airy silver of her voice +Sang of the tender, blue "Forget-me-not." + + Could every blossom find a voice, + And sing a strain to me; + I know where I would place my choice, + Which my delight should be. + I would not choose the lily tall, + The rose from musky grot; + But I would still my minstrel call + The blue "Forget-me-not!" + + And I on mossy bank would lie + Of brooklet, ripp'ling clear; + And she of the sweet azure eye, + Close at my list'ning ear, + Should sing into my soul a strain + Might never be forgot-- + So rich with joy, so rich with pain + The blue "Forget-me-not!" + + Ah, ev'ry blossom hath a tale + With silent grace to tell, + From rose that reddens to the gale + To modest heather bell; + But O, the flow'r in ev'ry heart + That finds a sacred spot + To bloom, with azure leaves apart, + Is the "Forget-me-not!" + + Love plucks it from the mosses green + When parting hours are nigh, + And places it loves palms between, + With many an ardent sigh; + And bluely up from grassy graves + In some lov'd churchyard spot, + It glances tenderly and waves, + The dear "Forget-me-not!" + +And with the faint last cadence, stole a glance +At Malcolm's soften'd face--a bird-soft touch +Let flutter on the rugged silver snarls +Of his thick locks, and laid her tender lips +A second on the iron of his hand. +"And did you ever meet," he sudden ask'd, +Of Alfred, sitting pallid in the shade, +"Out by yon unco place, a lad,--a lad +"Nam'd Maxwell Gordon; tall, and straight, and strong; +"About my size, I take it, when a lad?" +And Katie at the sound of Max's name, +First spoken for such space by Malcolm's lips, +Trembl'd and started, and let down her brow, +Hiding its sudden rose on Malcolm's arm. +"Max Gordon? Yes. Was he a friend of yours?" +"No friend of mine, but of the lassie's here-- +"How comes he on? I wager he's a drone, +"And never will put honey in the hive." +"No drone," said Alfred, laughing; "when I left +"He and his axe were quarr'ling with the woods +"And making forests reel--love steels a lover's arm." +O, blush that stole from Katie's swelling heart, +And with its hot rose brought the happy dew +Into her hidden eyes. "Aye, aye! is that the way?" +Said Malcolm smiling. "Who may be his love?" +"In that he is a somewhat simple soul, +"Why, I suppose he loves--" he paused, and Kate +Look'd up with two "forget-me-nots" for eyes, +With eager jewels in their centres set +Of happy, happy tears, and Alfred's heart +Became a closer marble than before. +"--Why I suppose he loves--his lawful wife." +"His wife! his wife!" said Malcolm, in a maze, +And laid his heavy hand on Katie's head; +"Did you play me false, my little lass? +"Speak and I'll pardon! Katie, lassie, what?" +"He has a wife," said Alfred, "lithe and bronz'd, +"An Indian woman, comelier than her kind; +"And on her knee a child with yellow locks, +"And lake-like eyes of mystic Indian brown. +"And so you knew him? He is doing well." +"False, false!" said Katie, lifting up her head. +"O, you know not the Max my father means!" +"He came from yonder farm-house on the slope." +"Some other Max--we speak not of the same." +"He has a red mark on his temple set." +"It matters not--'tis not the Max we know." +"He wears a turquoise ring slung round his neck." +"And many wear them--they are common stones." +"His mother's ring--her name was Helen Wynde." +"And there be many Helens who have sons." +"O Katie, credit me--it is the man." +"O not the man! Why, you have never told +"Us of the true soul that the true Max has; +"The Max we know has such a soul, I know." +"How know you that, my foolish little lass?" +Said Malcolm, a storm of anger bound +Within his heart, like Samson with green withs-- +"Belike it is the false young cur we know!" +"No, no," said Katie, simply, and low-voic'd; +"If he were traitor I must needs be false, +"For long ago love melted our two hearts. +"And time has moulded those two hearts in one, +"And he is true since I am faithful still." +She rose and parted, trembling as she went, +Feeling the following steel of Alfred's eyes, +And with the icy hand of scorn'd mistrust +Searching about the pulses of her heart-- +Feeling for Max's image in her breast. +"To-night she conquers Doubt; to-morrow's noon +"His following soldiers sap the golden wall, +"And I shall enter and possess the fort," +Said Alfred, in his mind. "O Katie, child, +"Wilt thou be Nemesis, with yellow hair, +"To rend my breast? for I do feel a pulse +"Stir when I look into thy pure-barb'd eyes-- +"O, am I breeding that false thing, a heart? +"Making my breast all tender for the fangs +"Of sharp Remorse to plunge their hot fire in. +"I am a certain dullard! Let me feel +"But one faint goad, fine as a needle's point, +"And it shall be the spur in my soul's side +"To urge the madd'ning thing across the jags +"And cliffs of life, into the soft embrace +"Of that cold mistress, who is constant too, +"And never flings her lovers from her arms-- +"Not Death, for she is still a fruitful wife, +"Her spouse the Dead, and their cold marriage yields +"A million children, born of mould'ring flesh-- +"So Death and Flesh live on--immortal they! +"I mean the blank-ey'd queen whose wassail bowl +"Is brimm'd from Lethe, and whose porch is red +"With poppies, as it waits the panting soul-- +"She, she alone is great! No scepter'd slave +"Bowing to blind creative giants, she; +"No forces seize her in their strong, mad hands, +"Nor say, "'Do this--be that!'" Were there a God, +"His only mocker, she, great Nothingness! +"And to her, close of kin, yet lover too, +"Flies this large nothing that we call the soul." + + * * * * * + + "Doth true Love lonely grow? + Ah, no! ah, no! + Ah, were it only so-- + That it alone might show + Its ruddy rose upon its sapful tree, + Then, then in dewy morn, + Joy might his brow adorn + With Love's young rose as fair and glad as he." + + * * * * * + + But with Love's rose doth blow + Ah, woe! ah, woe! + Truth with its leaves of snow, + And Pain and Pity grow + With Love's sweet roses on its sapful tree! + Love's rose buds not alone, + But still, but still doth own + A thousand blossoms cypress-hued to see! + + * * * * * + + +PART VI. + +"Who curseth Sorrow knows her not at all. +Dark matrix she, from which the human soul +Has its last birth; whence, with its misty thews, +Close-knitted in her blackness, issues out; +Strong for immortal toil up such great heights, +As crown o'er crown rise through Eternity, +Without the loud, deep clamour of her wail, +The iron of her hands; the biting brine +Of her black tears; the Soul but lightly built +of indeterminate spirit, like a mist +Would lapse to Chaos in soft, gilded dreams, +As mists fade in the gazing of the sun. +Sorrow, dark mother of the soul, arise! +Be crown'd with spheres where thy bless'd children dwell, +Who, but for thee, were not. No lesser seat +Be thine, thou Helper of the Universe, +Than planet on planet pil'd!--thou instrument, +Close-clasp'd within the great Creative Hand!" + + * * * * * + +The Land had put his ruddy gauntlet on, +Of Harvest gold, to dash in Famine's face. +And like a vintage wain, deep dy'd with juice, +The great moon falter'd up the ripe, blue sky, +Drawn by silver stars--like oxen white +And horn'd with rays of light--Down the rich land +Malcolm's small valleys, fill'd with grain, lip-high, +Lay round a lonely hill that fac'd the moon, +And caught the wine-kiss of its ruddy light. +A cusp'd, dark wood caught in its black embrace +The valleys and the hill, and from its wilds, +Spic'd with dark cedars, cried the Whip-poor-will. +A crane, belated, sail'd across the moon; +On the bright, small, close link'd lakes green islets lay, +Dusk knots of tangl'd vines, or maple boughs, +Or tuft'd cedars, boss'd upon the waves. +The gay, enamell'd children of the swamp +Roll'd a low bass to treble, tinkling notes +Of little streamlets leaping from the woods. +Close to old Malcolm's mills, two wooden jaws +Bit up the water on a sloping floor; +And here, in season, rush'd the great logs down, +To seek the river winding on its way. +In a green sheen, smooth as a Naiad's locks, +The water roll'd between the shudd'ring jaws-- +Then on the river level roar'd and reel'd-- +In ivory-arm'd conflict with itself. +"Look down," said Alfred, "Katie, look and see +"How that but pictures my mad heart to you. +"It tears itself in fighting that mad love +"You swear is hopeless--hopeless--is it so?" +"Ah, yes!" said Katie, "ask me not again." +"But Katie, Max is false; no word has come, +"Nor any sign from him for many months, +"And--he is happy with his Indian wife." +She lifted eyes fair as the fresh grey dawn +with all its dews and promises of sun. +"O, Alfred!--saver of my little life-- +"Look in my eyes and read them honestly." +He laugh'd till all the isles and forests laugh'd. +"O simple child! what may the forest flames +"See in the woodland ponds but their own fires? +"And have you, Katie, neither fears nor doubts?" +She, with the flow'r soft pinkness of her palm +Cover'd her sudden tears, then quickly said: +"Fears--never doubts, for true love never doubts." +Then Alfred paus'd a space, as one who holds +A white doe by the throat and searches for +The blade to slay her. "This your answer still-- +"You doubt not--doubt not this far love of yours, +"Tho' sworn a false young recreant, Kate, by me?" +"He is as true as I am," Katie said; +"And did I seek for stronger simile, +"I could not find such in the universe!" +"And were he dead? what, Katie, were he dead-- +"A handful of brown dust, a flame blown out-- +"What then would love be strongly, true to--Naught?" +"Still, true to love my love would be," she said, +And faintly smiling, pointed to the stars. +"O fool!" said Alfred, stirr'd--as craters rock +"To their own throes--and over his pale lips +Roll'd flaming stone, his molten heart. "Then, fool-- +"Be true to what thou wilt--for he is dead. +"And there have grown this gilded summer past +"Grasses and buds from his unburied flesh. +"I saw him dead. I heard his last, loud cry: +"'O Kate!' ring thro' the woods; in truth I did." +She half-raised up a piteous, pleading hand, +Then fell along the mosses at his feet. +"Now will I show I love you, Kate," he said, +"And give you gift of love; you shall not wake +"To feel the arrow, feather-deep, within +"Your constant heart. For me, I never meant +"To crawl an hour beyond what time I felt +"The strange, fang'd monster that they call Remorse +"Fold found my waken'd heart. The hour has come; +"And as Love grew, the welded folds of steel +"Slipp'd round in horrid zones. In Love's flaming eyes +"Stared its fell eyeballs, and with Hydra head +"It sank hot fangs in breast, and brow and thigh. +"Come, Kate! O Anguish is a simple knave +"Whom hucksters could outwit with small trade lies, +"When thus so easily his smarting thralls, +"May flee his knout! Come, come, my little Kate; +"The black porch with its fringe of poppies waits-- +"A propylaleum hospitably wide. +"No lictors with their fasces at its jaws, +"Its floor as kindly to my fire-vein'd feet +"As to thy silver, lilied, sinless ones. +"O you shall slumber soundly, tho' the white, +"Wild waters pluck the crocus of your hair; +"And scaly spies stare with round, lightless eyes +"At your small face laid on my stony breast. +"Come, Kate! I must not have you wake, dear heart, +"To hear you cry, perchance, on your dead Max." +He turn'd her still, face close upon his breast, +And with his lips upon her soft, ring'd hair, +Leap'd from the bank, low shelving o'er the knot +Of frantic waters at the long slide's foot. +And as the sever'd waters crash'd and smote +Together once again,--within the wave +Stunn'd chamber of his ear there peal'd a cry: +"O Kate! stay, madman; traitor, stay! O Kate!" + + * * * * * + +Max, gaunt as prairie wolves in famine time, +With long drawn sickness, reel'd upon the bank-- +Katie, new-rescu'd, waking in his arms. +On the white riot of the waters gleam'd, +The face of Alfred, calm, with close-seal'd eyes, +And blood red on his temple where it smote +The mossy timbers of the groaning slide. +"O God!" said Max, as Katie's opening eyes +Looked up to his, slow budding to a smile +Of wonder and of bliss, "My Kate, my Kate!" +She saw within his eyes a larger soul +Than that light spirit that before she knew, +And read the meaning of his glance and words. +"Do as you will, my Max. I would not keep +"You back with one light-falling finger-tip!" +And cast herself from his large arms upon +The mosses at his feet, and hid her face +That she might not behold what he would do; +Or lest the terror in her shining eyes +Might bind him to her, and prevent his soul +Work out its greatness; and her long, wet hair +Drew, mass'd, about her ears, to shut the sound +Of the vex'd waters from her anguish'd brain. +Max look'd upon her, turning as he look'd. +A moment came a voice in Katie's soul: +"Arise, be not dismay'd; arise and look; +"If he should perish, 'twill be as a God, +"For he would die to save his enemy." +But answer'd her torn heart: "I cannot look-- +"I cannot look and see him sob and die; +"In those pale, angry arms. O, let me rest +"Blind, blind and deaf until the swift pac'd end. +"My Max! O God--was that his Katie's name?" +Like a pale dove, hawk-hunted, Katie ran, +Her fear's beak in her shoulder; and below, +Where the coil'd waters straighten'd to a stream, +Found Max all bruis'd and bleeding on they bank, +But smiling with man's triumph in his eyes, +When he has on fierce Danger's lion neck +Plac'd his right hand and pluck'd the prey away. +And at his feet lay Alfred, still and while, +A willow's shadow tremb'ling on his face, +"There lies the false, fair devil, O my Kate, +"Who would have parted us, but could not, Kate!" +"But could not, Max," said Katie. "Is he dead?" +But, swift perusing Max's strange, dear face, +Close clasp'd against his breast--forgot him straight +And ev'ry other evil thing upon +The broad green earth. + + * * * * * + + +PART VII + +Again rang out the music of the axe, +And on the slope, as in his happy dreams, +The home of Max with wealth of drooping vines +On the rude walls, and in the trellis'd porch +Sat Katie, smiling o'er the rich, fresh fields; +And by her side sat Malcolm, hale and strong; +Upon his knee a little, smiling child, +Nam'd--Alfred, as the seal of pardon set +Upon the heart of one who sinn'd and woke +to sorrow for his sins--and whom they lov'd +With gracious joyousness--nor kept the dusk +Of his past deeds between their hearts and his. +Malcolm had follow'd with his flocks and herds +When Max and Katie, hand in hand, went out +From his old home; and now, with slow, grave smile +He said to Max, who twisted Katie's hair +About his naked arm, bare from his toil: +"It minds me of old times, this house of yours; +"It stirs my heart to hearken to the axe, +"And hear the windy crash of falling trees; +"Aye, these fresh forests make an old man young." +"Oh, yes!" said Max, with laughter in his eyes; +"And I do truly think that Eden bloom'd +"Deep in the heart of tall, green maple groves, +"With sudden scents of pine from mountain sides +"And prairies with their breasts against the skies. +"And Eve was only little Katie's height." +"Hoot, lad! you speak as ev'ry Adam speaks +"About his bonnie Eve; but what says Kate?" +"O Adam had not Max's soul,' she said; +"And these wild woods and plains are fairer far +"Than Eden's self. O bounteous mothers they! +"Beck'ning pale starvelings with their fresh, green hands, +"And with their ashes mellowing the earth, +"That she may yield her increase willingly. +"I would not change these wild and rocking woods, +"Dotted by little homes of unbark'd trees, +"Where dwell the fleers from the waves of want,-- +"For the smooth sward of selfish Eden bowers, +"Nor--Max for Adam, if I knew my mind!" + + + + +OLD SPENSE. + +You've seen his place, I reckon, friend? + 'Twas rather kind ov tryin'. +The way he made the dollars fly, + Such gimcrack things a-buyin'-- + He spent a big share ov a fortin' + On pesky things that went a snortin' + +And hollerin' over all the fields, + And ploughin' ev'ry furrow; +We sort ov felt discouraged, for + Spense wusn't one to borrow; + An' wus--the old chap wouldn't lend + A cent's wuth to his dearest friend! + +Good land! the neighbours seed to wunst + Them snortin', screamin' notions +Wus jest enough tew drown the yearth + In wrath, like roarin' oceans, + "An' guess'd the Lord would give old Spense + Blue fits for fightin' Pruvidence!" + +Spense wus thet harden'd; when the yearth + Wus like a bak'd pertater; +Instead ov prayin' hard fur rain, + He fetched an irrigator. + "The wicked flourish like green bays!" + Sed folks for comfort in them days. + +I will allow his place was grand + With not a stump upon it, +The loam wus jest as rich an' black + Es school ma'am's velvet bunnit; + But tho' he flourish'd, folks all know'd + What spiritooal ear-marks he show'd. + +Spense had a notion in his mind, + Ef some poor human grapples +With pesky worms thet eat his vines, + An' spile his summer apples, + It don't seem enny kind ov sense + Tew call that "cheekin' Pruvidence!" + +An' ef a chap on Sabbath sees + A thunder cloud a-strayin' +Above his fresh cut clover an' + Gets down tew steddy prayin', + An' tries tew shew the Lord's mistake, + Instead ov tacklin' tew his rake, + +He ain't got enny kind ov show + Tew talk ov chast'ning trials; +When thet thar thunder cloud lets down + It's sixty billion vials; + No! when it looks tew rain on hay, + First take yer rake an' then yer pray! + +Old Spense was one 'ov them thar chaps + Thet in this life of tussle +An' rough-an'-tumble, sort ov set + A mighty store on muscle; + B'liev'd in hustlin' in the crop, + An' prayin' on the last load top! + +An' yet he hed his p'ints--his heart + Wus builded sort ov spacious; +An' solid--ev'ry beam an' plank, + An', Stranger, now, veracious. + A wore-out hoss he never shot, + But turn'd him in the clover lot! + +I've seed up tew the meetin' house; + The winkin' an' the nudgin', +When preacher sed, "No doubt that Dives + Been drefful mean an' grudgin'; + Tew church work seal'd his awful fate + Whar thar ain't no foolin' with the gate!" + +I mind the preacher met old Spense, + Beneath the maples laggin', +The day was hot, an' he'd a pile + Ov 'cetrees in his waggin'; + A sack of flour, a hansum hog, + Sum butter and his terrier dog. + +Preacher, he halted up his hoss, + Ask'd for Miss Spense an' Deely, +Tew limber up his tongue a mite, + And sez right slick an' mealy: + "Brother, I really want tew know + Hev you got religion? Samson, whoa!" + +Old Spense, he bit a noble chaw, + An' sort ov meditated; +Samson he nibbl'd at the grass, + An' preacher smil'd and waited; + Ye'd see it writ upon his face-- + "I've got Spense in a tightsome place!" + +The old man curl'd his whip-lash round + An alto-vic'd muskitter, +Preacher, sort ov triumphant, strok'd + His ornary old critter. + Spense p'ints tew flour, an' hog, an' jar, + Sez he, "I've got religion thar! + +"Them's goin' down tew Spinkses place, + Whar old man Spinks is stayin'; +The bank he dealt at bust last month, + An' folks is mostly sayin': + Him bein' ag'd, an' poor, an' sick, + They'll put him in the poor-house slick! + +"But no, they don't! Not while I own + The name ov Jedediah; +Yer movin'? How's yer gran'ma Green, + An' yer cousin, Ann Maria? + Boss, air they? Yas, sirree, I dar + Tew say, I've got religion thar!" + +Preacher, he in his stirrups riz, + His visage kind ov cheerin'; +An' keerful look'd along the road, + Over sugarbush an' clearin'; + Thar wa'n't a deacon within sight; + Sez he, "My brother, guess you're right." + +"You keep your waggon Zionward, + With that religion on it; +I calculate we'll meet"--jest here + A caliker sun bonnet, + On a sister's head, cum round the Jog, + An' preacher dispars'd like mornin' fog! + +One day a kind ov judgment come, + The lightnin'-rod conductor +Got broke--the fluid struck his aunt, + An' in the root-house chuck'd her. + It laid her up for quite a while, + An' the judgment made the neighbors smile. + +Old Spense he swore a mighty swar, + He didn't mince nor chew it; +For when he spoke, 'most usual, + It had a backbone tew it. + He sed he'd find a healthy plan + Tew square things with the agent man, + +Who'd sold him thet thar useless rod + To put upon his roofin'; +An' ef he found him round the place, + He'd send the scamp a-hoofin'. + "You sort ov understand my sense?" + "Yes, pa,"--said pooty Deely Spense. + +"Yes, pa," sez she, es mild es milk + Tew thet thar strong oration, +An' when a woman acts like _that_-- + It's bin my observation-- + (An' reckin that you'll find it sound) + She means tew turn creation round, + +An' fix the univarse the way + She sort ov feels the notion. +So Deely let the old man rave, + Nor kick'd up no commotion; + Tho' thet cute agent man an' she + Were know'd es steady company. + +He'd chance around when Spense was out, + A feller sort o' airy; +An' poke around free's the wind, + With Deely in the dairy. + (Old Spense hed got a patent churn, + Thet gev the Church a drefful turn). + +I am a married man myself, + More sot on steddy plowin', +An' cuttin' rails, than praisin' gals, + Yet honestly allowin'-- + A man must be main hard tew please + Thet didn't freeze tew Deely's cheese. + +I reckon tho' old Spense hed sign'd + With Satan queer law papers, +He'd fill'd that dairy up chock full + Of them thar patent capers. + Preacher once took fur sermon text-- + "Rebellious patent vats.