^^o« .^., ,**'% '.^♦' /% '• '^^.s^ ■^ _^^:-. V „,'" ,-^-. °-,_ ..s*'..i^: r. % > » % « s TO THE DOGMATIST To the Dogmatist and other Poems By FRED D. WENTZEL li BOSTON THE STRATFORD COMPANY 1917 T53J*^^t ,^t7 117 Copyright 1917 by THE STKATFORD COMPANY Boston, Mass. JUL -5 !9I? The Alpine Press, Boston Proem IAYAS a child, and they sent me out, With toddling step and gleeful shout, To know the Way of Life. Bitter and sweet, 'mid thorns and flowers, Stretched the Road of the Passing Hours That is part of the Way of Life. Flowers I plucked that I found not fair. But I plucked them here, and I plucked them there Along the Way of Life. From the Garden of Thought and the Land of Deeds I snatched them out from the rankling weeds That darken the Way of Life. I sheltered them all in the House of Rhyme To rescue their fragrance from the Winds of Time That blow o 'er the Way of Life ; And plucking the flowers ever I go. For 'tis not for the sons of men to know The end of the Way of Life. Contents Proem To the Dogmatist . . . . V . 1 The Forsaken Child of God . 2 A Poem from Heine's ''Die Harzreis e" . 5 To . 16 The Spirit of the American Indian ' Visits a Modern Soldier . . 17 Senior Class Poem . . . . . 22 To the Girl of Dreams Unrealized . 23 Reveries of a Pessimist . 24 Approach of Winter . . . . . 25 The Score . 27 On Founder's Day, March 10, 1915 . . 28 To Dare to Think . 30 Thoughts of an Anarchist . . 34 Mother . 35 The College Sport's Philosophy . 42 A Dream . 44 Faith . 48 To the Dogmatist WHEN I was a little romping boy, Wild as the weeds I played among, Gay as the robin's morning song, One with Nature the whole day long, You taught me, "I believe." Your ' ' Credo ' ' had been but a curse to me : Mist to becloud my growing mind, Cell to imprison and chain to bind, Peopling with goblins the ghost-free wind, — But ne'er did I believe. And now that I've grown to manhood's thought. Creeds are a sick'ning sham to me^ Dogma is palling mockery, — Thinking my thoughts, not yours, I'm free, — Care I what you believe? Tell me not to believe as you, I think my thoughts, think your thoughts, too ! God 's voice to me is forever new, Care I what it says to you ? [1] TO THE DOGMATIST The Forsaken Child of God NIGHT, and the stars, and God's pale moon, — Peace in the heavens, but hark ! what cry Wings through the stillness its weeping flight And wails as it passes, ' ' Forsaken I ! " Armenia, Minerva's child. Whose wise and potent intellect Has nourished Europe 's dying man. What aid from Heaven canst thou expect 1 Jehovah is deaf, — mayhap he sleeps; Bring not to him thy gruesome woes : Reel o'er the desert, thou failing line, Die to the Kurds, thy libertine foes ! Dead is the State's once quivering heart. Dull is the edge of their righteous ire. Shorn of their anger and robbed of their wrath, Fearing the touch of Mars' fierce fire. AND OTHER POEMS Weary, Armenia, with wind-blown dust, Mourning thy manhood left slain behind. Trailing in pain thy blood-shod feet, Hungry and thirsty, — no help canst find ? Lone in thy misery, lone in thy grief, Scattered to harem and slavery and shame. Martyrs to country and duty and faith. Vanishing, dying, — whose the blame? Speed to Olympus thy prayers and vows. Rest not thy hope on God 's awaking ; He will not list though thy cry pierce heaven : Doomed is thy life, all Christians forsaking. Where is the boasted sympathy Of them who feign to love thy kind ? Where is their vengeance, where their power The lewd and raving beast to bind? Over the Eden of Eve they pass Suffering, staggering, driven with steel Into the Hell of torture and lust — Is there none Armenia's cross to feel? [3] TO THE DOGMATIST Rise in your anger, America, rise ! Fling to the winds your pity and tears. Rouse swift your soul and stay the beast ; Hasten the end of his dying years ! Long has he scourged and ravished and torn, Purity weeps and innocence bleeds ; Afar from the land of the Prophet rings Armenia's cry, ''I perish!" Who heeds? [4 J AND OTHER POEMS A Poem from Heine*s "Die Harzreise*' I ON the mouutain stands a cabin Where the aged miner stays, Nearby rustle verdant fir trees, Beams the moon with saffron rays. There 's an armchair in the cabin Richly carved with wondrous care; He who sits on it is happy. For 'tis I am