Book.^iL^^_Z*r/ 
 
 (jopightN"_ 
 
 J^/^ 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
The Image Makers 
 
 and other 
 Poems 
 
 By CHARLES C. ELY 
 
 Published by 
 Walker Lith. &c Pub. Co. 
 
 BOSTON, MASS. 
 
 Copyright 1912, by Charles C. Ely 
 
s-'^ 
 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF MY 
 
 BROTHER FREDERICK ELY 
 
 WHO DIED 
 JANUARY 27, 1911. 
 
 CI.A320510 
 
 Ttfcl 
 
^-'^'^^^^^liiL.-t^H^.^^;^ -t^. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 THE IMAGE MAKERS ... 6 
 
 NATURE'S VOICE .... 11 
 
 MAN'S DUAL NATURE ... 19 
 
 THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL . . 22 
 
 LOVE 
 
 LIFE . 
 
 A MINIATURE UNIVERSE 
 SHORTEST CATECHISM 
 
 31 
 36 
 
 GOOD AND EVIL .... 38 
 
 39 
 40 
 
THE IMAGE MAKERS 
 
 INSPIRATION 
 
 Drink of the Gods from fields Parnassian brought 
 
 A message to the soul sublime with thought. 
 
 Invigorating draught ! Celestial fare ! 
 
 That wakes the soul to thoughts and feelings rare ! 
 
 Thy name suggests a visitation bright ; 
 
 Thy coming is the soul's supernal light ; 
 
 Thy presence is the soul's supremest height ; 
 
 An elevated thought, a bright conception, 
 
 A subtle prompting or a new perception, 
 
 An impulse, motive, fancy, or desire. 
 
 Enkindled by Enthusiasm's fire. 
 
 Who can this holy Presence entertain. 
 
 But one of quickened feelings and high aim. 
 
 Who at some fount Castalian may dwell. 
 
 And drink the Muse's soul within her dell ? 
 
 May any by this power be uplifted, 
 
 Save one who with creative soul is gifted? 
 
 In art, or verse, or song, or speech sublime, 
 
 Who does not with deep feeling truth combine ? 
 
 They only may high Inspiration claim 
 
 Who have enlightened souls to catch the flame ; 
 
 And hearts attuned to Nature's harmonies, 
 
 That they may catch Her subtle melodies. 
 
 6 
 
THE IMAGE MAKERS 
 
 IMAGINATION 
 
 By its creative force, with Nature, Truth, 
 
 And Reason guides. Imagination deep, 
 
 The primal power of the soul, fills all 
 
 The space beyond things known ; constructs from what 
 
 Now is that which shall be ; essays Great God 
 
 Himself; annihilates both time and space, 
 
 And turns into new forms those things that are ; 
 
 And from life's varied scenes, from Memory's 
 
 Deep labyrinths, new worlds creates, more bright 
 
 And filled with hopes attained, and joy and love ; 
 
 The Architect supreme of man's desires. 
 
 Here then indeed the Soul doth find strong wings 
 
 To rise above the common thought, and join 
 
 In sweet accord time present and to come ; 
 
 And in extreme degrees of new delights 
 
 Lives in a higher and a grander light, 
 
 The mental sight by which the Soul sees God, 
 
 And in her prayer communion holds with Him : 
 
 Or region, the antipodes of bliss, 
 
 This power creates, where pain unending tries 
 
 The soul diseased, ungrateful, unredeemed. 
 
THE IMAGE MAKERS 
 
 FANCY 
 
 Untrammeled in her bold capricious flight, 
 Is winged Fancy soaring, airy light, 
 Just following the soul's free inclinations. 
 And of the absent forming thought creations. 
 She comes and goes as shadows come and go, 
 But unlike shadows, leaves some trace to show. 
 She comes on wings as silent as the dew. 
 Having in hand the heart's-ease or the rue. 
 Unto the jealous lover Fancy brings 
 Excruciating torments on her wings ; 
 To the accepted visions of sweet bliss — 
 The loves embrace, the ecstacy, the kiss. 
 When love and hope, illusory thoughts inspire, 
 Quick Fancy images the heart's desire. 
 When images of fear possess the soul 
 Calm Reason unto Fancy yields control. 
 She comes in the still watches of the night. 
 With ominous presentments that affright ; 
 And in the early morning's rosy light, 
 With new conceits displacing those of night. 
 The devotee gives zealous Fancy play 
 In hopeful visions of the future day. 
 The grace in art, her fantasies enhance 
 
 8 
 
THE IMAGE MAKERS 
 
 And give the pleasing touch unto romance. 
 