--What next?" + +I've kind of stray'd from thet thar scare + That cum on Spense--tho', reely, +I'll allus hold it was a shine + Of thet thar pooty Deely: + Thar's them es holds thro' thin an' thick, + 'Twas a friendly visit from Old Nick. + +Es time went on, old Spense he seem'd + More sot on patent capers; +So he went right off tew fetch a thing + He'd read ov in the papers. + 'Twas a moony night in airly June, + The Whip-poor-wills wus all in tune; + +The Katydids wus callin' clar, + The fire bugs was glowin', +The smell ov clover fill'd the air. + Thet day old Spense'd bin mowin'-- + With a mower yellin' drefful screams, + Like them skreeks we hear in nightmare dreams. + +Miss Spense wus in the keepin'-room, + O'erlookin' last yar's cherries; +The Help wus settin' on the bench, + A-hullin' airly berries; + The hir'd man sot on the step, + An' chaw'd, an' watch'd the crickets lep. + +Not one ov them thar folks thet thought + Ov Deely in the dairy: +The Help thought on the hir'd man, + An' he ov Martin's Mary; + Miss Spense she ponder'd thet she'd found + Crush'd sugar'd riz a cent a pound. + +I guess hed you an' I bin thar, + A peepin' thro' the shutter +Ov thet thar dairy, we'd a swore + Old Spense's cheese an' butter + Wus gilded, from the manner thet + Deely she smil'd on pan an' vat. + +The Agent he had chanc'd around, + In evenin's peaceful shadder; +He'd glimps'd Spense an' his tarrier go + Across the new-mown medder-- + To'ard Crampville--so he shew'd his sense, + By slidin' o'er the garden fence, + +An' kind of unassumin' glode, + Beneath the bendin' branches, +Tew the dairy door whar Deely watch'd-- + A-twitterin' an' anxious. + It didn't suit Miss Deely's plan + Her pa should catch that Agent man. + +I kind ov mind them days I went + With Betsy Ann a-sparking'. +Time hed a'drefful sneakin way + Ov passin' without markin' + A single blaze upon a post, + An' walkin' noiseless es a ghost! + +I guess thet Adam found it thus, + Afore he hed to grapple +With thet conundrum Satan rais'd + About the blam'd old apple; + He found Time sort ov smart tew pass + Afore Eve took tew apple sass. + +Thar ain't no changes cum about + Sence them old days in Eden, +Except thet lovers take a spell + Of mighty hearty feedin'. + Now Adam makes his Eve rejice + By orderin' up a lemon ice. + +He ain't got enny kind ov show + To hear the merry pealins' +Of them thar weddin' bells, unless + He kind ov stirs her feelins'-- + By treatin' her tew ginger pop, + An' pilin' peanuts in a-top. + +Thet Agent man know'd how to run + The business real handy; +An' him an' Deely sot an' laugh'd, + An' scrunch'd a pile o' candy; + An' talk'd about the singin' skule-- + An' stars--an' Spense's kickin' mule-- + +An' other elevatin' facts + In Skyence an' in Natur. +An' Time, es I wus sayin', glode + Past, like a champion skater,-- + When--Thunder! round the orchard fence. + Come thet thar tarrier dog an' Spense, + +An' made straight for the dairy door. + Thar's times in most experrence, +We feel how trooly wise 'twould be + To make a rapid clearance; + Nor wait tew practice them thar rules + We larn tew city dancin' skules. + +The Agent es a gen'ral plan + Wus polish'd es the handles +Ov my old plough; an' slick an' smooth + Es Betsey's tallow candles. + But when he see'd old Spense--wal, neow, + He acted homely es a ceow! + +His manners wusn't in the grain, + His wool wus sorter shoddy; +His courage wus a poorish sort, + It hadn't got no body. + An' when he see'd old Spense, he shook + Es ef he'd see'd his gran'ma's spook. + +Deely she wrung her pooty hands, + She felt her heart a-turnin' +Es poor es milk when all the cream + Is taken off fur churnin'. + When all to once her eyes fell pat + Upon old Spense's patent vat! + +The Agent took no sort ov stock + Thet time in etiquettin; +It would hev made a punkin laugh + Tew see his style of gettin'! + In thet thar empty vat he slid, + An' Deely shet the hefty lid. + +Old Spense wus smilin' jest es clar + Es stars in the big "Dipper"; +An' Deely made believe tew hum + "Old Hundred" gay an' chipper, + But thinkin' what a tightsome squeeze + The vat wus fur the Agent's knees. + +Old Spense he sed, "I guess, my gal, + "Ye've been a sort ov dreamin'; +"I see ye haven't set the pans, + "Nor turn'd the mornin's cream in; + "Now ain't ye spry? Now, darn my hat + "Ef the milk's run inter thet thar vat." + +Thar's times one's feelin's swell like bread + In summer-time a-risin', +An' Deely's heart swole in a way + Wus mightily surprising + When Spense gripp'd one ov them thar pans + Ov yaller cream in his big han's! + +The moon glode underneath a cloud, + The breeze sigh'd loud an' airy; +The pans they faintlike glimmer'd on + The white walls ov the dairy. + Deely she trembl'd like an ash, + An' lean'd agin the old churn dash. + +"Tarnation darksome," growl'd old Spense, + Arf liftin' up the cover-- +He turn'd the pan ov cream quite spry + On Deely's Agent lover. + Good sakes alive! a curdlin' skreek + From thet thar Agent man did break! + +All drippin' white he ros'd tew view. + His curly locks a-flowin' +With clotted cream, an' in the dusk, + His eyes with terror glowin'. + He made one spring--'tis certain, reely, + He never sed "Good night" tew Deely. + +Old Spense he riz up from the ground, + An' with a kind ov wonder, +He look'd inter thet patent vat, + An' simply sed, "By thunder"! + Then look'd at Deely hard, and sed, + "The milk will sop clar thro' his hed"! + +Folks look'd right solemn when they heard + The hull ov thet thar story, +An' sed, "It might be plainly seen + Twas clar agin the glory + Of Pruvidence to use a vat + Thet Satan in had boldly sat"! + +They shook their heads when Spense declar'd + 'Twas Deely's beau in hidin'; +They guess'd they know'd a thing or two, + An' wasn't so confidin':-- + 'Twas the "Devourin' Lion" cum + Tew ask old Spense testep down hum! + +Old Spense he kinder spil'd the thing + Fur thet thar congregation, +By holdin' on tew life in spite + Ov Satan's invitation; + An' hurts thar feelin's ev'ry Spring, + Buyin' some pesky patent thing. + +The Agent man slid out next day, + To peddle round young Hyson; +And Deely fur a fortnight thought + Ov drinkin' sum rat pison; + Didn't put no papers in her har; + An' din'd out ov the pickle jar. + +Then at Aunt Hesby's sewin' bee + She met a slick young feller, +With a city partin' tew his har + An' a city umbereller. + He see'd her hum thet night, an' he + Is now her steddy company! + + + + +THE ROMAN ROSE-SELLER + + +Not from Paestum come my roses; Patrons, see +My flowers are Roman-blown; their nectaries +Drop honey amber, and their petals throw +Rich crimsons on the lucent marble of the shrine +Where snowy Dian lifts her pallid brow, +As crimson lips of Love may seek to warm +A sister glow in hearts as pulseless hewn. +Caesar from Afric wars returns to-day; +Patricians, buy my royal roses; strew +His way knee-deep, as though old Tiber roll'd +A tide of musky roses from his bed to do +A wonder, wond'rous homage. Marcus Lucius, thou +To-day dost wed; buy roses, roses, roses, +To mingle with the nuptial myrtle; look, +I strip the polish'd thorns from the stems, +The nuptial rose should be a stingless flower; +Lucania, pass not by my roses. Virginia, +Here is a rose that has a canker in't, and yet +It is most glorious-dyed and sweeter smells +Than those death hath not touched. To-day they bear +The shield of Claudius with his spear upon it, +Close upon Caesar's chariot--heap, heap it up +With roses such as these; 'tis true he's dead +And there's the canker! but, Romans, he +Died glorious, there's the perfume! and his virtues +Are these bright petals; so buy my roses, Widow. +No Greek-born roses mine. Priestess, priestess! +Thy ivory chariot stay; here's a rose and not +A white one, though thy chaste hands attend +On Vesta's flame. Love's of a colour--be it that +Which ladders Heaven and lives amongst the Gods; +Or like the Daffodil blows all about the earth; +Or, Hesperus like, is one sole star upon +The solemn sky which bridges same sad life, +So here's a crimson rose: Be, thou as pure +As Dian's tears iced on her silver cheek, +And know no quality of love, thou art +A sorrow to the Gods! Oh mighty Love! +I would my roses could but chorus Thee. +No roses of Persepolis are mine. Helot, here-- +I give thee this last blossom: A bee as red +As Hybla's golden toilers sucked its sweets; +A butterfly, wing'd like to Eros nipp'd +Its new-pinked leaves; the sun, bright despot, stole +The dew night gives to all. Poor slave, methinks +A bough of cypress were as gay a gift, and yet +It hath some beauty left! a little scarlet--for +The Gods love all; a little perfume, for there is no life, +Poor slave, but hath its sweetness. Thus I make +My roses Oracles. O hark! the cymbals beat +In god-like silver bursts of sound; I go +To see great Caesar leading Glory home, +From Campus Martius to the Capitol! + + + + +THE WOOING OF GHEEZIS. + + +The red chief Gheezis, chief of the golden wampum, lay +And watched the west-wind blow adrift the clouds, +With breath all flowery, that from his calumet +Curl'd like to smoke about the mountain tops. +Gheezis look'd from his wigwam, blue as little pools +Drained from the restless mother-wave, that lay +Dreaming in golden hollows of her sands; +And deck'd his yellow locks with feath'ry clouds, +And took his pointed arrows and so stoop'd +And leaning with his red hands on the hills, +Look'd with long glances all along the earth. +"Mudjekeewis, West-Wind, in amongst the forest, +"I see a maid, gold-hued as maize full ripe; her eyes +"Laugh under the dusk boughs like watercourses; +"Her moccasins are wrought with threads of light: her hands +"Are full of blue eggs of the robin, and of buds +"Of lilies, and green spears of rice: O Mudjekeewis, +"Who is the maid, gold-hued as maize full-ripen'd?" +"O sun, O Gheezis, that is Spring, is Segwun--woo her!" +"I cannot, for she hides behind the behmagut-- +"The thick leav'd grape-vine, and there laughs upon me." +"O Gheezis," cried Segwun from behind the grape-vine. +"Thy arms are long but all too short to reach me, +"Thou art in heaven and I upon the earth!" +Gheezis, with long, golden fingers tore the grape-vine, +But Segwun laughed upon him from behind +A maple, shaking little leaves of gold fresh-budded. +"Gheezis, where are thy feet, O sun, O chief?" +"Follow," sigh'd Mudjekeewis, "Gheezis must wed +"With Spring, with Segwun, or all nature die." +The red chief Gheezis swift ran down the hills, +And as he ran the pools and watercourses +Snatch'd at his yellow hair; the thickets caught +Its tendrils on their brambles; and the buds +That Segwun dropp'd, opened as they touched. +His moccasins were flame, his wampum gold; +His plumes were clouds white as the snow, and red +As Sumach in the moon of falling leaves. +He slipp'd beside the maple, Segwun laugh'd. +"O Gheezis, I am hid amid the lily-pads, +"And thou hast no canoe to seek me there; farewell!" +"I see thine eyes, O Segwun, laugh behind the buds; +"The Manitou is love, and gives me love, and love +"Gives all of power." His moccasins wide laid +Red tracks upon the waves: When Segwun leap'd +Gold-red and laughing from the lily-pads, +To flit before him like a fire-fly, she found +The golden arms of Gheezis round her cast, the buds +Burst into flower in her hands, and all the earth +Laughing where Gheezis look'd; and Mudjekeewis, +Heart friend of Gheezis, laugh'd, "Now life is come +"Since Segwun and red Gheezis wed and reign!" + + + + +BABY'S DREAMS. + + + What doth the moon so lily white, + Busily weave this Summer night? + Silver ropes and diamond strands + For Baby's pink and dimpl'd hands; + Cords for her rosy palms to hold, + While she floats, she flies, +To Dream Land set with its shores of gold, +And its buds like stars shaken out of the skies; +Where the trees have tongues and the flowers have lips + To coax, to kiss, + The velvet cheek of the Babe who slips + Thro' the Dream gate up to a land like this. + + What is the mild sea whisp'ring clear + In the rosy shell of Baby's ear? + See! she laughs in her dimpl'd sleep-- + What does she hear from the shining deep? + + * * * * * + +"Thy father comes a-sailing, a-sailing, a-sailing, +Safely comes a-sailing from islands fair and far. +O Baby, bid thy mother cease her tears and bitter wailing +The sailor's wife's his only port, his babe his beacon star!" + + Softly the Wind doth blow, + What say its murmurs low? + What doth it bring +On the wide soft plume of its dewy wing? + "Only scented blisses + Of innocent, sweet kisses, + For such cheeks as this is + Of Baby in her nest. + From all the dreaming flowers, + A nodding in their bowers; + Or bright on leafy towers, + Where the fairy monarchs rest." + "But chiefly I bring, + On my fresh sweet mouth, + Her father's kiss, + As he sails out of the south. +He hitherward blew it at break of day, + I lay it, Babe, on thy tender lip; +I'll steal another and hie away, + And kiss it to him on his wave-rock'd ship." + + I saw a fairy twine + Of star-white Jessamine; +A dainty seat shaped like an airy swing; + With two round yellow stars, + Against the misty bars + Of Night; she nailed it high + In the pansy-purple sky, +With four taps of her little rainbow wing. + To and fro + That swing I'll blow. + +The baby moon in the amethyst sky +Will laugh at us as we float and fly, +And stretch her silver arms and try +To catch the earth-babe swinging by. + + + + +MARY'S TRYST. + + +Young Mary stole along the vale, + To keep her tryst with Ulnor's lord; +A warrior clad in coat of mail + Stood darkling by the brawling ford. + +"O let me pass; O let me pass, + Dark falls the night on hill and lea; +Flies, flies the bright day swift and fast, + From lordly bower and greenwood tree. +The small birds twitter as they fly + To dewy bough and leaf-hid nest; +Dark fold the black clouds on the sky, + And maiden terrors throng my breast!" + +"And thou shalt pass, thou bonnie maid, + If thou wilt only tell to me-- +Why hiest thou forth in lonesome shade; + Where may thy wish'd-for bourne be?" +"O let me by, O let me by, + My granddam dwells by Ulnor's shore; +She strains for me her failing eye-- + Beside her lowly ivied door." + +"I rode by Ulnor's shore at dawn, + I saw no ancient dame and cot; +I saw but startl'd doe and fawn-- + Thy bourne thou yet hast told me not." +"O let me pass--my father lies + Long-stretch'd in coffin and in shroud,-- +Where Ulnor's turrets climb the skies, + Where Ulnor's battlements are proud!" + +"I rode by Ulnor's walls at noon; + I heard no bell for passing sprite; +And saw no henchman straik'd for tomb; + Thou hast not told thy bourne aright." +"O let me pass--a monk doth dwell + In lowly hut by Ulnor's shrine; +I seek the holy friar's cell, + That he may shrive this soul of mine." + +"I rode by Ulnor's shrine this day, + I saw no hut--no friar's cowl; +I heard no holy hermit pray-- + I heard but hooting of the owl!" +"O let me pass--time flies apace-- + And since thou wilt not let me be; +I tryst with chief of Ulnor's race, + Beneath the spreading hawthorn tree!" + +"I rode beside the bonnie thorn, + When this day's sun was sinking low; +I saw a damsel like the morn, + I saw a knight with hound and bow; +The chief was chief of Ulnor's name, + The maid was of a high degree; +I saw him kiss the lovely dame, + I saw him bend the suitor's knee! + +"I saw the fond glance of his eye + To her red cheek red roses bring; +Between them, as my steed flew by, + I saw them break a golden ring." +"O wouldst thou know, thou curious knight, + Where Mary's bourne to-night will be? +Since thou has seen such traitor sight, + Beneath the blooming hawthorn tree." + +Fair shone the yellow of her locks, + Her cheek and bosom's drifted snow; +She leap'd adown the sharp grey rocks, + She sought the sullen pool below. +The knight his iron vizard rais'd, + He caught young Mary to his heart; +She lifted up her head and gaz'd-- + She drew her yellow locks apart. + + * * * * * + +The roses touch'd her lovely face; + The lilies white did faint and flee; +The knight was chief of Ulnor's race,-- + His only true love still was