5525 i 8921 Class JRSiisaE Rn nlf .U4-I'?< I 9-2 1 CoEyrightW . THE RAINBOW'S FOOT VERSE BY JULIUS W;' MULLER PRIVATELY PRINTED BY BARTLETT ORR PRESS NEW YORK I92I f. ^^'b^'^.^t A V-^ x^ Copyright 1921 by Bartlett Orr Press NEW YORK FE8il'22 ©C!,A659018 'Dedicated to Edward E. Bartlett T'ublisher and Friend whose exacting critical judgment was in this case subdued by personalfondness The Author Neiv York 1921 Peebarsett House roE.E.B. Not to confront the sense With splendid insolence Or to oppress with pride the simple earth. But striving to express All beauty's gentleness, Merging itself anew in each day's birth. Not for myself alone — Not piled-up brick and stone — But something more I pray my house shall be: Something to make it whole With human nature's soul. Something to make it dear for others as for me. So let it stand to give All that it may receive. That spending, it shall earn the fee of memories, And all who touch its door Be mine for evermore. My ever present guests when my house is old with trees. Kmagansett, 1 9 1 9 [7] The Rainbow's Foot The Rainbow's Foot The men who went in galleons What had they for their pain Of seeking after silver towns In jungles of New Spain, What brought they back to English downs Save scar and rag for gain ? The men who hunt the rainbow's end What find they on their way Of seeking after painted feet That stand in fairy spray, What bring they back to house and street Of riches for their pay? Though we find naught but radiant mist That hands have never prest. Though they found only fortune's frowns Amid the magic West, What care we for the silver towns That had the golden quest ? [ ^o] Art Keeping its gaze so high That pride can not come nigh. Still stooping humbly low To know the humblest woe — So near to earth it understands the clod: So far from earth, it hears the speech of God. New born to life with every dawning sun, Dying a sunset death with each day done, Noting man's lust, and noting it is vain. Yet for man's sake pierced with his spears of pain. [ '« ] Quest Oh, ever-young Desire That evermore denies, That lets not old years tire Nor young wait to grow wise. Oh, islands of our longing That wait us just beyond ! Oh, headlands blue and thronging In seas we have not conned. That draw us from good mooring Back to the wind-dark sea. That coax us to enduring The perils we might flee! Dear loves that cannot bind us. Dear memories that implore. Left, like the leagues behind us, For leagues that lie before. Hail, islands ! For to seek you We ventured without rest. Farewell ! For now we speak you. Still other isles are best. [ '- ] GoD's House Free! free! Unending Space, and Time, and God! No more to fear the morrows, or to plod The narrow day from narrow care to care. Starlight on mountains, dawn-wind on the sea — I one with them and they at one with me. One with the moon-flood and the holy air. Dear husk of mine to which I held so long. Thou but the instrument and I the song. Why did I fear the pang that bade me go To join the harping of the winds that run And high on shimmering ladders of the sun Hear the earth's song that earth can never know? I run with April clad in cobweb rains And cruise on thin moon-prows or hold the manes Of flocky mists slow-herding on a hill. My only task to take unto my heart All beauty, and to be all beauty's part. To be all peace, and know no other will. Where shift the territories of the main From blue to indigo and blue again. Cradling the fairy children of the foam, [ '3 ] Or where on some sharp-bitten peak is hung A white still cloud like angel-raiment flung, Houseless I house, unlaboring I roam. Forever seeking with a great content, Knowing there is no end to wonderment. No final pause for eager questing wings. But ever new cloud-continents before, New knowledges, new mysteries to adore, New portals wide to bright adventurings. Yet sometimes, in some truce of frost and stars. As throbs a pain of old, forgotten scars Poignant, I know of roads that once I trod That draw me earthward from my clear domain To seek a once-loved lighted little pane — And lol I know the loneliness of God! [ H] Drift of Sea Derelict In the dim, slow dance of the gray sea-wraiths, the souls of the drownd--^^ dead That sailor-men call the blind sea-fog, I drive and I roll ahead. No canvas fills to give me way, No hand is on my helm to sway — To the careless swell Chants my mad ship's-bell: "Dead! Long dead!" Drawn by a secret strong sea-pull, I run, I beat, I tack. Lurking eyeless, a damn