 The products of the brush and of the pencil, 
 
 The cold result of mallet and of chisel, 
 
 In lights and shades and color blendings tasteful 
 
 Reveal her presence in their figures graceful. 
 
 Creative Fancy's felt in every place; 
 
 Here, in the world of duty with God's grace; 
 
 Here, in the world of love and hate and fears, 
 
 Of gladness and of sadness and of tears ; 
 
 Here, in the kingdom of the bright ideal ; 
 
 There, in the vision land of the unreal. 
 
THE IMAGE MAKERS 
 
 FANCY'S CREATIONS 
 * 
 
 Fancy's creations, happy, sportive, bright ; 
 
 Or with foreboding images replete; 
 
 Take form, as Love, Fear, Hope, or Joy inspires. 
 
 Through Fancy's glass prismatic Love looks forth 
 
 The youth an angel sees. To him the ground 
 
 Is holy where she treads ; her bower is Heaven ; 
 
 Herself divine. The maiden fair perceives 
 
 A hero in the object of her love 
 
 With rare and noble qualities his own, 
 
 Who fills her yearning, loving heart's desire. 
 
 By Fear possessed, shadows to monsters grow ; 
 
 Instinct with life they seem and most appalling. 
 
 Sweet hope our faith with visions fair upholds. 
 
 Reveals bright glimpses of a world beyond, 
 
 And bears us to that happy realm in dreams. 
 
 By Joy inspired, gay, happy Fancy laughs 
 
 Dull Care's perplexities away, and drinks 
 
 The sparkling essences of life in feigned 
 
 Felicity. Though light and gossamer, 
 
 O Fancy fond, thou art the buoyancy 
 
 Of love, of hope, of joy; illusions sweet, 
 
 To memory dear. 
 
 10 
 
NATURE'S VOICE 
 
 {In The Thunder Storm.) 
 I. 
 
 While the birds their songs are giving ; 
 While the sun with warmth is beaming; 
 While caressing winds are wooing, 
 And all Nature's seeming peaceful, 
 And our thoughts the while are tranquil ; 
 Lo ! from out the Western sky come 
 Clouds, portentous, darkly threatening ; 
 Rising, spreading and advancing; 
 Heavy with moist condensations ; 
 Big with windy inspirations ; 
 Surcharged with electric forces ; 
 Horrid monster of the heavens ! 
 Now he sends the rain in down-pour ; 
 Breaks the chains that bind the wind-storm 
 Splits the frightened air asunder 
 That cries out in painful protests, 
 Following the heels of lightenings 
 With her thunder-voice appalling, 
 Banging, clapping, thunder rolling 
 Quivering protests, in regaining 
 
 11 
 
NATURE S VOICE 
 
 Her composure, her true balance ; 
 This elastic soul of Nature, 
 With her fearful voice titanic. 
 Thus this monster passes onward, 
 Or is spent in dissipation ; 
 And again the sky is peaceful, 
 Sun is shining, winds are wooing, 
 Birds are singing, and the quiet 
 Muse invites you now to harken 
 Unto Nature's kindlier voices. 
 
 {In the Winds.) 
 
 II. 
 
 Listen! to the sighing, sighing. 
 As the gentle murmuring Winds pass. 
 Do you know what they are saying 
 To the Trees with waving branches. 
 Deep within the woods primeval ; 
 During all the budding spring time, 
 During all the time of summer? 
 Thus the Winds in softest murmurs 
 Pay their court unto the Trees there, 
 Wooing, w^ooing, with their warm breath, 
 Laden with the balm of fir trees, 
 12 
 
nature's voice 
 
 With the odor of the meadows ; 
 And the Trees, like joyous maidens, 
 Bend their heads and wave their branches, 
 Dancing, flirting, sighing, sighing. 
 As the fickle and embracing 
 Zephyrs kiss them as they pass on 
 Going no one knoweth whither. 
 