she! + + + + +"IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL!" + + +Long time one whisper'd in his ear-- + "Give me my strong, pure soul; behold +'Tis mine to give what men hold dear-- + The treasure of red gold." + +"I bribe thee not with crown and throne, + Pale spectres they of kingly pow'r! +I give thee gold--red gold alone + Can crown a king each hour!" + +He frown'd, perchance he felt a throe, + Gold-hunger gnawing at his heart-- +A passing pang--for, stern and low, + He bade the fiend depart! + +Again there came the voice and said: + "Gold for that soul of thine were shame; +Thine be that thing for which have bled + Both Gods and men,--high Fame. + +"And in long ages yet to sweep + Their gloom and glory on the day; +When mould'ring kings, forgot, shall sleep + In ashes, dust, and clay: + +"Thy name shall, starlike, pulse and burn + On heights most Godlike; and divine, +Immortal bays thy funereal urn + Shall lastingly entwine!" + +He sigh'd; perchance he felt the thrill, + The answ'ring pulse to Fame's high call; +But answer made his steadfast will-- + "I will not be thy thrall!" + +Again there came the voice and cried: + "Dost thou my kingly bribes disdain? +Yet shalt thou barter soul and pride + For things ignobly vain! + +"Two shameless eyes--two false, sweet eyes-- + A sinful brow of sinless white, +Shall hurl, thy soul from high clear skies + To ME, and Stygian night. + +"Beneath the spell of gilded hair, + Thy palms, like sickly weeds, shall die! +God-strong Resolves, a sensuous air + Shall mock and crucify. + +"Go to! my thrall at last thou art! + Ere bud to rounded blossom change; +Thou wilt for wanton lips and heart + Most false, thy soul exchange!" + + + + +THE LAND OF KISSES + + +Where is the Land of Kisses, + Can you tell, tell, tell? +Ah, yes; I know its blisses + Very well! +'Tis not beneath the swinging + Of the Jessamine, +Where gossip-birds sit singing + In the vine! + +Where is the Land of Kisses, + Do you know, know, know? +Is it such a land as this is? + No, truly no! +Nor is it 'neath the Myrtle, + Where each butterfly +Can brush your lady's kirtle, + Flitting by! + +Where is the Land of Kisses, + Can you say, say, say? +Yes; there a red lip presses + Mine ev'ry day! +But 'tis not where the Pansies + Open purple eyes, +And gossip all their fancies + To the skies! + +I know the Land of Kisses + Passing well, well, well; +Who seeks it often misses-- + Let me tell. +Fly, lover, like a swallow, + Where your lady goes; +You'll find it if you follow, + 'Neath the Rose. + + + + +SAID THE THISTLE-DOWN. + + +"If thou wilt hold my silver hair, + O Lady sweet and bright; +I'll bring thee, maiden darling, where + Thy lover is to-night. +Lay down thy robe of cloth of gold-- + Gold, weigheth heavily, +Thy necklace wound in jewell'd fold, + And hie thee forth with me." + +"O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down, + I've laid my robe aside; +My necklace and my jewell'd crown, + And yet I cannot glide +Along the silver crests of night + With thee, light thing, with thee. +Rain would I try the airy flight, + What sayest thou to me?" + +"If thou wilt hold my silver hair, + O maiden fair and proud; +We'll float upon the purple air + High as yon lilied cloud. +There is a jewel weighs thy heart; + If thou with me wouldst glide +That cold, cold jewel place apart-- + The jewel of thy pride!" + +"O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down + That jewel part I've set; +With golden robe and shining crown + And cannot follow yet! +Fain would I clasp thy silver tress + And float on high with thee; +Yet somewhat me to earth doth press-- + What sayest thou to me? + +"If thou wilt hold my silver hair + O lady, sweet and chaste; +We'll dance upon the sparkling air + And to thy lover haste. +A lily lies upon thy breast + Snow-white as it can be-- +It holds thee strong--sweet, with the rest + Yield lilied chastity." + +"O Thistle-down, false Thistle-down + I've parted Pride and Gold; +Laid past my jewels and my crown-- + My golden robings' fold. +I will not lay my lily past-- + Love's light as vanity +When to the mocking wind is cast + The lily, Chastity." + + + + +BOUCHE-MIGNONNE. + + +Bouche-Mignonne liv'd in the mill; + Past the vineyards shady; +Where the sun shone on a rill + Jewell'd like a lady. +Proud the stream with lily-bud, + Gay with glancing swallow; +Swift its trillion-footed flood, + Winding ways to follow. +Coy and still when flying wheel + Rested from its labour; +Singing when it ground the meal + Gay as lute or tabor. +"Bouche-Mignonne" it called, when, red + In the dawn were glowing, +Eaves and mill-wheel, "leave thy bed, + "Hark to me a-flowing!" + +Bouche-Mignonne awoke and quick + Glossy tresses braided; +Curious sunbeams cluster'd thick + Vines her casement shaded. +Deep with leaves and blossoms white + Of the morning glory, +Shaking all their banners bright + From the mill, eaves hoary. +Swallows turn'd glossy throats, + Timorous, uncertain, +When to hear their matin notes, + Peep'd she thro' her curtain, +Shook the mill-stream sweet and clear, + With its silver laughter-- +Shook the mill from flooring sere + Up to oaken ratter. +"Bouche-Mignonne" it cried "come down! + "Other flowers are stirring; + "Pierre with fingers strong and brown + "Sets the wheel a-birring." + +Bouche-Mignonne her distaff plies + Where the willows shiver, +Round the mossy mill-wheel flies; + Dragon-flies a-quiver-- +Flash a-thwart the lily-beds, + Pierce the dry reed's thicket: +Where the yellow sunlight treads + Chants the friendly cricket. +Butterflies about her skim + (Pouf! their simple fancies!) +In the willow shadows dim + Take her eyes for pansies! +Buzzing comes a velvet bee + Sagely it supposes +Those red lips beneath the tree + Are two crimson roses! +Laughs the mill-stream wise and bright + It is not so simple +Knew it, since she first saw light + Ev'ry blush and dimple! +"Bouche-Mignonne" it laughing cries + "Pierre as the bee is silly +"Thinks two morning stars thine eyes-- + "And thy neck a lily!" + +Bouche-Mignonne when shadows crept + From the vine-dark hollows; +When the mossy mill-wheel slept + Curv'd the airy swallows. +When the lilies clos'd white lids + Over golden fancies-- +Homeward drove her goats and kids + Bright the gay moon dances. +With her light and silver feet, + On the mill-stream flowing, +Come a thousand perfumes sweet, + Dewy buds are blowing. +Comes an owl and grely flits + Jewell'd ey'd and hooting-- +Past the green tree where she sits + Nightingales are fluting +Soft the wind as rust'ling silk + On a courtly lady, +Tinkles down the flowing milk + Huge and still and shady-- +Stands the mill-wheel resting still. + From its loving labor, +Dances on the tireless rill + Gay as lute or tabor! +"Bouche-Mignonne" it laughing cries + "Do not blush and tremble; +"If the night has ears and eyes + "I'll for thee disemble! +"Loud and clear and sweet I'll sing + "Oh my far way straying, +"I will hide the whisper'd thing + "Pierre to thee is saying. +"Bouche-Mignonne, good night, good night! + "Ev'ry silver hour +"I will toss my lilies white + "'Gainst thy maiden bower!" + + + + +BESIDE THE SEA. + + +One time he dream'd beside a sea, + That laid a mane of mimic stars; +In fondling quiet on the knee, + Of one tall, pearl'd, cliff--the bars; +Of golden beaches upward swept, +Pine-scented shadows seaward crept. + +The full moon swung her ripen'd sphere + As from a vine; and clouds as small +As vine leaves in the opening year + Kissed the large circle of her ball. +The stars gleamed thro' them as one sees +Thro' vine leaves drift the golden bees. + +He dream'd beside this purple sea, + Low sang its tranced voice, and he-- +He knew not if the wordless strain + Made prophecy of joy or pain; +He only knew far stretch'd that sea, +He knew its name--Eternity! + +A shallop with a rainbow sail, + On the bright pulses of the tide, +Throbb'd airily; a fluting gale + Kiss'd the rich gilding of its side; +By chain of rose and myrtle fast, +A light sail touch'd the slender mast. + +"A flower-bright rainbow thing," he said + To one beside him, "far too frail +"To brave dark storms that lurk ahead, + "To dare sharp talons of the gale. +"Belov'd, thou woulds't not forth with me +"In such a bark on such a sea?" + +"First tell me of its name?" she bent + Her eyes divine and innocent +On his. He raised his hand above + Its prow, and answ'ring swore, "'Tis Love!" +"Now tell," she ask'd, "how is it built, +Of gold or worthless timber gilt?" + +"Of gold," he said. "Whence named?" asked she, + The roses of her lips apart, +She paus'd--a lily by the sea-- + Came his swift answer, "From my heart!" +She laid her light palm in his hand. +"Let loose the shallop from the strand!" + + + + +THE HIDDEN ROOM. + + + I marvel if my heart, + Hath any room apart, +Built secretly its mystic walls within; + With subtly warded key. + Ne'er yielded unto me-- +Where even I have surely never been. + + Ah, surely I know all + The bright and cheerful hall +With the fire ever red upon its hearth; + My friends dwell with me there, + Nor comes the step of Care +To sadden down its music and its mirth. + + Full well I know as mine, + The little cloister'd shrine +No foot but mine alone hath ever trod; + There come the shining wings-- + The face of one who brings +The pray'rs of men before the throne of God. + + And many know full well, + The busy, busy cell, +Where I toil at the work I have to do, + Nor is the portal fast, + Where stand phantoms of the past, +Or grow the bitter plants of darksome rue. + + I know the dainty spot + (Ah, who doth know it not?) +Where pure young Love his lily-cradle made; + And nestled some sweet springs + With lily-spangled wings-- +Forget-me-nots upon his bier I laid. + + Yet marvel I, my soul, + Know I thy very whole, +Or dost thou hide a chamber still from me? + Is it built upon the wall? + Is it spacious? is it small? +Is it God, or man, or I who holds the key? + + + + +FARMER DOWNS CHANGES HIS OPINION OF NATURE. + + +"No," said old Farmer Downs to me, + "I ain't the facts denyin', +That all young folks in love must be, + As birds must be a-flyin'. +Don't go agin sech facts, because +I'm one as re-specks Natur's laws. + +"No, sir! Old Natur knows a thing + Or two, I'm calculatin', +She don't make cat-fish dance and sing, + Or sparrow-hawks go skatin'; +She knows her business ev'ry time, +You bet your last an' lonely dime! + +"I guess, I'm posted pooty fair + On that old gal's capers; +She allers acts upon the square + Spite o' skyentific papers. +(I borrows one most ev'ry week +From Jonses down to "Pincher's Creek.") + +"It sorter freshens up a man + To read the newest notions, +Tho' I don't freeze much tew that thar plan, + About the crops ratotions; +You jest leave Natur do her work, + She'll do it! she ain't one tew shirk! + +"I'm all fur lettin Natur go + The way she's sot on choosin'. +Ain't that the figger of a beau + That's talkin' thar tew Susan? +Down by the orchard snake-fence? Yes. +All right, it's Squire Sims, I guess. + +"He's jest the one I want tew see + Come sparkin'; guess they're lyin', +That say that of old age he be + Most sartinly a-dyin'-- +He's no sech thing! Good sakes alive, +The man is only seventy-five! + +"An' she's sixteen. I'm not the man + Tew act sort of inhuman, +An' meanly spile old Natur's plan + To jine a man and woman +In wedlock's bonds. Sirree, she makes, +This grand old Natur, no mistakes. + +"They're standin' pooty clus; the leaves + Is round 'em like a bower, +The Squire's like the yaller sheaves + An' she's the Corn Flower, +Natur's the binder, allus true, +Tew make one heart of them thar two. + +"Yas--as I was a-sayin', friend, + I'm all for Natur's teachins; +_She_ ain't one in the bitter end + Tew practice over-reachins. +You trust her, and she'll treat you well, +Don't doubt her by the leastest spell. + +"I'm not quite clar but subsoil looks + Jest kinder not quite pious; +I sorter think them farmin' books, + Will in the long run sky us, +Right in the mud; the way they balk +Old Natur with thar darn fool talk! + +"When Susie marries Squire Sims, + I'll lease his upland farm; +I'll get it cheap enough from him-- + Jest see his long right arm +About her waist--looks orful big! +Why, gosh! he's bought a new brown wig! + +"Wal, that's the way old Natur acts + When bald folks go a-sparkin'; +The skyentists can't alter facts + With all their hard work larkin', +A sparkin man _will_ look his best-- +That's Natur--tain't no silly jest! + +"Old Natur, you and me is twins; + I never will git snarly +With you, old gal. Why, darn my shins! + That's only Jonses Charlie. +She's cuddlin' right agin his vest! +Eh? What? "Old Natur knows what's best!" + +"Oh, does she? Wal, p'raps 'tis so; + Jest see the rascal's arm +About her waist! You've got tew go + Young man, right off this farm; +Old Natur knows a pile, no doubt, +But you an' her hed best get out! + +"You, Susie, git right hum. I'm mad + Es enny bilin' crater! +In futur, sick or well or sad + I'll take no stock in Natur. +I'm that disgusted with her capers +I'll run the farm by skyence papers." + + + + +THE BURGOMEISTER'S WELL. + + +A peaceful spot, a little street, + So still between the double roar +Of sea and city that it seemed + A rest in music, set before +Some clashing chords--vibrating yet + With hurried measures fast and sweet; +For so the harsh chords of the town, + And so the ocean's rythmic beat. + +A little street with linden trees + So thickly set, the belfry's face +Was leaf-veiled, while above them pierced, + Four slender spires flamboyant grace. +Old porches carven when the trees, + Were seedlings yellow in the sun +Five hundred years ago that bright + Upon the quaint old city shone. + +A fountain prim, and richly cut + In ruddy granite, carved to tell +How a good burgomeister rear'd + The stone above the people's well. +A sea-horse from his nostrils blew + Two silver threads; a dragon's lip +Dropp'd di'monds, and a giant hand + Held high an urn on finger tip. + +'Twas there I met my little maid, + There saw her flaxen tresses first; +She filled the cup for one who lean'd + (A soldier, crippl'd and athirst) +Against the basin's carven rim; + Her dear small hand's white loveliness +Was pinkly flush'd, the gay bright drops + Plash'd on her brow and silken dress. + +I took the flagon from her hand, + Too small, dear hand, for such a weight. +From cobweb weft and woof is spun + The tapestry of Life and Fate! +The linden trees had gilded buds, + The dove wheeled high on joyous wing, +When on that darling hand of hers + I slipped the glimmer of a ring. +Ah, golden heart, and golden locks + Ye wove so sweet, so sure a spell! +That quiet day I saw her first + Beside the Burgomeister's Well! + + + + +SAID THE WIND. + + + "Come with me," said the Wind + To the ship within the dock + "Or dost thou fear the shock + Of the ocean-hidden rock, +When tempests strike thee full and leave thee blind; + And low the inky clouds, + Blackly tangle in thy shrouds; + And ev'ry strained cord + Finds a voice and shrills a word, +That word of doom so thunderously upflung + From the tongue + Of every forked wave, + Lamenting o'er a grave + Deep hidden at its base, + Where the dead whom it has slain + Lie in the strict embrace + Of secret weird tendrils; but the pain + Of the ocean's strong remorse + Doth fiercely force + The tale of murder from its bosom out + In a mighty tempest clangour, and its shout + In the threat'ning and lamenting of its swell + Is as the voice of Hell, + Yet all the word it saith + Is 'Death.'" + + "Come with me," sang the Wind, + "Why art thou, love, unkind? + Thou are too fair, O ship, + To kiss the slimy lip +Of the cold and dismal shore; and, prithee, mark, + How chill and dark +Shew the vast and rusty linkings of the chain, + Hoarse grating as with pain, + Which moors thee + And secures thee +From the transports of the soft wind and the main. + Aye! strain thou and pull, + Thy sails are dull + And dim from long close furling on thy spars, + But come thou forth with me, + And full and free, + I'll kiss them, kiss them, kiss them, till they be + White as the Arctic stars, + Or as the salt-white pinions of the gulf!" + + "Come with me," sang the Wind, + "O ship belov'd, and find + How golden-gloss'd and blue + Is the sea. +How thrush-sweet is my voice; how dearly true + I'll keep my nuptial promises to thee. + O mine to guide thy sails + By the kisses of my mouth; + Soft as blow the gales, + On the roses in the south. + O mine to guide thee far + From ruddy coral bar, +From horizon to horizon thou shalt glimmer like a star; + Thou shalt lean upon my breast, + And I shall rest, + And murmur in thy sails, + Such fond tales, + That thy finest cords + Will, syren-like, chant back my mellow words + With such renew'd enchantment unto me + That I shall be, +By my own singing, closer bound to thee!" + + "Come with me," sang the Wind, + "Thou knowest, love, my mind, + No more I'll try to woo thee, + Persuade thee or pursue thee, + For thou art mine; + Since first thy mast, a tall and stately pine + Beneath Norwegian skies, + Sang to my sighs. + Thou, thou wert built for me, + Strong lily of the sea! + Thou cans't not choose, + The calling of my low voice to refuse; + And if Death +Were the sole, sad, wailing burthen of my breath, + Thy timbers at my call, + Would shudder in their thrall, + Thy sails outburst to touch my stormy lip; + Like a giant quick in a grave, + Thy anchor heave, +And close upon my thunder-pulsing breast, O ship, + Thou would'st tremble, nor repine, + That being mine, + Thy spars, + Like long pale lights of falling stars, + Plunged in the Stygian blackness of the sea, + And to billowy ruin cast + Thy tall and taper mast, + Rushed shrieking headlong down to an abyss. + O ship! O love! if Death + Were such sure portion, thou could'st not refuse + But thou would'st choose + As mine to die, and call such choosing bliss; + For thou for me + Wert plann'd from all eternity!" + + + + +THE GHOSTS OF THE TREES. + + +The silver fangs of the mighty axe, + Bit to the blood of our giant boles; +It smote our breasts and smote our backs, + Thunder'd the front-cleared leaves-- + As sped in fire, + The whirl and flame of scarlet leaves + With strong desire + Leaped to the air our captive souls. + +While down our corpses thunder'd, +The air at our strong souls gazed and wondered + And cried to us, "Ye +Are full of all mystery to me! + I saw but thy plumes of leaves, + Thy strong, brown greaves; +The sinewy roots and lusty branches, +And fond and anxious, + I laid my ear and my restless breast + By each pride-high crest; + And softly stole +And listen'd by limb and listen'd by bole, +Nor ever the stir of a soul, + Heard I in ye-- + Great is the mystery!" + +The strong, brown eagle plung'd from his peak, +From the hollow iron of his beak; +The wood pigeon fell; its