sitting there. On the footstool sits the maiden, Props her arm upon my knee ; Two wee eyes like stars of azure. Wee rose lips dyed crimsonly. And the lovely stars of azure Gaze upon me heaven-fair, While she seeks with lily finger Rose-red lips with roguish air. [5] TO THE DOGMATIST No, her mother does not heed us, For she spins on busy loom ; And her father plays the zither While he sings the olden tune. And the maiden whispers softly, Softly, in an undertone; Many an important secret Trusts she to my ears alone. *' Since my auntie's gone to heaven 'Tis no longer ours to fare To the shooting match at Goslar ; And how pleasant it is there ! ' ' Here, however, it is lonely, On the chilling mountain height ; And in winter we 're completely Snow-entombed and bleak bedight. ''And I am a timid maiden, And in child-like fear am I 'Cause of evil mountain goblins Who at night their business ply." [61 AND OTHER POEMS Sudden stops the darling lassie As if speech affrighted too, And with both wee hands she covers Her twin star-like eyes of blue. Louder rustle moon-bathed fir trees And the spin wheel whirrs and hums; Intervening zither murmurs, Olden tune a-singing comes: ''Fear thou not, loved little maiden, What the evil goblins do ; Day and night, loved little maiden. Angels keep their watch o'er you." II Fir trees with their emerald fingers Tapping at the window low; And the moon, the yellow Listener, Makes the whole room sweetly glow. Father, mother, breathing softly In the sleeping chamber nigh. But we two, for pleasing chatter, Cannot close the wakeful eye. [7] TO THE DOGMATIST ''That you're aught too often praying, Hard I find it to believe ; Quivering lips like yours betoken Naught of prayer, as I conceive. *'0h, that evil, freezing quiver. How it frightens me each time ! But my darksome fear is tranquil At your eye's pure gleam sublime. ''And I guess you're not believing What you ought believe the most, — Have you faith in God the Father, In the Son and Holy Ghost?" "Ah, wee maiden, e'en in boyhood, When on mother's knee I sate, I believed in God the Father, Sovereign ruler, good and great ; "Who this wondrous world has fashioned, Wondrous, too, the men thereon ; Who designed the heavenly orbits For both stars and moon and sun. [81 AND OTHER POEMS "As I older grew, my lassie, Understood I more and more ; Understood, and came to reason, — Now the Son I too adore: '^ Lovely Son, who loving showed us All that love in man might be ; In return, as ever happens. He was nailed upon a tree. ' ' Now that I have grown to manhood, Read each book, and seen each coast. Swells my heart, and deep within me, I adore the Holy Ghost. ''This one wrought the greatest wonders. And far greater works today; He has cleft the tyrant's stronghold, Cleft the yoke of slaves away. "Olden mortal wounds he's healing, And reviving statutes old : Equal-born, men all are members Of one noble family fold. [91 TO THE DOGMATIST ' ' He dispels the mists of evil, Superstition's phantom gloom, Which our love and gladness soured, — Day and night our grinning doom. '' Knights a thousand, mighty armored, Has the Holy Ghost, choice aid, To fulfill his sovereign pleasure. And he makes them unafraid. *' Swords of theirs do brightly glitter. And their goodly banners wave. Yes, well might you, little maiden. Look upon a knight so brave. * ' Now, then, look on me, my maiden, Fearless be your look and kiss; Even I am such a chosen Knight of Holy Ghost like this." Ill Still the moon itself is hiding Out behind the verdant pine ; In the room our lamp dim flickers, Scarce of light gives any sign. noi AND OTHER POEMS But my stars of heavenly azure Brighten up with shining rays, And the rose of carmine blushes, And the lovely maiden says: ''Tiny little people, elf -folk, Steal our bacon and our bread ; In the chest it lies at evening, And at morning it is fled. ''And the cat's indeed a sorc'ress, Day and night, at any hour. Creeping toward yon spirit-mountain, Toward the long-decayed old tower. "In that place once stood a castle. Filled with joy and armor's gleam: Knights resplendent, dames and pages Swung in dance of torchlight beam. "Then were charmed both folk and castle By an evil-working witch; Only ruins now are standing, Owls nest there in every niche. nil TO THE DOGMATIST "But my sainted auntie told me If one right words fitting says, Nightly at the fitting hour, Yonder in the fitting place, ' ' Then again become the ruins Castle shining as of yore, Knights and dames and throng of pages Dance with merry hearts once more ; ''And who has those right words spoken, His are then both folk and tower; Drums and trumpets pay low homage To his youthful lordly power. ' ' So there blossom elf-tale pictures From her mouth 's own little rose. And her eyes are beaming o'er them, — Azure starlight from them flows. Then around my hands the maiden Twines her locks of golden hair. Gives my fingers names of fancy. Smiles, and ends her tale so fair. [12] AND OTHER POEMS All things in the quiet chamber View me with such friendly mien That the table and the cupboard Are to me as earlier seen. Pleasing, solemn chats the wall-clock, Faint sounds from the zither seem Of their own accord to murmur, And I sit as in a dream. *'Now indeed 's the fitting hour, Here the fitting place is, too ; Marvel would you if, my maiden, Fitting words I spoke for you ? ''When I speak those words, the midnight Breaks in morning light and quakes. Brook and fir trees roar full louder, And the aged mountain wakes. "Zither sounds and songs of pigmies From the mountain 's crevice ring. And out sprouts a flower-forest, Blooming like a madcap spring. [13 1 TO THE DOGMATIST ''Flowers, daring, magic flowers; Broadened leaves and fable-lmed, Perfumed, varicolored, passionate, Quivering as with life imbued. "Roses, wild as flames of scarlet Sprinkled from this turmoil rise ; Lilies, like clear crystal pillars. Shoot far upward to the skies. "Large as suns the stars of heaven Downward look with yearning beam, Every lily's giant chalice Fills with their descending stream. "But we two ourselves, sweet maiden, More transformed by far are we, Gold and silk and gleam of armor Shimmer round us merrily. "You, you have become the princess. This your hut the tower grand ; Here are shouting, here are dancing Knights and dames and pages' band. [14] AND OTHER POEMS *'But now I, I have acquired You and all, both folk and tower ; Drums and trumpets pay low homage To my youthful lordly power." 15 TO THE DOGMATIST To. THE western skies are seas of flaming bronze, The noise of day is still; dusk's whisper comes To hush earth's weary men to rest. The light Grows dark, and Night on sable wings descends And broods o'er voiceless hill and silent dale. 'Tis dark, and loneliness unspeakable Engulfs my soul. But then with hope I turn Where mem'ry guards inviolate the only face I love: And all the world is light. I need no sun. Nor moon nor stars to cheer my way, no path To guide my steps; to know thy noble heart Beats one with mine, to feel thy deepest trust, Thy richest sympathy, thy love, thy life, — All mine to cherish, yea, until the moon Shall wax and wane no more, — I crave no boon Besides. I care not for the gloom of night ; If memory keep thy face I can defy The dark, for thou shalt be God's kindly light To cheer and lead my lonely soul aright. [16] AND OTHER POEMS The Spirit of the American Indian Visits a Modern Soldier I LAY with aimless gaze 'neath moon and stars That seeming dripped with blood my sword had shed, When sudden heaven a spirit chieftain held, Who, sadly stern, in stinging accents said: ' ' From darkened wood where moonlight shadows play, Where once the copper savage wooed love's mate While Nature's varied music breathed sweet song, I rose,: — an Indian spirit called by fate. "Above great cities lulled in sleep I soared, A misty warrior clad in gauzy bands, Out o'er the groaning waves of tortured seas To Europe 's crying voice and suppliant hands. [17] TO THE DOGMATIST "Canst wonder why this soul long centuries flown Should stir when heaven and earth groan deep in pain, When picture, statue, hope, and life's ideals All mingle in Mars' caldron, — smoke and flame? "When you who curse with cultured Christian grace My bow and arrow, hatchet, knife, and spear Join hands with Death on land, in sea and air, — Shall Justice slight the cause that I plead here ? ' ' Before your eastern foot touched western shore I worshipped towering trees and running brooks, — All Nature, boundless, trackless, vast, my church ; The stars of heaven, bird, leaf, and