 III. 
 
 When the summer has departed. 
 And the fall Winds come among them 
 With a cooler breath and chilling, 
 With a voice less soft and wooing; 
 Lo ! the Forest dons a new dress, 
 Dress of red and brown and yellow. 
 Sign of age, of youth departing, 
 
 Making brilliant all the landscape 
 
 With her foliage resplendent ; 
 
 As a woman, her youth vanished. 
 
 Dons her satins and her jewels. 
 
 Feebly clinging, gently yielding. 
 
 As our souls when life is endine 
 
 These bright-winged spirits flutter. 
 
 Flutter to their restful haven ; 
 
 13 
 
NATURE S VOICE 
 
 Or are roughly scattered by the 
 Wrathful winds that blow them, symbol 
 Of our lives when rudely taken, 
 Leaving bare the trunks and branches. 
 Leaving bare love-nooks and bowers, 
 Making desolate the woodlands. 
 
 IV. 
 
 And the winter ! Oh, the winter ! 
 Pinching, biting, chilling winter ! 
 When the Winds in anger blowing, 
 Moaning, whistling through the branches, 
 Drive unto the ground the life-blood 
 Of the leafless, cheerless forest. 
 Locked and chained there by his mandate, 
 Locked within his ice-embraces ; 
 Chained by laws that have no mercy. 
 
 V. 
 
 But ye hills and valleys leaf shorn, 
 Desolated ! in the spring time 
 Will the sun awake to new life 
 Your great winter-chilled heart-blood ; 
 Up along the trunks and branches, 
 
 14 
 
N A T U re's V O I C E 
 
 r.eaping through the trunks and branches. 
 And by Nature's secret magic 
 r>urst out into Hfe and vigor 
 All the erstwhile slumbering forest 
 Just as though the winter were not ; 
 And the earliest zephyrs whispering. 
 Fresh from warmer climes returning, 
 Welcome the advent of spring time 
 And begin their yearly wooings. 
 With their sighings and their murmurings. 
 
 (In Running Wafers.) 
 
 VI. 
 
 Oh. the Winds are restless, restless. 
 Changing ever, ever changing, 
 Blowing hot and blowing coldly, 
 \Miispering love-words, acting rudely. 
 Do not take the Winds for suitors ! 
 O ye young and budding Saplings ; 
 Learn a lesson from your elders ; 
 Read the story of your sisters. 
 How in youth with youth they flirted, 
 How in age Old Age was heartless. 
 Take the Sun that's ever constant ; 
 15 
 
NATURE S VOICE 
 
 Take the Sim whose genial warmth, and 
 
 Beaming, cordial life doth lift up 
 
 And restore the broken-hearted. 
 
 Take the Sun whose vernal ardor 
 
 Breaks the icy bands of winter; 
 
 Frees the winter prisoned waters 
 
 Locked in snow-bound fields and hill tops, 
 
 Rippling, murmuring, laughing waters 
 
 On their way through glen and valley, 
 
 On o'er rocks and precipices, 
 
 Shouting, roaring, thundering Spring-Time's 
 
 Joyous, yearly reawakening. 
 
 Take the Sun whose rays each morning 
 
 Dry away the pearly dew drops — 
 
 Tears that gather in his absence, 
 
 That from twig and leaf hang pendant. 
 
 Take the Sun whose chords though silent 
 
 Speak through all of Nature's voices. 
 
 Take the Sun whose vital acts are 
 
 Proof of all his benefactions. 
 
 Proof of loyal genial nature ! 
 
 16 
 
N A T U R 1<: S VOICE 
 
 {From the Sea.) 
 VII. 
 
 None but heroic lines may well describe 
 
 Thy majesty O Ocean broad and deep, 
 
 Thy billows and the thunders of thy voice 
 
 Upon thy rock-bound coasts and shallow shores — 
 
 The mills of Neptune that so fine and slow, 
 
 To particles impalpable, do grind 
 
 The pebbly beach and rocks and sand, and lap 
 
 Them to and fro in ceaseless flow^ and ebb. 
 
 With cadences that soothe and rest the soul. 
 