breast of blue +Cold with sharp death all thro' and thro', + To our ghosts he cried. + "With talons of steel, + I hold the storm; + Where the high peaks reel, + My young lie warm. +In the wind-rock'd spaces of air I bide; + My wings too wide-- +Too angry-strong for the emerald gyves, +Of woodland cell where the meek dove thrives. + And when at the bar, +Of morn I smote with my breast its star, + And under-- +My wings grew purple, the jealous thunder, + With the flame of the skies +Hot in my breast, and red in my eyes; + From peak to peak of sunrise pil'd +That set space glowing, +With flames from air-based crater's blowing-- + I downward swept, beguiled +By the close-set forest gilded and spread +A sea for the lordly tread, + Of a God's wardship-- +I broke its leafy turf with my breast; + My iron lip +I dipp'd in the cool of each whispering crest; + From thy leafy steeps, + I saw in my deeps, +Red coral the flame necked oriole-- +But never the stir of a soul + Heard I in ye-- + Great is the mystery!" + + + From its ferny coasts, +The river gazed at our strong, free ghosts, + And with rocky fingers shed + Apart the silver curls of its head; +Laid its murmuring hands, +On the reedy bands; + And at gaze +Stood in the half-moon's of brown, still bays; +Like gloss'd eyes of stags +Its round pools gaz'd from the rusty flags, + At our ghostly crests +At the bark-shields strong on our phantom breasts; + And its tide +Took lip and tongue and cried. + "I have push'd apart + The mountain's heart; + I have trod the valley down; + With strong hands curled, + Have caught and hurled, + To the earth the high hill's crown! + + My brow I thrust, + Through sultry dust, + That the lean wolf howl'd upon; + I drove my tides, + Between the sides, + Of the bellowing canon. + + From chrystal shoulders, + I hurled my boulders, + On the bridge's iron span. + When I rear'd my head + From its old time bed, + Shook the pale cities of man! + + I have run a course + With the swift, wild horse; + I have thunder'd pace for pace, + With the rushing herds-- + I have caught the beards + Of the swift stars in the race! + + Neither moon nor sun + Could me out-run; + Deep cag'd in my silver bars, + I hurried with me, + To the shouting sea, + Their light and the light of the stars! + + The reeling earth + In furious mirth + With sledges of ice I smote. + I whirled my sword + Where the pale berg roar'd, + I took the ship by the throat! + + With stagnant breath + I called chill Death + My guest to the hot bayou. + I built men's graves, + With strong thew'd waves + That thing that my strength might do. + + I did right well-- + Men cried "From Hell + The might of Thy hand is given!" + By loose rocks stoned + The stout quays groaned, + Sleek sands by my spear were riven. + + O'er shining slides, + On my gloss'd tides, + The brown cribs close woven roll'd; + The stout logs sprung, + Their height among + My loud whirls of white and gold! + + The great raft prest, + My calm, broad breast-- + A dream thro' my shady trance, + The light canoe-- + A spirit flew-- + The pulse of my blue expanse. + + Wing'd swift the ships. + My foaming lips + Made rich with dewy kisses, + All night and morn, + Field's red with corn, + And where the mill-wheel hisses. + + And shivers and sobs, + With lab'ring throbs, + With its whirls my strong palms play'd. + I parted my flags, + For thirsty stags, + On the necks of arches laid. + + To the dry-vined town + My tide roll'd down-- + Dry lips and throats a-quiver, + Rent sky and sod + With shouts "From God + The strength of the mighty river!" + + I, list'ning, heard + The soft-song'd bird; + The beetle about thy boles. + The calling breeze, + In thy crests, O Trees-- + Never the voices of souls!" + + * * * * * + + We, freed souls, of the Trees look'd down + On the river's shining eyes of brown; + And upward smiled + At the tender air and its warrior child, + The iron eagle strong and wild. + + * * * * * + + "No will of ours, + The captive souls of our barky tow'rs; + "His the deed + Who laid in the secret earth the seed; + And with strong hand + Knitted each woody fetter and band. + Never, ye + Ask of the tree, + The "Wherefore" or "Why" the tall trees stand, + Built in their places on the land + Their souls unknit; + With any wisdom or any wit, + The subtle "Why," + Ask ye not of earth or sky-- + But one command it. + + + + +GISLI: THE CHIEFTAIN. + + +To the Goddess Lada prayed + Gisli, holding high his spear +Bound with buds of spring, and laughed + All his heart to Lada's ear. + +Damp his yellow beard with mead, + Loud the harps clang'd thro the day; +With bruised breasts triumphant rode + Gisli's galleys in the bay. + +Bards sang in the banquet hall, + Set in loud verse Gisli's fame, +On their lips the war gods laid + Fire to chaunt their warrior's name. + +To the Love-queen Gisli pray'd, + Buds upon his tall spear's tip; +Laughter in his broad blue eyes, + Laughter on his bearded lip. + +To the Spring-queen Gisli pray'd, + She, with mystic distaff slim, +Spun her hours of love and leaves, + Made the stony headlands dim-- + +Dim and green with tender grass, + Blew on ice-fields with red mouth; +Blew on lovers hearts; and lured + White swans from the blue-arched south. + +To the Love-queen Gisli pray'd, + Groan'd far icebergs tall and blue +As to Lada's distaff slim, + All their ice-locked fires flew. + +To the Love-queen Gisli prayed, + She, with red hands, caught and spun. +Yellow flames from crater lips, + flames from the waking sun. + +To the Love-queen Gisli prayed, + She with loom and beam and spell, +All the subtle fires of earth + Wove, and wove them strong and well. + +To the Spring-queen Gisli prayed, + Low the sun the pale sky trod; +Mute her ruddy hand she raised + Beckon'd back the parting God. + +To the Love-queen Gisli prayed-- + Weft and woof of flame she wove-- +Lada, Goddess of the Spring! + Lada, Goddess strong of Love! + +Sire of the strong chieftain's prayer, + Victory with his pulse of flame; +Mead its mother--loud he laughed, + Calling on great Lada's name. + +"Goddess Lada--Queen of Love! + "Here stand I and quaff to thee-- +"Deck for thee with buds my spear-- + "Give a comely wife to me! + +"Blow not to my arms a flake + "Of crisp snow in maiden guise; +"Mists of pallid hair and tips + "Of long ice-spears in her eyes! + +"When my death-sail skims the foam-- + "Strain my oars on Death's black sea-- +"When my foot the "Glass-Hill" seeks-- + "Such a maid may do for me! + +"Now, O Lada, mate the flesh! + "Mate the fire and flame of life, +"Tho' the soul go still unwed, + "Give the flesh its fitting wife! + +"As the galley runs between, + "Skies with billows closely spun: +"Feeling but the wave that leaps + "Closest to it in the sun." + +"Throbs but to the present kiss + "Of the wild lips of the sea; +"Thus a man joys in his life-- + "Nought of the Beyond knows he! + +"Goddess! here I cast bright buds, + "Spicy pine boughs at thy feet; +"Give the flesh its fitting mate + "Life is strong and life is sweet!" + +To the Love-queen Gisli pray'd-- + Weft and woof of flame she wove: +Lada, Goddess of the Spring-- + Lada, Goddess strong of Love! + + * * * * * + + +PART II. + +From harpings and sagas and mirth of the town, +Great Gisli, the chieftain strode merrily down. + +His ruddy beard stretch'd in the loom of the wind, +His shade like a dusky God striding behind. + +Gylfag, his true hound, to his heel glided near, +Sharp-fang'd, lank and red as a blood-rusted spear. + +As crests of the green bergs flame white in the sky, +The town on its sharp hill shone brightly and high. + +In fjords roared the ice below the dumb stroke +Of the Sun's red hammer rose blue mist like smoke. + +It clung to the black pines, and clung to the bay-- +The galleys of Gisli grew ghosts of the day. + +It followed the sharp wings of swans, as they rose-- +It fell to the wide jaws of swift riven floes. + +It tam'd the wild shriek of the eagle--grew dull +The cries, in its foldings, of osprey and gull. + +"Arouse thee, bold wind," shouted Gisli "and drive +"Floe and Berg out to sea as bees from a hive. + +"Chase this woman-lipped haze at top of thy speed, +"It cloys to the soul as the tongue cloys with mead! + +"Come, buckle thy sharp spear again to thy breast! +"Thy galley hurl forth from the seas of the West. + +"With thy long, hissing oars, beat loud the north sea. +"The sharp gaze of day give the eagles and me. + +"No cunning mists shrouding the sea and the sky, +"Or the brows of the great Gods, bold wind, love I! + +"As Gylfag, my hound, lays his fangs in the flank +"Of a grey wolf, shadowy, leather-thew'd, lank. + +"Bold wind, chase the blue mist, thy prow in its hair, +"Sun, speed thy keen shafts thro' the breast of the air! + + * * * * * + + +PART III. + +The shouting of Gisli, the chieftain, +Rock'd the blue hazes, and cloven +In twain by sharp prow of the west wind, +To north and to south fled the thick mist. + +As in burnish'd walls of Valhalla, +In cleft of the mist stood the chieftain, +And up to the blue shield of Heaven, +Flung the load shaft of his laughter. + +Smote the mist, with shrill spear the swift wind. +Grey shapes fled like ghosts on the Hell way; +Bay'd after their long locks hoarse Gylfag, +Stared at them, triumphant, the eagles. + +To mate and to eaglets, the eagle +Shriek'd, "Gone is my foe of the deep mist, +"Rent by the vast hands of the kind Gods, +"Who knows the knife-pangs of our hunger!" + +Shrill whistled the winds as his dun wings +Strove with it feather by feather; +Loud grated the rock as his talons +Its breast spurned slowly his red eyes. + +Like fires seemed to flame in the swift wind, +At his sides the darts of his hunger-- +At his ears the shriek of his eaglets-- +In his breast the love of the quarry. + +Unfurl'd to the northward and southward +His wings broke the air, and to eastward +His breast gave its iron; and God-ward +Pierc'd the shrill voice of his hunger. + +Bared were his great sides as he laboured +Up the first steep blue of the broad sky; +His gaze on the fields of his freedom, +To the God's spoke the prayers of his gyres. + +Bared were his vast sides as he glided +Black in the sharp blue of the north sky: +Black over the white of the tall cliffs, +Black over the arrow of Gisli. + + * * * * * + + +THE SONG OF THE ARROW. + +What know I, +As I bite the blue veins of the throbbing sky; +To the quarry's breast +Hot from the sides of the sleek smooth nest? + +What know I +Of the will of the tense bow from which I fly? +What the need or jest, +That feathers my flight to its bloody rest. + +What know I +Of the will of the bow that speeds me on high? +What doth the shrill bow +Of the hand on its singing soul-string know? + +Flame-swift speed I-- +And the dove and the eagle shriek out and die; +Whence comes my sharp zest +For the heart of the quarry? the Gods know best. + +Deep pierc'd the red gaze of the eagle-- +The breast of a cygnet below him; +Beneath his dun wing from the eastward +Shrill-chaunted the long shaft of Gisli! + +Beneath his dun wing from the westward +Shook a shaft that laugh'd in its biting-- +Met in the fierce breast of the eagle +The arrows of Gisli and Brynhild! + + * * * * * + + +PART IV: + +A ghost along the Hell-way sped, +The Hell-shoes shod his misty tread; +A phantom hound beside him sped. + +Beneath the spandrils of the Way, +World's roll'd to-night--from night to day; +In space's ocean Suns were spray. + +Group'd world's, eternal eagles, flew; +Swift comets fell like noiseless dew, +Young earths slow budded in the blue. + +The waves of space inscrutable, +With awful pulses rose and fell-- +Silent and godly--terrible. + +Electric souls of strong Suns laid, +Strong hands along the awful shade +That God about His God-work made. + +Ever from all ripe worlds did break, +Men's voices, as when children speak, +Eager and querulous and weak. + +And pierc'd to the All-worker thro' +His will that veil'd Him from the view +"What hast thou done? What dost thou do?" + +And ever from His heart did flow +Majestical, the answer low-- +The benison "Ye shall not know!" + +The wan ghost on the Hell-way sped, +Nor yet Valhalla's lights were shed +Upon the white brow of the Dead. + +Nor sang within his ears the roll +Of trumpets calling to his soul; +Nor shone wide portals of the goal. + +His spear grew heavy on his breast, +Dropp'd, like a star his golden crest; +Far, far the vast Halls of the Blest! + +His heart grown faint, his feet grown weak, +He scal'd the knit mists of a peak, +That ever parted grey and bleak. + +And, as by unseen talons nipp'd, +To deep Abysses slowly slipp'd; +Then, swift as thick smoke strongly ripp'd. + +By whirling winds from ashy ring, +Of dank weeds blackly smoldering, +The peak sprang upward a quivering + +And perdurable, set its face +Against the pulsing breast of space +But for a moment to its base. + +Refluent roll'd the crest new sprung, +In clouds with ghastly lightnings stung,-- +Faint thunders to their black feet clung. + +His faithful hound ran at his heel-- +His thighs and breast were bright with steel-- +He saw the awful Hellway reel. + +But far along its bleak peaks rang +A distant trump--its airy clang +Like light through deathly shadows sprang. + +He knew the blast--the voice of love! +Cleft lay the throbbing peak above +Sail'd light, wing'd like a silver dove. + +On strove the toiling ghost, his soul +Stirr'd like strong mead in wassail bowl, +That quivers to the shout of "Skoal!" + +Strode from the mist close-curv'd and cold +As is a writhing dragon's fold; +A warrior with shield of gold. + +A sharp blade glitter'd at his hip, +Flamed like a star his lance's tip; +His bugle sang at bearded lip. + +Beneath his golden sandels flew +Stars from the mist as grass flings dew; +Or red fruit falls from the dark yew. + +As under shelt'ring wreaths of snow +The dark blue north flowers richly blow-- +Beneath long locks of silver glow. + +Clear eyes, that burning on a host +Would win a field at sunset lost, +Ere stars from Odin's hand were toss'd. + +He stretch'd his hand, he bowed his head: +The wan ghost to his bosom sped-- +Dead kiss'd the bearded lips of Dead! + +"What dost thou here, my youngest born? +"Thou--scarce yet fronted with life's storm-- +"Why art thou from the dark earth torn? + +"When high Valhalla puls'd and rang +"With harps that shook as grey bards sang-- +"'Mid the loud joy I heard the clang. + +"Of Death's dark doors--to me alone +"Smote in thy awful dying groan-- +"My soul recall'd its blood and bone. + +"Viewless the cord which draws from far +"To the round sun some mighty star; +"Viewless the strong-knit soul-cords are! + +"I felt thy dying gasp--thy soul +"Towards mine a kindred wave in roll, +"I left the harps--I left the bowl. + +"I sought the Hellway--I--the blest; +"That thou, new death-born son should rest +"Upon the strong rock of my breast. + +"What dost thou here, young, fair and bold? +"Sleek with youth's gloss thy locks of gold; +"Thy years by flow'rs might yet be told! + +"What dost thou at the ghostly goal, +"While yet thy years were to thy soul, +"As mead yet shallow in the bowl?" + +His arm about the pale ghost cast, +The warrior blew a clear, loud blast; +Like frighten'd wolves the mists fled past. + +Grew firm the way; worlds flame to light +The awful peak that thrusts its height, +With swift throbs upward, like a flight. + +Of arrows from a host close set +Long meteors pierc'd its breast of jet-- +Again the trump his strong lips met-- + +And at its blast blew all the day, +In broad winds on the awful Way; +Sun smote at Sun across the grey; + +As reindeer smite the high-pil'd snow +To find the green moss far below-- +They struck the mists thro' which did glow + +Bright vales--and on a sea afar, +Lay at a sunlit harbour bar, +A galley gold-sail'd like a star! + +Spake the pale ghost as onward sped +Heart-press'd to heart the valiant dead; +Soft the green paths beneath their tread. + +"I lov'd, this is my tale, and died-- +The fierce chief hunger'd for my bride-- +The spear of Gisli pierc'd my side! + +"And she--her love fill'd all my need-- +Her vows were sweet and strong as mead; +Look, father--doth my heart still bleed? + +"I built her round with shaft and spear, +I kept her mine for one brief year-- +She laugh'd above my blood stain'd bier! + +"Upon a far and ice-peak'd coast +My galleys by long winds were toss'd-- +There Gisli feasted with his host. + +"Of warriors triumphant--he +Strode out from harps and revelry; +And sped his shaft above the sea! + +"Look, father, doth my heart bleed yet? +His arrow Brynhild's arrow met-- +My gallies anchor'd in their rest. + +"Again their arrows meet--swift lies +That pierc'd me from their smiling eyes; +How fiercely hard a man's heart dies! + +"She false--he false! There came a day +Pierc'd by the fierce chief's spear I lay-- +My ghost rose shrieking from its clay. + +"I saw on Brynhild's golden vest +The shining locks of Gisli rest; +I sought the Hell-way to the Blest. + +"Father, put forth thy hand and tear +Their twin shafts from my heart, all bare +To thee--they rankle death--like there! + + * * * * * + +Said the voice of Evil to the ear of Good, + "Clasp thou my strong, right hand, +"Nor shall our clasp be known or understood + "By any in the land." + +"I, the dark giant, rule strongly on the earth, + "Yet thou, bright one, and I +"Sprang from the one great mystery--at one birth + "We looked upon the sky! + +"I labour at my bleak, my stern toil accurs'd + Of all mankind--nor stay, +To rest, to murmur "I hunger" or "I thirst!" + Nor for my joy delay. + +"My strength pleads strongly with thee; doth any beat + With hammer and with stone +Past tools to use them to his deep defeat-- + To turn them on his throne? + +"Then I of God the mystery--toil thou with me + Brother; but in the sight +Of men who know not, I, the stern son shall be + Of Darkness--Thou of Light!" + + + + +THE SHELL. + + +O little, whisp'ring, murm'ring shell, say cans't thou tell to me +Good news of any stately ship that sails upon the sea? +I press my ear, O little shell, against thy rosy lips; +Cans't tell me tales of those who go down to the sea in ships? + +What, not a word? Ah hearken, shell, I've shut the cottage door; +There's scarce a sound to drown thy voice, so silent is the moor, +A bell may tinkle far away upon its purple rise; +A bee may buz among the heath--a lavrock cleave the skies. + +But if you only breathe the name I name upon my knees, +Ah, surely I should catch the word above such sounds as these. +And Grannie's needles click no more, the ball of yarn is done, +And she's asleep outside the door where shines the merry sun. + +One night while Grannie slept, I dreamed he came across the moor, +And stood, so handsome, brown and tall, beside the open door: +I thought I turned to pick a rose that by the sill had blown, +(He liked a rose) and