blade, my books. "A strange new story came with bearded men Of one who died both red and white to save, Who hated war and taught men better peace, — How gladly did I trust what traitors gave ! [18] AND OTHER POEMS **For traitors' lands are crimsoned deep with gore, A myriad beast-like men reel drunk with blood ; Your children, given no language but a cry, I cannot hear for roar of Martial flood. "I see fair fertile fields a desert waste. Rich century-aged beauty wrecked and lost; Cathedral, temple, palace, vineyard gone, — What mortal, red or white, shall reck the cost ? "What has Death's sable chariot left uncrushed? E'en heaven is black with arrows seeking hearts To pierce and kill; while hurrying, scurrying fright Seeks holes to hide, forsaking streets and marts. "Is this how you would calm my warrior soul And teach the Golden Rule and love's high law? Oh! free my shackled people from your dream, And let them kneel to faithful stone in awe. [19] TO THE DOGMATIST *'They need no spear of air nor monster shell To love, forgive, repent, believe, confess: What more than hollow, pulseless, Christless show Is a creed that veils a sword in readiness ? "What message have you now for barbarous men? The Prince of Peace whom war has lately slain ? Or ever Christ was preached to Indian heart My people knew the Spirit whence he came! "They prayed, oft dreamed, oft longed for heavenly lands, — Blest hunting grounds, and fields, and morn- ing dew. And hills with Nature 's sunshine, wind, and snow, — There all the mind's imaginings must come true. "Like yours their heart with deep pure passion stirred. Unflinching met reverses, wept in woe. Cried loud for love, grew hard with horrid hate. And blindly craved immortal heights to know. [20] AND OTHER POEMS "They knew the Spirit, — the Manitou of strength, Majestic power, and joy in battles won; But not the God of wisdom, beauty, love, — Do fighting priests teach aught of such an one? ''Old Europe, rich in lore and law and light, — Has she a living lesson for my kin, Of loftier love, or higher hope, or gentler life ? Or is it sham and naught but death within ? ' ' The vision fled. I wildly rose and strained My burning eyes to see, but it was gone. Yet deep within my soul one question flamed, — Red savage, — were not he and I both one? 21 TO THE DOGMATIST Senior Class Poem IT took the worm ten million years To wriggle up to man, And man has kept on wriggling up For years beyond my ken. He left in fossils marks of strife That moved the vales to tears; And I am rich with joys and hopes Since he braved pains and fears. In four short years I 've learned the tale Of all that man has wrought In all the countless centuries He dared, and bled, and fought. That I'm the heir of him who tamed The terrors of the past, Inflames my soul to be, like him, A man unto the last. So let me, Freshman, tell the tale That makes men's lives sublime: The kingly man who ruled the past — We are, as he, divine ! [22] AND OTHER POEMS To the Girl of Dreams Unrealized THE farmer boy quaffed cups of joy: Red schoolhouse of the vale Deep thrilled his heart with passion's start, — - And thereby hangs a tale. The lad learned more than schoolroom lore, And wiser grew with age ; He came to know life's fuller glow Shed o'er experience' page. Who taught with books and charmed with looks Has gone her own life 's way ; Another walks, another talks Where she once ruled the day. But Time's swift stream reflects the gleam Of interest back again ; With brightening eye and deepening sigh Guides he the poet's pen To write fair lays for her who stays In the schoolhouse of the vale ; He drinks her smile in gladness while, — But she must end the tale ! TO THE DOGMATIST Reveries of a Pessimist I PLUCKED a lily damp with dew, Its aqueous chalice glistening fair ; I looked within its pure white walls, — An insect black lay dying there ! I met her in life 's morning hours, When roseate hues gild all earth's dross; I saw her inward soul,^ — and then, My seeming gain was aching loss. And so each beauty pleasing sight Is but the bright veneer of death, And friendship's fond illusion melts When truth may still deception's breath. [24 AND OTHER POEMS Approach of Winter A CUTTING wind whirls o'er the land, The northern herald, furious, wild; An