 Not from thy depths profound, O Mighty Sea, 
 
 Is heard thy voice, there art thou ever dumb ; 
 
 But on thy surfaces in billows tossed. 
 
 Or shallow shelves that skirt the continents 
 
 Where swells from distant storms are spent in surf. 
 
 Twice in a lunar day thy bosom heaves, 
 
 Twice in a lunar day thy bosom falls. 
 
 The daily breathings of thy mighty chest, 
 
 And lo ! upon opposing coasts the tides 
 
 Advance and twice recede unto the sea. 
 
 Grinding the land, the pebble, rock and sand. 
 
 To feed thy hungry maw insatiate. 
 
 17 
 
nature's voice 
 
 There's room enough within thy basin wide 
 To take in every continent, in their 
 Slow marches to the sea, by rivers, rills, 
 And mountain streams, and leave no Ararat 
 To rest an ark upon, or olive grove 
 Wherein the weary dove of peace may find 
 A resting place. 
 
 18 
 
MAN'S DUAL NATURE 
 
 O Complex, Dual-nature ]\Ian. Twin born — 
 
 The evil with the good. \Mio, to account 
 
 For evil, hath invented reasons false, 
 
 And clothed them in a shape unnatural. 
 
 A devil, legacy from age remote, 
 
 Hath he declared the source responsible ; 
 
 Rut natural is evil, and from it 
 
 The good in mortals is inseparable ; 
 
 And, with a conscience and a will, — the gift 
 
 To know, the powder to choose, — man is forewarned, 
 
 Forearmed ; yet Adam-like, mankind prefers 
 
 The tempting fruit forbid'n. And ever was 
 
 The devil most convenient scapegoat for 
 
 The devilry of man ! Through Reason's glass 
 
 The devil is a human nature bent 
 
 To evil purposes. Observe his traits. 
 
 Are they not man's ? Are they not human traits ? 
 
 For what infernal acts may not desire 
 
 Persuade the Will of man to do ! Indeed 
 
 An angel is a mortal led by love ; 
 
 To what self-sacrifice will Love endure ! 
 
 •These natures inharmonious, opposed, 
 
 Supply the motives and direct the will 
 
 19 
 
MANS DUAL NATURE 
 
 As dominates the evil or the good. 
 Thus never ending, in man's little brain 
 Contend the elements of heaven and hell. 
 Emotions, passions, good and bad, have since 
 The first, a strong, determined conflict waged, 
 Now good, and evil now predominant ; 
 So from time past till this, and so from this. 
 Till Virtue's crown by conflict shall be gained. 
 Nor vain the cause, since Evil of the Good 
 Betrays such wholesome fear and dread, he seeks 
 In darkness and deceit (his refuge vain!) 
 For cover and escape. 
 
 And now upon 
 This many thousandth year of Man's estate. 
 And of his stewardship, the good prevails. 
 As shown in growth of character ; the fruit 
 Of countless moral strifes, wherein have souls. 
 Beloved and honored in succeeding times. 
 Souls which in memory, thought and actions live, 
 Laid down their lives, by loving labor spent 
 Toward the consummation hoped of man's 
 Redemption from himself, by nature bound 
 To selfishness and greed. Each generous life, 
 Each kindly act of love and sympathy, 
 
 20 
 
MANS DUAL NATURE 
 
 A record leaves upon the minds of men — 
 
 The book of life eternal and divine. 
 
 Wherein is writ the Ages' precious gems 
 
 Of loving thought and noble deeds sublime ! 
 
 Thus on, and on, and on, progressively, 
 
 The thoughts, the deeds, the soul of man may live ! 
 
 21 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 {The Seat of Character.) 
 
 The Tree of Knozvledge — Conscience. 
 
 1. 
 
 The tree of knowledge grows within the soul. 
 It is the Conscience knowing good and bad ; 
 The voice of God ; the Soul's good Monitor 
 That sits enthroned 'twixt reason and desire ; 
 The Judge severe of what man would and what 
 He ought to do, demanding nothing less 
 Than justice, truth and right. 'Twas planted there 
 When first the mind by duty was impressed, 
 And with its growth up spring the virtues all 
 That flow'r in sweet and everlasting bloom. 
 This Alonitor revered forms character ; 
 Brings happiness, the fruit most sought of life. 
 Ignored, the soul, degenerate, misled. 
 Conscious of nakedness, before the face 
 Of Virtue hides. Within the conscience lies 
 The moral battle-ground. Here Virtue strives. 
 And also Vice, for the supremacy ; 
 The destiny of man. 
 