when I looked, O shell, I was alone! + +Across the moor there dwells a wife; she spaed my fortune true, +And said I'd plight my troth with one who ware a jacket blue; +That morn before my Grannie woke, just when the lapwing stirred, +I sped across the misty rise and sought the old wife's word. + +With her it was the milking time, and while she milk'd the goat, +I ask'd her then to spae my dream, my heart was in my throat-- +But that was just because the way had been so steep and long, +And not because I had the fear that anything was wrong. + +"Ye'll meet, ye'll meet," was all she said; "Ye'll meet when it is mirk." +I gave her tippence that I meant for Sabbath-day and kirk; +And then I hastened back again; it seemed that never sure +The happy sun delay'd so long to gild the purple moor. + +That's six months back, and every night I sit beside the door, +And while I knit I keep my gaze upon the mirky moor; +I keep old Collie by my side--he's sure to spring and bark, +When Ronald comes across the moor to meet me in the dark. + +I _know_ the old wife spaed me true, for did she not fore-tell +I'd break a ring with Ronald Grey beside the Hidden Well? +It came to pass at shearing-time, before he went to sea +(We're nighbours' bairns) how _could_ she know that Ronald cared + for me. + +So night by night I watch for him--by day I sing and work, +And try to never mind the latch--he's coming in the dark; +Yet as the days and weeks and months go slipping slowly thro', +I wonder if the wise old wife has spaed my fortune true! + +Ah, not a word about his ship? Well, well, I'll lay thee by. +I see a heron from the marsh go sailing in the sky, +The purple moor is like a dream, a star is twinkling clear-- +Perhaps the meeting that she spaed is drawing very near! + + + + +TWO SONGS OF SPAIN. + + +Fountain, cans't thou sing the song + My Juan sang to me +The moonlit orange groves among? + Then list the words from me, +And mark thee, by the morning's light, + Or by the moon's soft beam, +Or when my eyes with smiles are bright, + Or when I wake or dream. +O, Fountain, thou must sing the song + My Juan sang to me; +Yet stay--the only words I know + Are "Inez, Love and Thee!" + +Fountain, on my light guitar + I'll play the strain to thee, +And while I watch yon laughing star, + The words will come to me. +And mark thee, when my heart is sad, + And full of sweet regrets, +Or when it throbs to laughter glad, + Like feet to castanets. +O, Fountain, thou must sing the song + My Juan sang to me; +Yet stay--the only words I know + Are "Inez, Love, and Thee!" + +Fountain, clap thy twinkling hands + Beneath yon floating moon, +And twinkle to the starry bands + That dance upon the gloom, +For I am glad, for who could crave, + The joyous night to fill, +A richer treasure than I have + In Juan's seguedille? +So, Fountain, mark, no other song + Dare ever sing, to me, +Tho' only four short words I know, + Just, "Inez, Love and Thee!" + + * * * * * + +Morello strikes on his guitar, +When over the olives the star +Of eve, like a rose touch'd with gold, +Doth slowly its sweet rays unfold. +Perchance 'tis in some city square, +And the people all follow us there. +Don, donna, slim chulo, padrone, +The very dog runs with his bone; +One half of the square is in the shade, +On the other the red sunset fades; +The fount, as it flings up its jets, +Responds to my brisk castanets; +I wear a red rose at my ear; +And many a whisper I hear: +"If she were a lady, behold, +None other should share my red gold!" + +"St. Anthony save us, what eyes! +How gem-like her little foot flies!" +"These dancers should all be forbid +To dance in the streets of Madrid." +"If I were a monarch I'd own +No other to sit on my throne!" +Two scarlet streamers tie my hair; +They burn like red stars on the air; +My dark eyes flash, my clear cheek burns, +My kirtle eddies in swift turns, +My golden necklet tinkles sweet; +Yes, yes, I love the crowded street! + + + + +THE CITY TREE. + + +I stand within the stony, arid town, + I gaze for ever on the narrow street; +I hear for ever passing up and down, + The ceaseless tramp of feet. + +I know no brotherhood with far-lock'd woods, + Where branches bourgeon from a kindred sap; +Where o'er moss'd roots, in cool, green solitudes, + Small silver brooklets lap. + +No em'rald vines creep wistfully to me, + And lay their tender fingers on my bark; +High may I toss my boughs, yet never see + Dawn's first most glorious spark. + +When to and fro my branches wave and sway, + Answ'ring the feeble wind that faintly calls, +They kiss no kindred boughs but touch alway + The stones of climbing walls. + +My heart is never pierc'd with song of bird; + My leaves know nothing of that glad unrest, +Which makes a flutter in the still woods heard, + When wild birds build a nest. + +There never glance the eyes of violets up, + Blue into the deep splendour of my green: +Nor falls the sunlight to the primrose cup, + My quivering leaves between. + +Not mine, not mine to turn from soft delight + Of wood-bine breathings, honey sweet, and warm; +With kin embattl'd rear my glorious height + To greet the coming storm! + +Not mine to watch across the free, broad plains + The whirl of stormy cohorts sweeping fast; +The level, silver lances of great rains, + Blown onward by the blast. + +Not mine the clamouring tempest to defy, + Tossing the proud crest of my dusky leaves: +Defender of small flowers that trembling lie + Against my barky greaves. + +Not mine to watch the wild swan drift above, + Balanced on wings that could not choose between +The wooing sky, blue as the eye of love, + And my own tender green. + +And yet my branches spread, a kingly sight, + In the close prison of the drooping air: +When sun-vex'd noons are at their fiery height, + My shade is broad, and there + +Come city toilers, who their hour of ease + Weave out to precious seconds as they lie +Pillow'd on horny hands, to hear the breeze + Through my great branches die. + +I see no flowers, but as the children race + With noise and clamour through the dusty street, +I see the bud of many an angel face-- + I hear their merry feet. + +No violets look up, but shy and grave, + The children pause and lift their chrystal eyes +To where my emerald branches call and wave-- + As to the mystic skies. + + + + +LATE LOVED--WELL LOVED. + + +He stood beside her in the dawn + (And she his Dawn and she his Spring), +From her bright palm she fed her fawn, + Her swift eyes chased the swallow's wing: +Her restless lips, smile-haunted, cast + Shrill silver calls to hound and dove: +Her young locks wove them with the blast. + To the flush'd, azure shrine above, +The light boughs o'er her golden head + Toss'd em'rald arm and blossom palm. +The perfume of their prayer was spread + On the sweet wind in breath of balm. + +"Dawn of my heart," he said, "O child, + Knit thy pure eyes a space with mine: +O chrystal, child eyes, undefiled, + Let fair love leap from mine to thine!" +"The Dawn is young," she smiled and said, + "Too young for Love's dear joy and woe; +Too young to crown her careless head + With his ripe roses. Let me go-- +Unquestion'd for a longer space, + Perchance, when day is at the flood, +In thy true palm I'll gladly place + Love's flower in its rounding bud. +But now the day is all too young, + The Dawn and I are playmates still." +She slipped the blossomed boughs among, + He strode beyond the violet hill. + +Again they stand (Imperial noon + Lays her red sceptre on the earth), +Where golden hangings make a gloom, + And far off lutes sing dreamy mirth. +The peacocks cry to lily cloud, + From the white gloss of balustrade: +Tall urns of gold the gloom make proud, + Tall statues whitely strike the shade, +And pulse in the dim quivering light + Until, most Galatea-wise-- +Each looks from base of malachite + With mystic life in limbs and eyes. + +Her robe, (a golden wave that rose, + And burst, and clung as water clings +To her long curves) about her flows. + Each jewel on her white breast sings +Its silent song of sun and fire. + No wheeling swallows smite the skies +And upward draw the faint desire, + Weaving its myst'ry in her eyes. +In the white kisses of the tips + Of her long fingers lies a rose, +Snow-pale beside her curving lips, + Red by her snowy breast it glows. + +"Noon of my soul," he says, "behold! + The day is ripe, the rose full blown, +Love stands in panoply of gold, + To Jovian height and strength now grown, +No infant he, a king he stands, + And pleads with thee for love again." +"Ah, yes!" she says, "in known lands, + He kings it--lord of subtlest pain; +The moon is full, the rose is fair-- + Too fair! 'tis neither white nor red: +"I know the rose that love should wear, + Must redden as the heart had bled! +The moon is mellow bright, and I + Am happy in its perfect glow. +The slanting sun the rose may dye-- + But for the sweet noon--let me go." +She parted--shimm'ring thro' the shade, + Bent the fair splendour of her head: +"Would the rich noon were past," he said, + Would the pale rose were flush'd to red!" + +Again. The noon is past and night + Binds on his brow the blood red Mars-- +Down dusky vineyards dies the fight, + And blazing hamlets slay the stars. +Shriek the shrill shells: the heated throats + Of thunderous cannon burst--and high +Scales the fierce joy of bugle notes: + The flame-dimm'd splendours of the sky. +He, dying, lies beside his blade: + Clear smiling as a warrior blest +With victory smiles, thro' sinister shade + Gleams the White Cross upon her breast. + +"Soul of my soul, or is it night + Or is it dawn or is it day? +I see no more nor dark nor light, + I hear no more the distant fray." +"'Tis Dawn," she whispers: "Dawn at last! + Bright flush'd with love's immortal glow +For me as thee, all earth is past! + Late loved--well loved, now let us go!" + + + + +LA BOUQUETIERE. + + +Buy my roses, citizens,-- + Here are roses golden white, +Like the stars that lovers watch + On a purple summer night. +Here are roses ruddy red, + Here are roses Cupid's pink; +Here are roses like his cheeks-- + Deeper--like his lips, I think. +Vogue la galere! what if they die, +Roses will bloom again--so, buy! + +Here is one--it should be white; + As tho' in a playful mind, +Flora stole the winter snow + From the sleeping north'rn wind +And lest he should wake and rage, + Breath'd a spell of ardent pow'r +On the flake, and flung it down + To the earth, a snow-white flow'r. +Vogue la galere! 'tis stain'd with red? +That only means--a woman's dead! + +Buy my flowers, citizens,-- + Here's a Parma violet; +Ah! why is my white rose red? + 'Tis the blood of a grisette; +She sold her flowers by the quay; + Brown her eyes and fair her hair; +Sixteen summers old, I think-- + With a quaint, Provincial air. +Vogue la galere! she's gone the way +That flesh as well as flow'rs must stray. + +She had a father old and lame; + He wove his baskets by her side; +Well, well! 'twas fair enough to see + Her look of love, his glance of pride; +He wore a beard of shaggy grey, + And clumsy patches on his blouse; +She wore about her neck a cross, + And on her feet great wooden shoes. +Vogue la galere! we have no cross, +Th' Republic says it's gold is dross! + +They had a dog, old, lame, and lean; + He once had been a noble hound; +And day by day he lay and starv'd, + Or gnaw'd some bone that he had found. +They shar'd with him the scanty crust, + That barely foil'd starvation's pain; +He'd wag his feeble tail and turn + To gnaw that polish'd bone again. +Vogue la galere! why don't ye greet +My tale with laughter, prompt and meet? + +No fear! ye'll chorus me with laughs + When draws my long jest to its close-- +And have for life a merry joke, + "The spot of blood upon the rose." +She sold her flow'rs--but what of that? + The child was either good or dense; +She starv'd--for one she would not sell, + Patriots, 'twas her innocence! +Vogue la galere! poor little clod! +Like us, she could not laugh at God. + +A week ago I saw a crowd + Of red-caps; and a Tricoteuse +Call'd as I hurried swiftly past-- + "They've taken little Wooden Shoes!" +Well, so they had. Come, laugh, I say; + Your laugh with mine should come in pat! +For she, the little sad-fac'd child, + Was an accurs'd aristocrat! +Vogue la galere! the Republic's said +Saints, angels, nobles, all are dead. + +"The old man, too!" shriek'd out the crowd; + She turn'd her small white face about; +And ye'd have laugh'd to see the air + With which she fac'd that rabble rout! +I laugh'd, I know--some laughter breeds + A merry moisture in the eye: +My cheeks were wet, to see her hand + Try to push those brawny patriots by. +Vogue la galere! we'll laugh nor weep +When Death, not God, calls _us_ to sleep. + +"Not Jean!" she said, "'tis only I + That noble am--take only me; +I only am his foster-child,-- + He nurs'd me on his knee! +See! he is guiltless of the crime + Of noble birth--and lov'd me not, +Because I claim an old descent, + But that he nurs'd me in his cot!" +Vogue la galere! 'tis well no God +Exists, to look upon this sod! + +"Believe her not!" he shriek'd; "O, no! + I am the father of her life!" +"Poor Jean!" she said; "believe him not, + His mind with dreams is rife. +Farewell, dear Jean!" she said. I laugh'd, + Her air was so sedately grand. +"Thou'st been a faithful servant, so + Thou well may'st kiss my hand." +Vogue la galere! the sun is red-- +And will be, Patriots, when we're dead. + +"Child! my dear child!" he shriek'd; she turn'd + And let the patriots close her round; +He was so lame, he fell behind-- + He and the starving hound. +"Let him go free!" yell'd out the mob; + "Accurs'd be these nobles all! +The, poor old wretch is craz'd it seems; + Blood, Citizens, _will_ pall. +Vogue la galere! We can't buy wine, +So let blood flow--be't thine or mine." + +I ply my trade about the Place; + Where proudly reigns La Guillotine; +I pile my basket up with bloom, + With mosses soft and green. +This morning, not an hour ago, + I stood beside a Tricoteuse; +And saw the little fair head fall + Off the little Wooden Shoes. +Vogue la galere! By Sanson's told, +Into his basket, dross and gold. + +She died alone. A woman drew + As close beside her as she might; +And in that woman's basket lay + A rose all snowy white. +But sixteen summers old--a child + As one might say--to die alone; +Ah, well--it is the only way + These nobles can atone! +Vogue la galere! here is my jest-- +My white rose redden'd from her breast! + +Buy my roses, Citizens! + Here's a vi'let--here's a pink-- +Deeper tint than Cupid's cheek; + Deeper than his lips, I think. +Flora's nymphs on rosy feet + Ne'er o'er brighter blossoms sprang! +Ne'er a songster sweeter blooms, + In his sweetest rhyming sang! +Vogue la galere! Roses must die-- +Roses will grow again--so, buy! + + + + +CURTIUS. + + +How spake the Oracle, my Curtius, how? +Methought, while on the shadow'd terraces +I walked and looked towards Rome, an echo came, +Of legion wails, blent into one deep cry. +"O, Jove!" I thought, "the Oracles have said; +And saying, touched some swiftly answering chord, +Gen'ral to ev'ry soul." And then my heart +(I being here alone) beat strangely loud; +Responsive to the cry--and my still soul, +Inform'd me thus: "Not such a harmony +Could spring from aught within the souls of men, +But that which is most common to all souls. +Lo! that is sorrow!" "Nay, Curtius, I could smile, +To tell thee as I listen'd to the cry, +How on the silver flax which blew about +The ivory distaff in my languid hand, +I found large tears; such big and rounded drops +As gather thro' dark nights on cypress boughs, +And I was sudden anger'd, for I thought: +"Why should a gen'ral wail come home to me +With such vibration in my trembling heart, +That such great tears should rise and overflow?" +Then shook them on the marble where I pac'd; +Where instantly they vanished in the sun, +As di'monds fade in flames, 'twas foolish, Curtius! +And then methought how strange and lone it seem'd, +For till thou cam'st I seem'd to be alone, +On the vin'd terrace, prison'd in the gold +Of that still noontide hour. No widows stole +Up the snow-glimmering marble of the steps +To take my alms and bless the Gods and me; +No orphans touched the fringes of my robe +With innocent babe-fingers, nor dropped the gold +I laid in their soft palms, to laugh, and stroke +The jewels on my neck, or touch the rose +Thou sayest, Curtius, lives upon my cheek. +Perchance all lingered in the Roman streets +To catch first tidings from the Oracles. +The very peacocks drows'd in distant shades, +Nor sought my hand for honey'd cake; and high +A hawk sailed blackly in the clear blue sky, +And kept my doves from cooing at my feet. +My lute lay there, bound with the small white buds, +Which, laughing this bright morn, thou brought and wreath'd +Around it as I sang--but with that wail +Dying across the vines and purple slopes, +And breaking on its strings, I did not care +To waken music, nor in truth could force +My voice or fingers to it, so I stray'd +Where hangs thy best loved armour on the wall, +And pleased myself by filling it with thee! +'Tis yet the goodliest armour in proud Rome, +Say all the armourers; all Rome and I +Know _thee_, the lordliest bearer of a sword. +Yet, Curtius, stay, there is a rivet lost +From out the helmet, and a ruby gone +From the short sword hilt--trifles both which can +Be righted by to-morrow's noon--"to-morrow's noon!" +Was there a change, my Curtius, in my voice +When spake I those three words: "to-morrow's noon?" +O, I am full of dreams--methought there was. +"Why, love, how darkly gaze thine eyes in mine! +If lov'd I dismal thoughts I well could deem +Thou saw'st not the blue of my fond eyes, +But looked between the lips of that dread pit-- +O, Jove! to name it seems to curse the air +With chills of death--we'll not speak of it, Curtius. +When I had dimm'd thy shield with kissing it, +I went between the olives to the stalls; +White Audax neigh'd out to me as I came, +As I had been Hippona to his eyes; +New dazzling from the one, small, mystic cloud +That like a silver chariot floated low +In the ripe blue of noon, and seem'd to pause, +Stay'd by the hilly round of yon aged tree. +He stretch'd the ivory arch of his vast neck, +Smiting sharp thunders from the marble floor +With hoofs impatient of a peaceful earth; +Shook the long silver of his burnish'd mane, +Until the sunbeams smote it into light, +Such as a comet trails across the sky. +I love him, Curtius! Such magnanimous fires +Leap from his eyes. I do truly think +That with thee seated on him, thy strong knees +Against his sides--the bridle in his jaws +In thy lov'd hand, to pleasure thee he'd spring +Sheer from the verge of Earth into the breast +Of Death and Chaos--of Death and Chaos!