avalanche of snowy force, A soul-ful life, and more, — a mind! Small brooks are fringed with pendant ice. Their waters cold, as crj^stal clear ; Long slender drooping willow whips Are writhing, lashing, snapping near. On dreary fields high carrots wild, A myriad grasses, burdocks sere, — In all this death but one life's breath : Low fields of wheat, green waves of fear. Low mountains raise chill lifeless peaks, The forest, wind-tossed, groans and weeps ; Now through the rattling hurrying leaves The timid hare, quick-frightened, leaps. Out from his resting place the buck Rears high broad antlers, whiffs the air. Invigorated bounds through space As hounds when wild with bugle's blare. [25] TO THE DOGMATIST Softly, silently, swiftly falling In milky whirls to earth below. The air, the tree, the field, the stream Live one with quivering flakes of snow\ Fierce wintry winds of winter blow; From fleecy clouds snow, sleet, and rain All mingle, fall, bedeck earth all, — Drear knell of winter sounds again. [26] AND OTHER POEMS The Score ON down the street dance merry feet, Ring merry bells, bright banners greet ; Six hundred strong they skip along To cleave the air with shout and song. Low-rumbling drum, fierce bursting bomb Of spirit loosed, — hear dead stones hum! With wondering eye men gather by And speak a quick and curious ' ' Why ? ' ' Bright arc lights gleam with brilliant sheen On human ''Whys" that pavements screen: "What can these be, the things we see?" Incline your ears and list to me. You know the field, old Franklin field ? And did you dream old Penn could yield? One score of years onlooking seers Despaired in gloom and doubt and fears. Now ? Small men ? Light men ? What if so ? Low pigmies lay high giants low! Let blood-w^ars rage, let statesmen sage 'erturn the world before its age : The states' grim war, the red war's gore Pale dim. Why? 10 to is the score. [27] TO THE DOGMATIST On Founder's Day, March 10, 1915 FORGET today; and, gliding slow along the fertile banks Let memory trace through mists of years the golden stream, To where amid the throes of this republic's painful birth Great minds gave source to life and thought that, gathering strength From mountain torrent, valley brook, and rain from heaven, Have poured their priceless waters into sea of state and national life. On either side her onward flow unaging, richly nourished leaf Bears wondrous fruit that curious youths do eager seek and gladly eat; For thus small minds grow big with truth that frees from falsely fair. And reverent sees the spiritual core of earth and sea and air And all that is ; and thus hard hearts swell large with love [28] AND OTHER POEMS That overflows and floods the suffering world with pleasing cheer. Oh, memory ; dwell upon the wealth of that great stream Which gave to art and science, yea, to all the spheres of life, Rich blood, new thought, and high ideals. Forget today; and gliding 'long her century- stretching flow, Rejoice that thou art privileged by her banks to feed and grow. NOTE : Franldin and Marshall College was fou7ided on March 10, 1787. [29 TO THE DOGMATIST To Dare to Think Goethean Literary Society Anniversary Poem, May 5, 1916. TO dare to think, — oneself to face Again the storm which primal man Beheld with quaking fear; to scan The darkening sky; again to pace Earth's fierce-blown shores to know God's plan In Nature 's frown and in her kiss ; The tyranny of creed to scorn, And thoughts of centuried custom born ; At old tradition's claims to hiss, To stop the past's too lavish horn; To dare to think, — unfettered, free From mandates of the hoary years, From specters of primeval fears, From errors ancient priests decreed, — Free, though it cost a sea of tears ! I cherish all the past may yield Of truth and beauty, law and light, [30] AND OTHER POEMS Its gifts are priceless in my sight ; With miser care its gold I shield, I reverence and confess its might. I read with awe in wood and stone The blood-bought victories of my race, And as with wondering eye I trace Their upward climb, 'tis joy to own Such heroes, and to feel that place Nor time has ever dimmed the gleam That lures men on o'er crag and fen To where, 'mid distant clouds, they ken Reality will crown their dream And bless the patient artisan. I roam the past