 22 
 
T TI K G A R D E N OF T H E S O I' L 
 
 The Tree of Life — Character. 
 
 V. 
 
 From out of its environments of Love's 
 Sweet mold, or of Hate's harsh, mahgnant soil, 
 Of Reason's light, or Superstition's shade, 
 The soul, immortal entity of man, 
 Takes on its character ; its disposition ; 
 Its individual self ; that which is man ; 
 That which he apprehends himself to be. 
 By strife, by trial, is the soul revealed ! 
 Behold its character: no stronger than 
 The will, the subtle Temper to withstand. 
 Immune to Defamation's venomed tongue, 
 The character is lost by wilful acts 
 Alone. One wilful sinful act ; and thus 
 Is character dethroned. Put on, O you. 
 Who fall from Character's supreme estate. 
 The sackcloth of repentance and depart. 
 None, none can lose and still be undismayed, 
 Unapprehensive, self-reliant, brave! 
 
 23 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 Inspired Fount — Enthusiasm. 
 
 III. 
 
 Enthusiasm : fountain of the soul, 
 
 Fed with perennial springs of fancy or 
 
 Of truth by joyous inspirations through 
 
 Her portal wide. Blest fount ! if Reason at 
 
 The portal stands ; accursed ! if Prejudice 
 
 Stands there; if Fantasy the hour rules, 
 
 Or yet, if inspiration finds its way 
 
 Through darksome unenlightenment, wherein 
 
 Bold Superstition's stupid, vandal hand 
 
 Lays waste to Reason's happy realm. Sincere 
 
 Is the uplifted soul, the soul thus stirred, 
 
 Yet damned errors it has oft embraced 
 
 And nourished with a zeal sublime ! The Truth 
 
 Is made triumphant by its fervent force, 
 
 And by it absurd Error may confound. 
 
 Be certain then that Reason is on guard, 
 
 That Virtue stirs the pool ; then drink, and drink 
 
 Again the ardent draught ; when otherwise, 
 
 And Bigotry intolerant attends, 
 
 Touch not, drink not of the inspired fount. 
 
 24 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 Flowers of Hope and Faith. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Like Alother Earth, the Garden of the Soul 
 Contains inspiring blooms — the flowers of truth ; 
 And hope indigenous, perennial here, 
 Up springs with bright expectancy and joy; 
 And faith, the flow'r of promise, e'er presents 
 Unto the Source of Life, its upturned face 
 Throughout the constant and exultant day. 
 
 Rose of Love. 
 
 V. 
 
 Upon the border of this garden grows 
 The rose of love in its varieties : 
 Affection, sympathy and gratitude. 
 Compassion, pity, pride and reverence; 
 In beauty differing as their names appear. 
 Exhaling good-will and beneficence ; 
 A joy unto the denizens of Earth, 
 ■ To Heaven, a frankincense both sweet and wild. 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 Rivers — Grace, Mercy and JVisdoin. 
 VI. 
 
 And nourished are they all, the tree, the flower, 
 By streams of Grace and Loving-Mercy, forth 
 Proceeding from the will and hand of God ; 
 While streams of Wisdom from experience, 
 Down trickle through the crevices of time, 
 Down to the ocean of Eternity, 
 Supporting on their bosoms deep, the best 
 The Garden of the Soul doth yield. 
 
 Habitant— The Will 
 VII. 
 
 Mankind created with desires, has means 
 
 Within his reach, like apples on low boughs, 
 
 To pamper them ; has conscience given him 
 
 By which he knows where virtue ends, where vice 
 
 Begins ; to guide him also reason has ; 
 
 Intelligence. Above them all a Will 
 
 To choose has he both free and unrestrained. 
 
 Save only by his conscious moral force. 
 
 This gift like unto God commands the right, 
 
 Or as the Evil-One selects the wrong. 
 