-- +What omens seem to strike my soul to-day? +What is there in this blossom hour should knit +An omen in with ev'ry simple word? +Should make yon willows with their hanging locks +Dusk sybils, mutt'ring sorrows to the air? +The roses clamb'ring round yon marble Pan, +Wave like red banners floating o'er the dead? +The dead--there 'tis again. My Curtius, come +And thou shalt tell me of the Oracles +And what sent hither that long cry of woe. +Yet wait, yet wait, I care not much to hear. +While on thy charger's throbbing neck I lean'd, +Romeward there pass'd across the violet slopes, +Five sacrificial bulls, with silver hides, +And horns as cusp'd and white as Dian's bow, +And lordly breasts which laid the honey'd thyme +Into long swarths, whence smoke of yellow bees +Rose up in puffs, dispersing as it rose, +For the great temple they; and as they pass'd +With quiet gait, I heard their drivers say: +The bulls were for the Altars, when should come +Word from the Oracles, as to the Pit, +O, Curtius, Curtius, in my soul I see +How black and fearful is its glutton throat; +I will not look! +O, Soul, be blind and see not! Then the men +Wav'd their long goads, still juicy from the vine, +And plum'd with bronzy leaves, and each to each, +Showed the sleek beauty of the rounded sides, +The mighty curving of the lordly breasts, +The level lines of backs, the small, fine heads, +And laugh'd and said, "The Gods will have it thus, +The choicest of the earth for sacrifice; +Let it be man, or maid, or lowing bull!" +Where lay the witchcraft in their clownish words, +To shake my heart? I know not; but it thrill'd, +As Daphne's leaves, thrill to a wind so soft, +One might not feel it on the open palm; +I cannot choose but laugh--for what have I +To do with altars and with sacrifice? + + + + +THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER CHERRY. + + +The Farmer quit what he was at, + The bee-hive he was smokin': +He tilted back his old straw hat-- + Says he, "Young man, you're jokin'! +O Lordy! (Lord, forgive the swar,) + Ain't ye a cheeky sinner? +Come, if I give my gal thar, + Where would _you_ find her dinner? + +"Now look at _me_; I settl'd down + When I was one and twenty, +Me, and my axe and Mrs. Brown, + And stony land a plenty. +Look up thar! ain't that homestead fine, + And look at them thar cattle: +I tell ye since that early time + I've fit a tidy battle. + +"It kinder wrestles down a man + To fight the stuns and mire: +But I sort of clutch'd to thet thar plan + Of David and Goliar. +Want was the mean old Philistine + That strutted round the clearin', +Of pebbles I'd a hansum line, + And flung 'em nothin' fearin'. + +"They hit him square, right whar they ought, + Them times I _had_ an arm! +I lick'd the giant and I bought + A hundred acre farm. +My gal was born about them days, + I was mowin' in the medder; +When some one comes along and says-- + "The wife's gone thro' the shadder!" + +"Times thought it was God's will she went-- + Times thought she work'd too slavin'-- +And for the young one that was sent, + I took to steady savin'. +Jest cast your eye on that thar hill + The sugar bush just tetches, +And round by Miller Jackson's mill, + All round the farm stretches. + +"'Ain't got a mind to give that land + To any snip-snap feller +That don't know loam from mud or sand, + Or if corn's blue or yaller. +I've got a mind to keep her yet-- + Last Fall her cheese and butter +Took prizes; sakes! I can't forget + Her pretty pride and flutter. + +"Why, you be off! her little face + For me's the only summer; +Her gone, 'twould be a queer, old place, + The Lord smile down upon her! +All goes with her, the house and lot-- + You'd like to get 'em, very! +I'll give 'em when this maple bears + A bouncin' ripe-red cherry!" + +The Farmer fixed his hat and specks + And pursed his lips together, +The maple wav'd above his head, + Each gold and scarlet feather: +The Teacher's Honest heart sank down: + How could his soul be merry? +He knew--though teaching in a town, + No maple bears a cherry. + +Soft blew the wind; the great old tree, + Like Saul to David's singing, +Nodded its jewelled crown, as he + Swayed to the harp-strings' ringing; +A something rosy--not a leaf + Stirs up amid the branches; +A miracle _may_ send relief + To lovers fond and anxious! + +O rosy is the velvet cheek + Of one 'mid red leaves sitting! +The sunbeams played at hide-and-seek + With the needles in her knitting. +"O Pa!" The Farmer prick'd his ears, + Whence came that voice so merry? +(The Teacher's thoughtful visage clears) + "The maple bears a cherry!" + +The Farmer tilted back his hat: + "Well, gal--as I'm a human, +I'll always hold as doctrine that + Thar's nothin' beats a woman! +When crown'd that maple is with snow, + And Christmas bells are merry, +I'll let you have her, Jack--that's so! + Be sure you're good to Cherry!" + + + + +SOME OF FARMER STEBBIN'S OPINIONS. + + +No, Parson, 'tain't been in my style, + (Nor none ov my relations) +Tew dig about the gnarly roots + Ov prophetic spekkleations, +Tew see what Malachai meant; + Or Solomon was hintin'; +Or reound what jog o' Futur's road + Isaiah was a-squintin'. + +I've lost my rest a-keepin' out + The hogs from our cowcumbers; +But never lost a wink, you bet, + By wrastlin' over Numbers. +I never took no comfort when + The year was bald with losses, +A-spekkleatin' on them chaps + That rode them varus hosses. + +It never gave my soul a boost + When grief an' it was matin', +Tew figger out that that thar Pope + Wus reely twins with Satan. +I took no stock in countin' up + How menny hed ov cattle +From Egypt's ranches Moses drove; + I never fit a battle +On p'ints that frequently gave rise + Tew pious spat an' grumble, +An' makes the brethren clinch an' yell + In spiritooal rough-an'-tumble. + +I never bet on Paul agin + The argyments ov Peter, +I never made the good old Book + A kind ov moral teeter; +Tew pass a choreless hour away, + An' get the evenin' over; +I swallered it jest as it stood, + From cover clar tew cover. + +Hain't had no time tew disputate, + Except with axe an' arm, +With stump an' rampike and with stuns, + Upon my half clar'd farm. +An' when sech argyments as them-- + Fill six days out ov seven; +A man on Sabbath wants tew crawl + By quiet ways tew heaven. + +Again he gets the waggon out, + An' hitches up the sorrels, +An' rides ten miles tew meetin', he + Ain't braced for pious quarrels: +No, sir, he ain't! that waggon rolls + From corduroy to puddle, +An' that thar farmer gets his brains + Inter an easy muddle. + +His back is stiff from six days' toil-- + So God takes hold an' preaches, +In boughs ov rustlin' maple an' + In whisperin' leaves ov beeches: +Sez He tew that thar farmin' chap + (Likewise tew the old woman), +"I guess I'm built tew comprehend + That you an' her be's human!" + +"So jest take hold on this har day, + Recowperate yer muscle; +Let up a mite this day on toil, + 'Taint made for holy bustle. +Let them old sorrels jog along, + With mighty slack-like traces; +Half dreamin', es my sunbeams fleck + Their venerable faces. + +"I guess they did their share, ov work, + Since Monday's dew was hoary; +Don't try tew lick 'em tew a trot + Upon the road tew Glory! +Jest let 'em laze a spell whar thick + My lily-buds air blowin': +An' whar My trees cast shadders on + My silver creeklet flowin'. + +"An' while their red, rough tongues push back + The stems ov reed an' lily, +Jest let 'em dream ov them thar days + When they was colt an' filly, +An' spekkleate, es fetlock deep + They eye my cool creek flowin', +On whar I loosed it from My hand, + Where be its crisp waves goin'. +An' how in snow-white lily cup + I built them yaller fires, +An' bronz'd them reeds that rustle up + Agin the waggon tires. + +"An' throw a forrard eye along + Where that bush roadway passes, +A-spekkleating on the chance-- + Ov nibbling road-side grasses. +Jest let them lines rest on thar necks-- + Restrain yer moral twitters-- +An' paste this note inside yer hat-- + I talk tew all My critters! + +"Be they on four legs or on two, + In broadcloth, scales or feathers, +No matter what may be the length + Ov all their mental tethers: +In ways mayn't suit the minds ov them + That thinks themselves thar betters. +I talk tew them in simple style, + In words ov just three letters,-- +Spell'd out in lily-blow an' reed, + In soft winds on them blowin', +In juicy grass by wayside streams, + In coolin' waters flowin'. + +"An' so jest let them sorrels laze + My ripplin' silver creek in; +They're listenin' in thar own dumb way, + An' I--Myself--am speakin'; +Friend Stebbens, don't you feel your soul + In no sort ov dejection; +You'll get tew meetin' quick enough, + In time for the--collection." + + + + +THE DEACON AND HIS DAUGHTER. + + +He saved his soul and saved his pork, + With old time preservation; +He did not hold with creosote, + Or new plans of salvation; +He said that "Works would show the man," +"The smoke-house tell upon the ham!" + +He didn't, when he sunk a well, + Inspect the stuns and gravel; +To prove that Moses was a dunce, + Unfit for furrin travel; +He marvell'd at them works of God-- +An' broke 'em up to mend the road! + +And when the Circus come around, + He hitch'd his sleek old horses; +And in his rattling wagon took + His dimpl'd household forces-- +The boys to wonder at the Clown, +And think his fate Life's highest crown. + +He wondered at the zebras wild, + Nor knew 'em painted donkeys; +An' when he gave the boys a dime + For cakes to feed the monkeys, +He never thought, in any shape, +He had descended from an ape! + +And when he saw some shallow-pate, + With smallest brain possession, +He uttered no filosofy + On Nature's retrogression. +To ancient types, by Darwin's rule, +He simply said, "Wal, darn a fool." + +He never had an enemy, + But once a year to meetin', +When he and Deacon Maybee fought + On questions of free seatin'; +Or which should be the one t' rebuke +Pastor for kissin' sister Luke. + +His farm was well enough, but stones + Kind of stern, ruthless facts is; +An' he jest made out to save a mite, + An' pay his righteous taxes, +An' mebbe tote some flour an' pork +To poor old critters past their work. + +But on the neatest thing he hed + Around the place or dwellin', +I guess he never paid a red + Of taxes. No mush melon +Was rounder, sweeter, pinker than +The old Man's daughter, Minta Ann. + +I've been at Philadelfy's show + An' other similar fusses, +An' seen a mighty sight of stone, + Minarveys and Venusses; +An' Sikeys clad in flowers an' wings, +But not much show of factory things. + +I've seen the hull entire crowd + Of Jove's female relations, +An' I feel to make a solemn swear + On them thar "Lamentations," +That as a sort of general plan +I'd rather spark with Minta Ann! + +You'd ought to see her dimpled chin, + With one red freckle on it, +Her brown eyes glancing underneath + Her tilted shaker bonnet. +I vow, I often did desire, +They'd set the plaguey thing a-fire! + +You'd ought to hear that gal sing + On Sabbath, up to meetin', +You'd kind of feel high lifted up, + Your soul for Heaven fleetin'. +And then--came supper, down she'd tie +You to this earth with pumpkin pie! + +I tell you, stranger, 'twas a sight + For poetry and speeches, +To see her sittin' on the stoop, + A-peelin' scarlet peaches, +Inter the kettle at her feet,-- +I tell you, 'twas a show complete! + +Drip, droppin' thro' the rustlin' vine, + The sunbeams came a flittin'; +An' sort of danced upon the floor, + Chas'd by the tabby kitten; +Losh! to see the critter's big surprise, +When them beams slipped into Minta's eyes! + +An' down her brow her pretty hair + Cum curlin', crinklin', creepin', +In leetle, yaller mites of rings, + Inter them bright eyes, peepin', +Es run the tendrils of the vine, +To whar the merry sunbeams shine. + +But losh! her smile was dreadful shy, + An' kept her white lids under; +Jest as when darkens up the sky + An' growls away the thunder; +Them skeery speckled trout will hide +Beneath them white pond lilies' pride! + +An' then her heart, 'twas made clar through + Of Californy metal, +Chock full of things es sugar sweet + Es a presarvin' kettle. +The beaux went crazed fur menny a mile +When I got thet kettle on the bile. + +The good old deacon's gone to whar + Thar ain't no wild contentions +On Buildin' Funds' Committees and + No taxes nor exemptions. +Yet still I sort of feel he preaches, +And Minta Ann preserves my peaches. + + + + +SAID THE SKYLARK. + + +"O soft, small cloud, the dim, sweet dawn adorning, +Swan-like a-sailing on its tender grey; + Why dost thou, dost thou float, + So high, the wing'd, wild note +Of silver lamentation from my dark and pulsing throat + May never reach thee, + Tho' every note beseech thee +To bend thy white wings downward thro' the smiling of the morning, +And by the black wires of my prison lightly stray? + +"O dear, small cloud, when all blue morn is ringing +With sweet notes piped from other throats than mine; + If those glad singers please + The tall and nodding trees-- +If to them dance the pennants of the swaying columbine, + If to their songs are set +The dance of daffodil and trembling violet-- + Will they pursue thee +With tireless wings as free and bold as thine? + Will they woo thee +With love throbs in the music of their singing? + Ah, nay! fair Cloud, ah, nay! + Their hearts and wings will stay +With yellow bud of primrose and soft blush of the May; + Their songs will thrill and die, +Tranc'd in the perfume of the rose's breast. + While I must see thee fly +With white, broad, lonely pinions down the sky. + +"O fair, small cloud, unheeding o'er me straying, +Jewell'd with topaz light of fading stars; + Thy downy edges red +As the great eagle of the Dawn sails high + And sets his fire-bright head +And wind-blown pinions towards thy snowy breast; + And thou canst blush while I + Must pierce myself with song and die +On the bald sod behind my prison bars; + Nor feel upon my crest +Thy soft, sunn'd touches delicately playing! + +"O fair, small cloud, grown small as lily flow'r! +Even while I smite the bars to see thee fade; + The wind shall bring thee + The strain I sing thee-- +I, in wired prison stay'd, +Worse than the breathless primrose glade. + That in my morn, + I shrilly sang to scorn; +I'll burst my heart up to thee in this hour! + +"O fair, small cloud, float nearer yet and hear me! +A prison'd lark once lov'd a snowy cloud, + Nor did the Day + With sapphire lips, and kiss + Of summery bliss, + Draw all her soul away; + Vainly the fervent East +Deck'd her with roses for their bridal feast; + She would not rest +In his red arms, but slipp'd adown the air + And wan and fair, +Her light foot touch'd a purple mountain crest, + And touching, turn'd +Into swift rain, that like to jewels burn'd; +In the great, wondering azure of the sky; + And while a rainbow spread +Its mighty arms above, she, singing, fled + To the lone-feather'd slave, + In his sad weird grave, +Whose heart upon his silver song had sped + To her in days of old, + In dawns of gold, +And murmuring to him, said: +"O love, I come! O love, I come to cheer thee-- + Love, to be near thee!"" + + + + +WAR. + + +Shake, shake the earth with giant tread, + Thou red-maned Titian bold; +For every step a man lies dead, + A cottage hearth is cold. +Take up the babes with mailed hands, + Transfix them with thy spears, +Spare not the chaste young virgin-bands, + Tho' blood may be their tears. + +Beat down the corn, tear up the vine, + The waters turn to blood; +And if the wretch for bread doth whine, + Give him his kin for food. +Aye, strew the dead to saddle girth, + They make so rich a mould, +Thoul't thus enrich the wasted earth-- + They'll turn to yellow gold. + +On with thy thunders, shot and shell, + Send screaming, featly hurl'd; +Science has made them in her cell, + To _civilize_ the world. +Not, not alone where Christian men + Pant in the well-arm'd strife; +But seek the jungle-throttled glen-- + The savage has a life. + +He has a soul--so priests will say-- + Go! save it with thy sword; +Thro' his rank forests force thy way, + Thy war cry, "For the Lord!" +Rip up his mines, and from his strands + Wash out the gold with blood-- +Religion raises blessing hands, + "War's evil worketh good!" + +When striding o'er the conquer'd land, + Silence thy rolling drum, +And led by white-robed choiring bands + With loud _"Te Deum"_ come. +Seek the grim chancel, on its wall + Thy blood-stiff banner hang; +They lie who say thy blood is gall. + Thy tooth the serpent's fang. + +See! the white Christ is lifted high, + Thy conqu'ring sword to bless; +Smiles the pure monarch of the sky-- + _Thy_ king can do no less. +Drink deep with him the festal wine, + Drink with him drop for drop; +If, like the sun, his throne doth shine, + _Thou_ art that throne's prop. + +If spectres wait upon the bowl, + Thou needs not be afraid, +Grin hell-hounds for thy bold black soul, + His purple be thy shade. +Go! feast with Commerce, be her spouse; + She loves thee, thou art hers-- +For thee she decks her board and house. + Then how may others curse + +If she, mild-seeming matron, leans + Upon thine iron neck, +And leaves with thee her household scenes + To follow at thy beck-- +Bastard in brotherhood of kings, + Their blood runs in thy veins, +For them the crowns, the sword that swings, + For thee to hew their chains. + +For thee the rending of the prey-- + They, jackals to the lion, +Tread after in the gory way + Trod by the mightier scion. +O slave! that slayest other slaves, + O'er vassals crowned, a king! +War, build high thy throne with graves, + High as the vulture's wing! + + + + +THE SWORD. + + +THE FORGING OF THE SWORD. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + The mountain roots were stirr'd, + Like the heart-beats of a bird; + Like flax the tall trees wav'd, +So fiercely struck the Forgers of the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + So loud the hammers fell, + The thrice seal'd gates of Hell, + Burst wide their glowing jaws; +Deep roaring, at the forging of the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + Kind mother Earth was rent, + Like an Arab's dusky tent, + And monster-like she fed-- +On her children; at the forging of the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + So loud the blows they gave, + Up sprang the panting wave; + And blind and furious slew, +Shrill-shouting to the Forgers of the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + The startled air swift whirl'd + The red flames round the world, + From the Anvil where was smitten, +The steel, the Forgers wrought into the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + The Maid and Matron fled, + And hid them with the dead; + Fierce prophets sang their doom, +More deadly, than the wounding of the Sword. + +At the forging of the Sword-- + Swift leap'd the quiet hearts, + In the meadows and the marts; + The tides of men were drawn, +By the gleaming sickle-planet of the Sword! + + * * * * * + +Thus wert thou forged, O lissome sword; + On such dusk anvil wert thou wrought; +In such red flames thy metal fused! + From such deep hells that metal brought; +O sword, dread lord, thou speak'st no word, +But dumbly rul'st, king and lord! + +Less than the Gods by some small span, + Slim sword, how great thy lieges be! +Glint but in _one_ wild camp-fire's light, + Thy God-like vassals rush to thee. +O sword, dread lord, thou speak'st no word, +But dumbly rul'st, king and lord! + +Sharp, God, how vast thy altars be! + Green vallies, sacrificial cups, +Flow with the purple lees of blood; + Its smoke is round the mountain tops. +O sword, dread lord, thou speak'st no word, +But dumbly rul'st, king and lord! + +O amorous God, fierce lover thou! + Bright sultan of a million brides, +Thou know'st no rival to _thy_ kiss, + Thy loves are _thine_ whate're betides, +O sword, dread lord, thou speak'st no word, +But dumbly rul'st, king and lord. + +Unflesh thee, sword! No more, no more, + Thy steel no more shall sting and shine, +Pass thro' the fusing fires again; + And learn to prune the laughing vine. +Fall sword, dread lord, with one accord, +The plough and hook we'll own as lord! + + + + +ROSES IN MADRID. + + +Roses, Senors, roses! + Love is subtly hid +In the fragrant roses, + Blown in gay Madrid. +Roses, Senors, roses! + Look, look, look, and see +Love hanging in the roses, + Like a golden bee! +Ha! ha! shake the roses-- + Hold a palm below; +Shake him from the roses, + Catch the vagrant so! + +High I toss the roses + From my brown palm up; +Like the wine that bubbles + From a golden cup. +Catch the roses, Senors, + Light on finger tips; +He who buys red roses, + Dreams of crimson lips! +Tinkle! my fresh roses, + With the rare dews wet; +Clink! my crisp, red roses, + Like a castanet! + +Roses, Senors, roses, + Come, Hidalgo, buy! +Proudly wait my roses + For thy rose's eye +Be thy rose as stately + As a pacing deer; +Worthy are my roses + To burn behind her ear. +Ha I ha! I can see thee, + Where the fountains foam, +Twining my red roses + In her golden comb! + +Roses, Donnas, roses, + None so fresh as mine, +Pluck'd at rose of morning + By our Lady's shrine. +Those that first I gather'd + Laid I at her feet, +That is why my roses + Still are fresh and sweet. +Roses, Donnas, roses! + Roses waxen fair! +Acolytes my roses, + Censing ladies' pray'r! + +Roses, roses, roses! + Hear the tawny bull +Thund'ring in the circus-- + Buy your arms full. +Roses by the dozen! + Roses by the score! +Pelt the victor with them-- + Bull or Toreador! + + + + +BETWEEN THE WIND AND RAIN. + + +"The storm is in the air," she said, and held +Her soft palm to the breeze; and looking up, +Swift sunbeams brush'd the crystal of her eyes, +As swallows leave the skies to skim the brown, +Bright woodland lakes. "The rain is in the air. +"O Prophet Wind, what hast thou told the rose, +"That suddenly she loosens her red heart, +"And sends long, perfum'd sighs about the place? +"O Prophet Wind, what hast thou told the Swift, +"That from the airy eave, she, shadow-grey, +"Smites the blue pond, and speeds her glancing wing +"Close to the daffodils? What hast thou told small bells, +"And tender buds, that--all unlike the rose-- +"They draw green leaves close, close about their breasts +"And shrink to sudden slumber? The sycamores +"In ev'ry leaf are eloquent with thee; +"The poplars busy all their silver tongues +"With answ'ring thee, and the round chestnut stirs +"Vastly but softly, at thy prophecies. +"The vines grow dusky with a deeper green-- +"And with their tendrils snatch thy passing harp, +"And keep it by brief seconds in their leaves. +"O Prophet Wind, thou tellest of the rain, +"While, jacinth blue, the broad sky folds calm palms, +"Unwitting of all storm, high o'er the land! +"The little grasses and the ruddy heath +"Know of the coming rain; but towards the sun +"The eagle lifts his eyes, and with his wings +"Beats on a sunlight that is never marr'd +"By cloud or mist, shrieks his fierce joy to air +"Ne'er stir'd by stormy pulse." +"The eagle mine," I said: "O I would ride +"His wings like Ganymede, nor ever care +"To drop upon the stormy earth again,-- +"But circle star-ward, narrowing my gyres, +"To some great planet of eternal peace.". +"Nay," said my wise, young love, "the eagle falls +"Back to his cliff, swift as a thunder-bolt; +"For there his mate and naked eaglets dwell, +"And there he rends the dove, and joys in all +"The fierce delights of his tempestuous home. +"And tho' the stormy Earth throbs thro' her poles-- +"With tempests rocks upon her circling path-- +"And bleak, black clouds snatch at her purple hills-- +"While mate and eaglets shriek upon the rock-- +"The eagle leaves the hylas to its calm, +"Beats the wild storm apart that rings the earth, +"And seeks his eyrie on the wind-dash'd cliff. +"O Prophet Wind! close, close the storm and rain!" + +Long sway'd the grasses like a rolling wave +Above an undertow--the mastiff cried; +Low swept the poplars, groaning in their hearts; +And iron-footed stood the gnarl'd oaks, +And brac'd their woody thews against the storm. +Lash'd from the pond, the iv'ry cygnets sought +The carven steps that plung'd into the pool; +The peacocks scream'd and dragg'd forgotten plumes. +On the sheer turf--all shadows subtly died, +In one large shadow sweeping o'er the land; +Bright windows in the ivy blush'd no more; +The ripe, red walls grew pale--the tall vane dim; +Like a swift off'ring to an angry God, +O'erweighted vines shook plum and apricot, +From trembling trellis, and the rose trees pour'd +A red libation of sweet, ripen'd leaves, +On the trim walks. To the high dove-cote set +A stream of silver wings and violet breasts, +The hawk-like storm swooping on their track. +"Go," said my love, "the storm would whirl me off +"As thistle-down. I'll shelter here--but you-- +"You love no storms!" "Where thou art," I said, +"Is all the calm I know--wert thou enthron'd +"On the pivot of the winds--or in the maelstrom, +"Thou holdest in thy hand my palm of peace; +"And, like the eagle, I would break the belts +"Of shouting tempests to return to thee, +"Were I above the storm on broad wings. +"Yet no she-eagle thou! a small, white, lily girl +"I clasp and lift and carry from the rain, +"Across the windy lawn." + With this I wove +Her floating lace about her floating hair, +And crush'd her snowy raiment to my breast, +And while she thought of frowns, but smil'd instead, +And wrote her heart in crimson on her cheeks, +I bounded with her up the breezy slopes, +The storm about us with such airy din, +As of a thousand bugles, that my heart +Took courage in the clamor, and I laid +My lips upon the flow'r of her pink ear, +And said: "I love thee; give me love again!" +And here she pal'd, love has its dread, and then +She clasp'd its joy and redden'd in its light, +Till all the daffodils I trod were pale +Beside the small flow'r red upon my breast. +And ere the dial on the slope was pass'd, +Between the last loud bugle of the Wind +And the first silver coinage of the Rain, +Upon my flying hair, there came her kiss, +Gentle and pure upon my face--and thus +Were we betroth'd between the Wind and Rain. + + + + +JOY'S CITY. + + +Joy's City hath high battlements of gold; + Joy's City hath her streets of gem-wrought flow'rs; +She hath her palaces high reared and bold, + And tender shades of perfumed lily bowers; +But ever day by day, and ever night by night, +An Angel measures still our City of Delight. + +He hath a rule of gold, and never stays, + But ceaseless round the burnish'd ramparts glides; +He measures minutes of her joyous days, + Her walls, her trees, the music of her tides; +The roundness of her buds--Joy's own fair city lies, +Known to its heart-core by his stern and thoughtful eyes. + +Above the sounds of timbrel and of song, + Of greeting friends, of lovers 'mid the flowers, +The Angel's voice arises clear and strong: + "O City, by so many leagues thy bow'rs +Stretch o'er the plains, and in the fair high-lifted blue +So many cubits rise thy tow'rs beyond the view." + +Why dost thou, Angel, measure Joy's fair walls? + Unceasing gliding by their burnish'd stones; +Go, rather measure Sorrow's gloomy halls; + Her cypress bow'rs, her charnel-house of bones; +Her groans, her tears, the rue in her jet chalices; +But leave unmeasured more, Joy's fairy palaces. + +The Angel spake: "Joy hath her limits set, + But Sorrow hath no bounds--Joy is a guest +Perchance may enter; but no heart puls'd yet, + Where Sorrow did not lay her down to rest; +She hath no city by so many leagues confin'd, +I cannot measure bounds where there are none to find." + + + + +THE CANOE. + + +My masters twain made me a bed +Of pine-boughs resinous, and cedar; +Of moss, a soft and gentle breeder +Of dreams of rest; and me they spread +With furry skins, and laughing said, +"Now she shall lay her polish'd sides, +As queens do rest, or dainty brides, +Our slender lady of the tides!" + +My masters twain their camp-soul lit, +Streamed incense from the hissing cones, +Large, crimson flashes grew and whirl'd +Thin, golden nerves of sly light curl'd +Round the dun camp, and rose faint zones, +Half way about each grim bole knit, +Like a shy child that would bedeck +With its soft clasp a Brave's red neck; +Yet sees the rough shield on his breast, +The awful plumes shake on his crest, +And fearful drops his timid face, +Nor dares complete the sweet embrace. + +Into the hollow hearts of brakes, +Yet warm from sides of does and stags, +Pass'd to the crisp dark river flags; +Sinuous, red as copper snakes, +Sharp-headed serpents, made of light, +Glided and hid themselves in night. + +My masters twain, the slaughtered deer +Hung on fork'd boughs--with thongs of leather. +Bound were his stiff, slim feet together-- +His eyes like dead stars cold and drear; +The wand'ring firelight drew near +And laid its wide palm, red and anxious, +On the sharp splendor of his branches; +On the white foam grown hard and sere + On flank and shoulder. +Death--hard as breast of granite boulder, + And under his lashes +Peer'd thro' his eyes at his life's grey ashes. + +My masters twain sang songs that wove +(As they burnish'd hunting blade and rifle) +A golden thread with a cobweb trifle-- +Loud of the chase, and low of love. + +"O Love, art thou a silver fish? +Shy of the line and shy of gaffing, +Which we do follow, fierce, yet laughing, +Casting at thee the light-wing'd wish, +And at the last shall we bring thee up +From the crystal darkness under the cup + Of lily folden, + On broad leaves golden? + +"O Love! art thou a silver deer, +Swift thy starr'd feet as wing of swallow, +While we with rushing arrows follow; +And at the last shall we draw near, +And over thy velvet neck cast thongs-- +Woven of roses, of stars, of songs? + New chains all moulden + Of rare gems olden!" + +They hung the slaughter'd fish like swords +On saplings slender--like scimitars +Bright, and ruddied from new-dead wars, +Blaz'd in the light--the scaly hordes. + +They piled up boughs beneath the trees, +Of cedar-web and green fir tassel; +Low did the pointed pine tops rustle, +The camp fire blush'd to the tender breeze. + +The hounds laid dew-laps on the ground, +With needles of pine sweet, soft and rusty-- +Dream'd of the dead stag stout and lusty; +A bat by the red flames wove its round. + +The darkness built its wigwam walls +Close round the camp, and at its curtain +Press'd shapes, thin woven and uncertain, +As white locks of tall waterfalls. + + + + +"MY AIN BONNIE LASS O' THE GLEN." + + +Ae blink o' the bonnie new mune, + Ay tinted as sune as she's seen, +Wad licht me to Meg frae the toun, + Tho' mony the brae-side between: +Ae fuff o' the saftest o' win's, + As wilyart it kisses the thorn, +Wad blaw me o'er knaggies an' linns-- + To Meg by the side o' the burn! + +My daddie's a laird wi' a ha'; + My mither had kin at the court; +I maunna gang wooin' ava'-- + Or any sic frolicsome sport. +Gin I'd wed--there's a winnock kept bye; + Wi' bodies an' gear i' her loof-- +Gin ony tak her an' her kye, + Hell glunsh at himsel' for a coof! + +My daddie's na doylt, tho' he's auld, + The winnock is pawkie an' gleg; +When the lammies are pit i' the fauld, + They're fear'd that I'm aff to my Meg. +My mither sits spinnin'--ae blink + O' a smile in her kind, bonnie 'ee; +She's minded o' mony a link + She, stowlins, took o'er the lea + +To meet wi' my daddie himsel' + Tentie jinkin' by lea an' by shaw; +She fu's up his pipe then hersel', + So I may steal cannie awa'. +O leeze me o' gowany swaird, + An' the blink o' the bonnie new mune! +An' the cowt stown out o' the yaird + That trots like a burnie in June! + +My Meg she is waitin' abeigh-- + Ilk spunkie that flits through the fen +Wad jealously lead me astray + Frae my ain bonnie lass o' the glen! +My forbears may groan i' the mools, + My daddie look dour an' din; +Wee Love is the callant wha rules, + An' my Meg is the wifie I'll win! + + + + +THE WHITE BULL. + + +Ev'ry dusk eye in Madrid, +Flash'd blue 'neath its lid; +As the cry and the clamour ran round, +"The king has been crown'd! +And the brow of his bride has been bound +With the crown of a queen!" + And between +Te Deum and salvo, the roar + Of the crowd in the square, +Shook tower and bastion and door, +And the marble of altar and floor; + And high in the air, +The wreaths of the incense were driven +To and fro, as are riven +The leaves of a lily, and cast +By the jubilant shout of the blast + To and fro, to and fro, +And they fell in the chancel and nave, +As the lily falls back on the wave, +And trembl'd and faded and died, +As the white petals tremble and shiver, + And fade in the tide +Of the jewel dark breast of the river. + +"Ho, gossips, the wonderful news! +I have worn two holes in my shoes, + With the race I have run; +And, like an old grape in the sun, +I am shrivell'd with drought, for I ran +Like an antelope rather than man. +Our King is a king of Spaniards indeed, +And he loves to see the bold bull bleed; +And the Queen is a queen, by the saints right fit, +In half of the Spanish throne to sit; +Tho' blue her eyes and wanly fair, +Her cheek, and her neck, and her flaxen hair; + For free and full-- +She can laugh as she watches the staggering bull; +And tap on the jewels of her fan, + While horse and man, +Reel on in a ruby rain of gore; +And pout her lip at the Toreador; + And fling a jest +If he leave the fight with unsullied vest, + No crack on his skin, +Where the bull's sharp horn has entered in. +Caramba, gossips, I would not be king, + And rule and reign +Over wine-shop, and palace, and all broad Spain, + If under my wing-- +I had not a mate who could joy to the full, +In the gallant death of a man or a bull!" + + "What is the news +That has worn two holes in my Saints'-day shoes, +And parch'd me so with heat and speed, +That a skin of wine down my throat must bleed? +Why this, there's a handsome Hidalgo at Court, + And half in sport, +He scour'd the country far and wide, +For a gift to pleasure the royal bride; +And on the broad plains of the Guadalquiver + He gave a pull-- +To the jewell'd bridle and silken rein, +That made his stout horse rear and shiver; +For in the dusk reeds of the silver river-- +Like the angry stars that redly fly +From the dark blue peaks of the midnight sky, + And smouldering lie, + Blood-red till they die +In the blistering ground--the eyes he saw +Of a bull without blemish, or speck, or flaw, +And a hide as white as a dead saint's soul-- +With many a clinking of red pistole; +And draughts of sour wine from the herdsman's bowl, + He paid the full +Price in bright gold of the brave white bull. + + "Comrades we all + From the pulpit tall +Have heard the fat friars say God has decreed +That the peasant shall sweat and the soldier shall bleed, + And Hidalgo and King + May righteously wring +Sweat and blood from us all, weak, strong, young and old, +And turn the tax into Treasury gold. +Well, the friar knows best, + Or why wear a cowl? +And a cord round his breast? + So why should we scowl? +The friar is learned and knows the mind, + From core to rind, +Of God, and the Virgin, and ev'ry saint +That a tongue can name or a brush can paint; + And I've heard him declare-- +With a shout that shook all the birds in the air, + That two kinds of clay +Are used in God's Pottery every day. +The finest and best he puts in a mould + Of purest gold, +Stamped with the mark of His signet ring, + And He turns them out, + (While the angels shout) +The Pope and the priest, the Hidalgo and King! +And He gives them dominion full and just +O'er the creatures He kneads from the common dust, +And the clay, stamped with His proper sign, + Has right divine +To the sweat, and the blood and the bended knee +Of such, my gossips, as ye and me. + Who cares? Not I +Only let King and Hidalgo buy, + With the red pistoles +They wring from our sweltering bodies and souls, + Treasures as full +Of the worth of gold as the bold white bull! + +"The Hidalgo rode back to the Court: + And to finish the sport, + When the King had been crowned, +And the flaxen hair of the bride had been bound, + With the crown of the Queen; +He took a huge necklace of plates of gold, + With rubies between; + And wound it threefold +Round the brute's broad neck, and with ruby ring +In its fire-puffed nostrils had it led +To the feet of the Queen as she sat by the King, +With the red crown set on her lily head; + And she said-- + 'Let the bull be led +To the floor + Of the arena: Proclaim, + In my name, +That the valliant and bold Toreador, + Who slays him shall pull +The rubies and gold from the gore + Of the bold white bull!' + +"That is the news which I bear; +I heard it below in the square-- + And to and fro, + I heard the voice blow +Of Pedro, the brawny young Toreador, + As he swore +By the tremulous light of the golden star +That quivers beneath the soft lid + Of Pilar, +Who sells tall lilies through fair Madrid; + He would wind six-fold +Round her neck, long, slender, round and full, + The rubies and gold + That three times rolled +Round the mighty breast of the bold white bull. + And loudly he sang, + While the wine cups rang, + 'If I'm the bravest Toreador + In gallant, gay Madrid, + If thou hast got the brightest eye + That dances 'neath a lid; + If e'er of Andalusian wine + I drank a bottle full, + The gold, the rubies shall be thine + That deck the bold white bull.' + +"Already a chorus rings out in the city, + A jubilant ditty, + And every guitar +Vibrates to the names of Pedro and Pilar; +And the strings and voices are soulless and dull +That sound not the name of the bold white bull!" + + + + +MARCH. + + +Shall Thor with his hammer + Beat on the mountain, +As