 26 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 To well determine then this mighty grace, 
 7^his right divine to rule himself, man has 
 A book, true Nature's book, God's law therein 
 Is writ — "Be temperate, be kind, be true. 
 Be just" ; for there indeed lies happiness ! 
 The Will's supremest trust. 
 
 Habitant — Reason. 
 
 vin. 
 
 The Reason : Open door of the just soul 
 Through which all trusty inspirations come ; 
 The faculty supreme in man that makes 
 Him near divine : the comprehension clear 
 By which he knows the Maker in His works, 
 And searches out the principles occult 
 In Nature's laws ; the common sense to know 
 Plain, modest Truth from Falsehood's bold pretense. 
 The Reason : — that controlling modicum 
 Of the Creation, that makes finite man 
 Co-partner of the Infinite! 
 The Reason and the Conscience : Are they not 
 The true, the natural ministers of God? 
 Do they not teach the ways of righteousness 
 "And truth ? By what means other than by these 
 May man have faith or hope, or know God's will 
 By him is done? 
 
 27 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 Habitant — Creative Pozver. 
 
 IX. 
 
 The soul-creative is by nature twain — 
 
 Imagination grave and Fancy light. 
 
 As man and woman, by Dame Nature bent, 
 
 Their duties separate do now appear : 
 
 One by his plastic art plans structures real. 
 
 The other, phantom castles in the air ; 
 
 One seeks his marble in the quarry hard. 
 
 The other finds her ''marble" in the clouds ; 
 
 One labors to find out the Great Unknown, 
 
 Who is in Nature and by Reason seen ; 
 
 The other in her airy dreams conceives 
 
 That she has found the Great-First-Cause and End 
 
 One's of a turn that's serious and deep ; 
 
 The other playful, versatile and bright, 
 
 And by her combinations light and gay. 
 
 To life presents peculiar joy and zest, 
 
 A beauty, grace and rich embellishment. 
 
 Through nature these creative faculties. 
 
 One reason led, unreasoning the other. 
 
 Complete the dual-sweet conceptions of the soul. 
 
 28 
 
T H E GAR D K N O 1- T 11 l". SO f \. 
 
 The realm of soaring Fancy's in the air, 
 The clouds her chariot, her steeds the winds ; 
 That of Imagination is the earth, 
 Firm rock his throne, broad nature his delight ; 
 Reason his power ; revealing truth his aim. 
 
 Habitant — Hope 
 
 X. 
 
 Man's bright star, hope, is ever veiled in clouds ; 
 
 Its full efifulgence is unseen, vouchsafed 
 
 Not unto him because of fear, efifect of sin, 
 
 Or Superstition's senseless reasonings. 
 
 But hope, such glimpses as he has, is man's 
 
 Sustaining power ; his inspiration sweet ; 
 
 The dear expectancy ; the living stream 
 
 That nourishes desire. What blessings dwell 
 
 Beyond that veil ! the promises to faith 
 
 And firm belief. Shall man yet pierce the clouds. 
 
 To make his hope a certainty? a joy? 
 
 Not while his conscience guilty of offence 
 
 Attends ! But doubts and fears by V^irtue's strength 
 
 Are overcome, and by it hope is realized ; 
 
 And thus may fear be banished, while fond hope, 
 
 So useless then, takes on reality ! 
 
 29 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE SOUL 
 
 Of this most quiet, blissful change think not 
 As near, though it is free for all to have. 
 Uncertain, doubting, fearing, buoyant Hope 
 Has many eons yet, in clouds to dwell, 
 Sin-burdened man to cheer, ere sin and fear 
 Are banished, and hope's clouded rays dissolve 
 In brighter, clearer light. Without some fear 
 Would hope be certainty. Without some hope 
 Would fear, disconsolate, take on despair ! 
 
 Habitant — Joy. 
 
 XL 
 
 The soul's refreshment — joy ; sweet sparkling drops 
 
 From Virtue's cup divine ; essence of happiness ; 
 
 Serenity in hope ; delight in love ; 
 
 The pleasure in success ; the pride in gain ; 
 
 The state of mind that has no doubt, no fear ; 
 
 The property of self approving minds ; 
 
 The genial sunshine of a soul at peace. 
 
 Joy's heaven serene ; the soul is its abode ; 
 
 Its voice — the tuneful choir harmonious 
 
 Of heart and soul in songs of gratitude. 
 
 30 
 
LOVE 
 
 I. 
 
 Reverence — Love of God. 
 
 Restraining, guiding power, Reverence ! 
 Of Fear born, yet partaking more of Love ; 
 The child of Love and Fear, deep Filial Fear, 
 Not Base — (that brat of Sin and Coward mean ;) 
 But Fear allied to Love of God ; a deep 
 Respect for excellence and rightful power ; 
 A truth and justice loving son. Without 
 This loving reverential fear The Good 
 Were dead ; the passions to extremes would run, 
 Destruction bringing great and imminent ; 
 Desire to greed would unrestrained lead. 
 And jealousy most deeply dyed to crime; 
 Hope by despair would be engulfed quite, 
 And grief by moping melancholy sad ; 
 Would joy to sorrow turn, and direful hate 
 To riot speed. O Reverence ! blest be 
 Thy power — the product of ten thousand years 
 Of poor Humanity's most strong desires 
 For justice, truth and righteousness. 
 
 31 
 
LOVE 
 
 Gratitude — Love of Earth. 
 
 II. 
 
 Contentment dwells on Earth in grateful hearts. 
 
 Not elsewhere look for this felicity 
 
 Should you not find it there. The evidence 
 
 Of gratitude is health and happiness ; 
 
 Who these possess have shown the most of grace. 
 
 This virtue rare could make of Earth a heaven, 
 
 Were there the effort, thought and prayer to make 
 
 It blest, as go to its disparagement. 
 
 Oh, think of this ! vain, thankless man whose eyes 
 
 Are on the future bent, ungratefully. 
 
 What ground for hope have they who scorning this, 
 
 Expect a better, happier world beyond, 
 
 Save through the pity of the Infinite? 
 
 Are they not right who rightly live? May not 
 
 All grateful denizens of Earth partake 
 
 Of what the future has for Hope, for Faith? 
 
 May not all grateful souls enjoy what God 
 
 Doth in His wisdom give; find Heaven in Earth 
 
 And Earth in Heaven, and act their thankful part 
 
 In life's great tragedy, with problem deep — 
 
 The soul's futurity? 
 
 32 
 
LOVE 
 
 Sympathy— Lore of Man. 
 
 III. 
 
 True Sympathy ; responsive chord harmonious ! 
 That joins all souls and hearts reciprocal, 
 In fellowship and in communion sweet, 
 True link of friendship ; messenger of love ; 
 Relation kind that makes our burdens light. 
 Our hopes, our joys, our loves, our faith more strong 
 That soothes the wounded heart, the troubled mind ; 
 The common ground that all do stand upon. 
 Who have a hope of heaven, or fear of death. 
 Where'er misfortune falls, or Sorrow dwells ; 
 Where Fortune smiles, or joys possess the soul. 
 This truest, kindest, tenderest attribute 
 Reveals always the brotherhood of man. 
 
 Pity — God's Love Compassionate. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Is there a tongue that can acceptably 
 Commiserate with objects pitiable? 
 With those unfortunate? With those debased? 
 For pity, most unwelcomed dew of man's 
 Humanities, can find no willing ear ; 
 
 33 
 
LOVE 
 
 No look expressing gratitude, except 
 The humble ( ?) thrifty beggar's mean and low, 
 His stock in trade well worn by daily use; 
 Or in the wretch, who, trembling, fearing, pleads 
 For mercy kind; by such 'tis truly prized 
 When pity tempers justice. Nature all 
 Doth yearn for sympathy ; for pity none. 
 How unacceptable is kindliness, 
 Or charities, or tender hearts, or good 
 Intent, with pity, not unmixed with scorn ! 
 But to the giver kind is pity sweet ! 
 Its measure is a pittance or a sigh. 
 This bitter-sweet, to fortune only sweet. 
 This passion unrepaid, rejected, scorned, 
 Is but a wasted product mostly, forged 
 From tender, kindly, sympathetic hearts ; 
 A toiler profitless, that cultivates 
 The ragweed and the thistle, just outside 
 The fertile fields of sympathy and love ; 
 That takes from Industry and gives to Sloth ; 
 Encourages both beggary and vice. 
 But pity scorned and unrequited lives ! 
 Lives in the heart and there finds its reward. 
 And though none may be grateful, yet the heart 
 Is blest in rendering. And rich the world 
 For pity is, twere hard indeed with none ! 
 