on an anvil, + A shackle and fetter? + +Shall the lame Vulcan + Shout as he swingeth +God-like his hammer, + And forge thee a fetter? + +Shall Jove, the Thunderer, + Twine his swift lightnings +With his loud thunders, + And forge thee a shackle? + +"No," shouts the Titan, + The young lion-throated; +"Thor, Vulcan, nor Jove + Cannot shackle and bind me." + +Tell what will bind thee, + Thou young world-shaker, +Up vault our oceans, +Down fall our forests. + +Ship-masts and pillars + Stagger and tremble, +Like reeds by the margins + Of swift running waters. + +Men's hearts at thy roaring + Quiver like harebells +Smitten by hailstones, + Smitten and shaken. + +"O sages and wise men! + O bird-hearted tremblers! +Come, I will show ye + A shackle to bind me. + +I, the lion-throated, + The shaker of mountains! +I, the invincible, + Lasher of oceans! + +"Past the horizon, + Its ring of pale azure +Past the horizon, + Where scurry the white clouds, + +There are buds and small flowers-- + Flowers like snow-flakes, +Blossoms like rain-drops, + So small and tremulous. + +Therein a fetter + Shall shackle and bind me, +Shall weigh down my shouting + With their delicate perfume!" + +But who this frail fetter + Shall forge on an anvil, +With hammer of feather + And anvil of velvet? + +Past the horizon, + In the palm of a valley, +Her feet in the grasses, + There is a maiden. + +She smiles on the flowers, + They widen and redden, +She weeps on the flowers, + They grow up and kiss her. + +She breathes in their bosoms, + They breathe back in odours; +Inarticulate homage, + Dumb adoration. + +She shall wreathe them in shackles, + Shall weave them in fetters; +In chains shall she braid them, + And me shall she fetter. + +I, the invincible; + March, the earth-shaker; +March, the sea-lifter; + March, the sky-render; + +March, the lion-throated. + April the weaver +Of delicate blossoms, + And moulder of red buds-- + +Shall, at the horizon, + Its ring of pale azure, +Its scurry of white clouds, + Meet in the sunlight. + + + + +"THE EARTH WAXETH OLD." + + +When yellow-lock'd and crystal ey'd + I dream'd green woods among; +Where tall trees wav'd from side to side, +And in their green breasts deep and wide, +I saw the building blue jay hide, + O, then the earth was young! + +The winds were fresh and brave and bold, + The red sun round and strong; +No prophet voice chill, loud and cold, +Across my woodland dreamings roll'd, +"The green earth waxeth sere and old, + That once was fair and young!" + +I saw in scarr'd and knotty bole, + The fresh'ning of the sap; +When timid spring gave first small dole, +Of sunbeams thro' bare boughs that stole, +I saw the bright'ning blossoms roll, + From summer's high pil'd lap. + +And where an ancient oak tree lay + The forest stream across, +I mus'd above the sweet shrill spray, +I watch'd the speckl'd trout at play, +I saw the shadows dance and sway + On ripple and on moss. + +I pull'd the chestnut branches low, + As o'er the stream they hung, +To see their bursting buds of snow-- +I heard the sweet spring waters flow-- +My heart and I we did not know + But that the earth was young! + +I joy'd in solemn woods to see, + Where sudden sunbeams clung, +On open space of mossy lea, +The violet and anemone, +Wave their frail heads and beckon me-- + Sure then the earth was young! + +I heard the fresh wild breezes birr, + New budded boughs among, +I saw the deeper tinting stir +In the green tassels of the fir, +I heard the pheasant rise and whirr, + Above her callow young. + +I saw the tall fresh ferns prest, + By scudding doe and fawn; +I say the grey dove's swelling breast, +Above the margin of her nest; +When north and south and east and west + Roll'd all the red of dawn. + +At eventide at length I lay, + On grassy pillow flung; +I saw the parting bark of day, +With crimson sails and shrouds all gay, +With golden fires drift away, + The billowy clouds among. + +I saw the stately planets sail + On that blue ocean wide; +I saw blown by some mystic gale, +Like silver ship in elfin tale, +That bore some damsel rare and pale, + The moon's slim crescent glide. + +And ev'ry throb of spring + The rust'ling boughs among, +That filled the silver vein of brook, +That lit with bloom the mossy nook, +Cried to my boyish bosom: "Look! + How fresh the earth and young!" + +The winds were fresh, the days as clear + As crystals set in gold. +No shape, with prophet-mantle drear, +Thro' those old woods came drifting near, +To whisper in my wond'ring ear, + "The green earth waxeth old." + + + + +"THE WISHING STAR." + + +Day floated down the sky; a perfect day, +Leaving a footprint of pale primrose gold +Along the west, that when her lover, Night, +Fled with his starry lances in pursuit, +Across the sky, the way she went might shew. +From the faint ting'd ridges of the sea, the Moon +Sprang up like Aphrodite from the wave, +Which as she climb'd the sky still held +Her golden tresses to its swelling breast, +Where wide dispread their quiv'ring glories lay, +(Or as the shield of night, full disk'd and red, +As flowers that look forever towards the Sun), +A terrace with a fountain and an oak +Look'd out upon the sea: The fountain danced +Beside the huge old tree as some slim nymph, +Rob'd in light silver might her frolics shew +Before some hoary king, while high above, +He shook his wild, long locks upon the breeze-- +And sigh'd deep sighs of "All is vanity!" +Behind, a wall of Norman William's time +Rose mellow, hung with ivy, here and there +Torn wide apart to let a casement peer +Upon the terrace. On a carv'd sill I leant +(A fleur-de-lis bound with an English rose) +And look'd above me into two such eyes +As would have dazzl'd from that ancient page +That new old cry that hearts so often write +In their own ashes, "All is vanity!" +"Know'st thou--" she said, with tender eyes far-fix'd, +On the wide arch that domes our little earth, +"That when a star hurls on with shining wings, +"On some swift message from his throne of light, +"The ready heart may wish, and the ripe fruit-- +"Fulfilment--drop into the eager palm?" +"Then let us watch for such a star," quoth I. +"Nay, love," she said, "'Tis but an idle tale." +But some swift feeling smote upon her brow +A rosy shadow. I turn'd and watch'd the sky-- +Calmly the cohorts of the night swept on, +Led by the wide-wing'd vesper; and against the moon +Where low her globe trembl'd upon the edge +Of the wide amethyst that clearly paved +The dreamy sapphire of the night, there lay +The jetty spars of some tall ship, that look'd +The night's device upon his ripe-red shield. +And suddenly down towards the moon there ran-- +From some high space deep-veil'd in solemn blue, +A little star, a point of trembling gold, +Gone swift as seen. "My wishing-star," quoth I, +"Shall tell my wish? Did'st note that little star? +"Its brightness died not, it but disappeared, +"To whirl undim'd thro' space. I wish'd our love +"Might blot the 'All is vanity' from this brief life, +"Burning brightly as that star and winging on +"Thro' unseen space of veil'd Eternity, +"Brightened by Immortality--not lost." +"Awful and sweet the wish!" she said, and so-- +We rested in the silence of content. + + + + +HOW DEACON FRY BOUGHT A "DUCHESS." + + +It sorter skeer'd the neighbours round, + For of all the 'tarnal set thet clutches +Their dollars firm, he wus the boss; + An' yet he went and byed a "Duchess." +I never will forget the day + He druv her from the city market; +I guess thar warn't more'n two + Thet stayed to hum thet day in Clarket. + +And one of them wus Gran'pa Finch, + Who's bed-rid up to Spense's attic: +The other Aunt Mehitabel, + Whose jints and temper is rheumatic. +She said she "guessed that Deacon Fry + Would some day see he'd done more fitter +To send his dollars savin' souls + Than waste 'em on a horn'd critter!" + +We all turn'd out at Pewse's store, + The last one jest inside the village; +The Jedge he even chanc'd along, + And so did good old Elder Millage. +We sot around on kegs and planks, + And on the fence we loung'd precarious; +The Elder felt to speak a word, + And sed his thoughts wus very various. + +He sed the Deacon call'd to mind + The blessed patriarchs and their cattle; +"To whose herds cum a great increase + When they in furrin parts did settle." +We nodded all our skulls at this, + But Argue Bill he rapped his crutches; +Sed he, "I guess they never paid + Five hundred dollars for a 'Duchess.'" + +Bill and the Elder allers froze + To subjects sorter disputatious, +So on the 'lasses keg they sot, + And had an argue fair and spacious. +Good land! when Solon cum in sight, + By lawyer Smithett's row o' beeches; +His black span seemed to crawl along + Ez slow ez Dr. Jones's leeches. + +Sez Sister Fry, who was along, + "I sorter think my specs is muggy; +"But Solon started out from hum + "This mornin' in the new top buggy. +"Jeddiah rid old chestnut Jim, + "An' Sammy rid the roan filly; +"I told 'em when they started off + "It looked redikless, soft and silly, + +"To see three able-bodied men + "An' four stout horses drive one critter; +"O land o' song! will some one look? + "From hed to foot I'm in a twitter." +Wal, up we swarm'd on Pewse's fence, + And Bill he histed on his crutches; +We all was curus to behold + The Deac's five hundred dollar "Duchess." + +I've heerd filosofurs declar, + This life be's kind o' snarly jinted; +And every human standin' thar + Felt sorter gin'ral disappointed. +What sort o' crazy animile + Hed got the Deacon in its clutches? +They cum along in spankin' style-- + Old Solon and his sons and "Duchess." + +Her heels wus up, her hed wus down, + An or'nary cross-gritted critter +As ever browsed around the town, + And kept the women folks a-twitter, +A-boostin' up the garding rails, + And browsin' on the factory bleachin', +And kickin' up the milkin' pails: + Bill he riz up, ez true ez preachin'. + +Sez he, excited like, "I'll 'low, + To swaller both these here old crutches- +Ef thet ain't Farmer Slyby's cow, + Old Bossie turn'd inter a "Duchess!" +Wal,'twus k'rect! The Deacon swore + Some hefty swars and sot the clutches +Of law to work; but seed no more + The chap thet sold him thet thar "Duchess." + + + + +MY IRISH LOVE. + + +Beside the saffron of a curtain, lit +With broidered flowers, below a golden fringe +That on her silver shoulder made a glow, +Like the sun kissing lilies in the dawn; +She sat--my Irish love--slim, light and tall. +Between his mighty paws her stag-hound held, +(Love-jealous he) the foam of her pale robes, +Rare laces of her land, and his red eyes, +Half lov'd me, grown familiar at her side, +Half pierc'd me, doubting my soul's right to stand +His lady's wooer in the courts of Love. +Above her, knitted silver, fell a web +Of light from waxen tapers slipping down, +First to the wide-winged star of em'ralds set +On the black crown with its blue burnish'd points +Of raven light; thence, fonder, to the cheek +O'er which flew drifts of rose-leaves wild and rich, +With lilied pauses in the wine-red flight; +For when I whispered, like a wind in June, +My whisper toss'd the roses to and fro +In her dear face, and when I paus'd they lay +Still in her heart. Then lower fell the light. +A silver chisel cutting the round arm +Clear from the gloom; and dropped like dew +On the crisp lily, di'mond clasp'd, that lay +In happy kinship on her pure, proud breast, +And thence it sprang like Cupid, nimble-wing'd, +To the quaint love-ring on her finger bound +And set it blazing like a watch-fire, lit +To guard a treasure. Then up sprang the flame +Mad for her eyes, but those grey worlds were deep +In seas of native light: and when I spoke +They wander'd shining to the shining moon +That gaz'd at us between the parted folds +Of yellow, rich with gold and daffodils, +Dropping her silver cloak on Innisfail. +O worlds, those eyes! there Laughter lightly toss'd +His gleaming cymbals; Large and most divine +Pity stood in their crystal doors with hands +All generous outspread; in their pure depths +Mov'd Modesty, chaste goddess, snow-white of brow, +And shining, vestal limbs; rose-fronted stood +Blushing, yet strong; young Courage, knightly in +His virgin arms, and simple, russet Truth +Play'd like a child amongst her tender thoughts-- +Thoughts white as daisies snow'd upon the lawn. + +Unheeded, Dante on the cushion lay, +His golden clasps yet lock'd--no poet tells +The tale of Love with such a wizard tongue +That lovers slight dear Love himself to list. + +Our wedding eve, and I had brought to her +The jewels of my house new set for her +(As I did set the immemorial pearl +Of our old honour in the virgin gold +Of her high soul) with grave and well pleased eyes, +And critic lips, and kissing finger tips, +She prais'd the bright tiara and its train +Of lesser splendours--nor blush'd nor smil'd: +They were but fitting pages to her state, +And had no tongues to speak between our souls. + +But I would have her smile ripe for me then, +Swift treasure of a moment--so I laid +Between her palms a little simple thing, +A golden heart, grav'd with my name alone, +And round it, twining close, small shamrocks link'd +Of gold, mere gold: no jewels made it rich, +Until twin di'monds shatter'd from her eyes +And made the red gold rare. "True Knight," she said, +"Your English heart with Irish shamrocks bound!" +"A golden prophet of eternal truth," +I said, and kissed the roses of her palms, +And then the shy, bright roses of her lips, +And all the jealous jewels shone forgot +In necklace and tiara, as I clasp'd +The gold heart and its shamrocks round her neck. +My fair, pure soul! My noble Irish love! + + + + +A HUNGRY DAY. + + +I mind him well, he was a quare ould chap, + Come like meself from swate ould Erin's sod, +He hired me wanst to help his harvest in; + The crops was fine that summer, prais'd be God! +He found us, Rosie, Mickie, an' meself, + Just landed in the emigration shed, +Meself was tyin' on there bits of clothes, + Their mother (rest her tender sowl!) was dead. + +It's not meself can say of what she died; + But t'was the year the praties felt the rain, +And rotted in the soil; an' just to dhraw + The breath of life was one long hungry pain. +If we were haythens in a furrin' land, + Not in a country grand in Christian pride, +Faith, then a man might have the face to say + 'Twas of stharvation my poor Shylie died. + +But whin the parish docthor come at last, + Whin death was like a sun-burst in her eyes, +(They looked straight into heaven) an her ears + Wor deaf to the poor childer's hungry cries; +He touched the bones stretched on the mouldy sthraw; + "She's gone!" he says, and drew a solemn frown; +"I fear, my man, she's dead." "Of what?" says I. + He coughed, and says, "She's let her system down!" + +"An' that's God's truth!" says I, an' felt about + To touch her dawney hand, for all looked dark, +An' in my hunger-bleached, shmall-beatin' heart, + I felt the kindlin' of a burning spark. +"O, by me sowl, that is the holy truth! + There's Rosie's cheek has kept a dimple still, +An' Mickie's eyes are bright--the craythur there + Died that the weeny ones might eat there fill." + +An' whin they spread the daisies thick and white, + Above her head that wanst lay on my breast, +I had no tears, but took the childhers' hands, + An' says, "We'll lave the mother to her rest," +An' och! the sod was green that summers day; + An' rainbows crossed the low hills, blue an' fair; +But black an' foul the blighted furrows stretched, + An' sent their cruel poison through the air. + +An' all was quiet--on the sunny sides + Of hedge an' ditch the stharvin' craythurs lay, +An' thim as lack'd the rint from empty walls + Of little cabins, wapin' turned away. +God's curse lay heavy on the poor ould sod, + An' whin upon her increase His right hand +Fell with'ringly, there samed no bit of blue + For Hope to shine through on the sthricken land. + +No facthory chimblys shmoked agin the sky, + No mines yawn'd on the hills so full an' rich; +A man whose praties failed had nought to do, + But fold his hands an' die down in a ditch! +A flame rose up widin me feeble heart, + Whin passin' through me cabin's hingeless dure, +I saw the mark of Shylie's coffin in + The grey dust on the empty earthen flure. + +I lifted Rosie's face betwixt me hands; + Says I, 'Me girleen, you an' Mick an' me, +Must lave the green ould sod, an' look for food + In thim strange countries far beyant the sea.' +An' so it chanced, when landed on the streets, + Ould Dolan, rowlin' a quare ould shay, +Came there to hire a roan to save his whate, + An' hired meself and Mickie by the day. + +"An' bring the girleen, Pat," he says, an' looked + At Rosie lanin' up agin me knee; +"The wife will be right plaised to see the child, + The weeney shamrock from beyant the sea. +We've got a tidy place, the saints be praised! + As nice a farm as ever brogan trod, +A hundred acres--us as never owned + Land big enough to make a lark a sod!" + +"Bedad," sez I, "I heerd them over there + Tell how the goold was lyin' in the sthreet, +An' guineas in the very mud that sthuck + To the ould brogans on a poor man's feet!" +"Begorra, Pat," says Dolan, "may ould Nick + Fly off wid thim rapscallions, schaming rogues, +An' sind thim thrampin' purgatory's flure, + Wid red hot guineas in their polished brogues!" + +"Och, thin," says I, "meself agrees to that!" + Ould Dolan smiled wid eyes so bright an' grey; +Says he. "Kape up yer heart--I never knew + Since I come out a single hungry day!" + +"But thin I left the crowded city sthreets, + There men galore to toil in thim an' die, +Meself wint wid me axe to cut a home + In the green woods beneath the clear, swate sky. + +"I did that same: an' God be prais'd this day! + Plenty sits smilin' by me own dear dure: +An' in them years I never wanst have seen + A famished child creep tremblin' on me flure!" + +I listened to ould Dolan's honest words, + That's twenty years ago this very spring, +An' Mick is married--an' me Rosie wears + A swateheart's little, shinin' goulden ring. + +'Twould make yer heart lape just to take a look + At the green fields upon me own big farm; +An' God be prais'd! all men may have the same + That owns an axe! an' has a strong right arm! + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Old Spookses' Pass, by Isabella Valancy Crawford + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD SPOOKSES' PASS *** + +This file should be named ldsss10.txt or ldsss10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, ldsss11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, ldsss10a.txt + +Produced by Vital Debroey, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. +This file was produced from images generously made available +by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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