 34 
 
LOVE 
 
 Objects of pity pity not their like; 
 Between them is a wretched sympathy. 
 That which appeals to pity is beyond 
 Humanity to aid. An attribute 
 Of God is pity. Can a being less, 
 Acceptably bestow^ this kind regard, 
 This love compassionate? 
 
 35 
 
LIFE 
 
 O, Mother Earth, unvahied home of man ! 
 Designed for his enjoyment full, for his 
 Delight. Unnumbered millions thankless live 
 And cheaply hold their heritage and die ; 
 Many because of vice no joy can find. 
 For vice turns sweetness into bitterness ; 
 And some because of hopes of better state 
 Beyond,, ignore the present, that for this 
 Their future may be blest. Ascetics take 
 No sweets, which is as great ingratitude. 
 As to partake of them too much. These two 
 Extremes of sin bereave their lives of joy : 
 But yet are some who stand on middle ground, 
 The temperate, who now receive and share 
 The bounteous gifts inherited, and leave 
 Posterity their legacy of love. 
 This world is not for Man's delusion given ; 
 A joyous gift is it to grateful souls; 
 For life is sweet to those who use it well. 
 'Tis sweet in youth, when innocent of cares. 
 In sports and books the days glide swiftly by ; 
 'Tis sweet in manhood's years, through industry, 
 
 36 
 
LIFE 
 
 To make the clinched hand of h'ortune yield 
 
 A competence of honor and of wealth ; 
 
 'Tis sweet in reason to enjoy ; 'tis sweet 
 
 With sympathy to linger at Love's shrine. 
 
 And sweet in friendship's interchange ; 'tis sweet 
 
 In riper years to retrospect upon 
 
 A fair and just career ; 'tis sweet at last ! 
 
 When man must yield to Time the zest of life. 
 
 To take the rest that Nature has designed, 
 
 That kindly Nature pityingly provides. 
 
 37 
 
GOOD AND EVIL 
 
 The Good. 
 
 In man's nature is a spirit 
 Which is striving for perfection ; 
 For his soul is ever restless 
 To attain the highest knowledge; 
 Knocking at God's own dominion — 
 At the sealed book of Dame Nature ; 
 And his heart is ever yearning 
 For the milk of human kindness ; 
 For lair dealing, simple justice, 
 For the love that proves unselfish. 
 Strange it is not that he honors 
 With a love approaching worship 
 Those who live for truth and justice, 
 Who have made the way less clouded 
 'Twixt himself and his Creator. 
 
 The Evil. 
 
 Deep within that nature also 
 
 Is the brutal instinct vicious, 
 
 Selfish, cruel, base, malignant. 
 
 O ingratitude abhorrent ! 
 
 Oh ! the grief ! the tears ! the sorrow ! — 
 
 Man's inheritance of Evil. 
 
 38 
 
A MINIATURE UNIVERSE 
 
 Each man's a universe within himself; 
 
 His body is the Earth ; his will the power 
 
 Supreme that moves it ; reason is his sun ; 
 
 Intelligence his day ; and ignorance his night ; 
 
 His many hopes his constellation high ; 
 
 His infancy the misty nebula ; 
 
 Old age the silvery moon ; his span of life 
 
 The measure of his day; his joy is heaven; 
 
 Remorse his hell ; Nature's his inspiration ; 
 
 And his creative soul supplies his world. 
 
 His mind embraces all realities, 
 
 And Heaven or Hell within its precincts dwells. 
 
 39 
 
SHORTEST CATECHISM 
 
 \A^hat is w^rong to do ? 
 
 Answer : — 
 
 Anything that harms one's self or neighbor. 
 
 What is right to do? 
 
 Answer : — 
 All else. 
 
 What is w^rong not to do ? 
 
 Answer : — 
 
 Anything within your power to help your neighbor. 
 
 40 
 
n 1^2