in memory, I walk the streets of Greece and Rome, — In every clime I find a home, For everywhere men feel, as I, The urge toward God, the endless poem That sings man's immortality, And whispers low of nobler days When all earth's minor melodies. Caught up in one vast symphony. Shall swell and fill the heavens with praise. [31] TO THE DOGMATIST Of all the past am I a child, And gladly do I own my kin ; But in my life it ne'er shall win The throne of thought. Nor savage wild Nor cultured king shall rule within The citadel of mind, where I In lonely solitude must sit. The king of it, the lord of it ; Where all the thoughts of history hie To do my will. 'Tis plainly writ On life 's great scroll that he who dares The magic of his thought to ply To pry into the how and why Of sun and storm, — he little cares For voices from the past. But high Above their ceaseless clamoring noise He stands unmoved. Nor can Today, Too certain with its science, say, " 'Tis thus and so." He keeps the poise Of independence, hews his way Where others fear, and spurns the path Which they, enslaved by custom, tread. He moves alone ; untouched by dread, [32] AND OTHER POEMS And careless of men's smile or wrath Pursues the gleam. And by it led He flees the hold of error's thrall, And freer heights of truth attains Where Wisdom lofty-seated deigns To clear for him life's mysteries all: Its healing joys, its wounding pains. To dare to think,— I love the past, The present is my happy gain ; But let not past nor present reign In thought's dominion. Truth at last Shall come to me in Freedom's train. [33J TO THE DOGMATIST Thoughts of an Anarchist LAW is evil, man 's own nature inly good ; Highbrowed judges, despot kings, and tsars, — All the varied tools of regulating force, Ne'er remove but deepen human scars. Law is useless, — ever saying must and shalt. Holding cross and gibbet, every public shame. More than inward self-control and pride. Deeming love and inward justice but a name. Law is chaining ; cleave from righteous man his shackles, Swing the door of human freedom open far : Up shall rise resplendent innate right ; Out shall soar man's spirit sinless, sinful now. Law is evil; heaven is lost to governed men. Therefore raze your thrones, forget the wicked past. Dry your tears for human woes and myriad ills,— Evil dies when outward law has breathed its last. [341 AND OTHER POEMS B Mother EFORE rich softening fireplace gleam, once raven night Now snowy hair a halo bears of purest gold. To eyes grown dim through lengthening years, the mellow light Faint image seems of fiery dreams, — a flame burnt old : Who has not wildly dreamed in youth, nor wildly groped For painless paths to royal heights, nor vainly hoped ? On rocking chair aged gray as she, absorbed in thought, — No lily chalice kissed with dew, no sky deep blue, No pearl so fair as she, whom God of love has wrought ; Life's mystery nothing yields more pure and true: Although thou'rt manger-born, hast richer alms [35] TO THE DOGMATIST Than thy frail frame rocked safe within a moth- er 's arms? A mother's soul who can search out, so vast, so fine? May mortal sound the fathomless depths of her deep thought? On rocking-chair companion-old, — deep fur- rowed line But vaguely paints the working mind with thinking fraught. She hears not, sees not, feels not now, but deeply thinks ; Her wrinkled, folded hands lie still, her gray head sinks. She thinks, — and may we guess she thinks of flesh and blood That, of her travail born with pain, now racks with grief The heart that starves for want of love, — ^heart torn by flood Of stinging memories bitter sad beyond be- lief? She thinks of sons gone forth to war, and what is nigh [36] AND OTHER POEMS A mother's bleeding heart whose sons in battle die? The roar of curdling cannon's voice dread mon- ster foe, Horned, fanged, hell-born monster seems to waiting souls, — Red monster in whose slimy train drags bloody woe, Whose armored claws dash trusting hearts on treacherous shoals. Her spirit quails beneath the weight, she sadly sighs; But other thoughts increasing sad bedim her eyes ; She thinks of daughters sunk to shame. Oh! who can know The rankling, throbbing, aching wounds that mother bears ? Pure, virtuous, whole her child she reared, — no whiter snow: Men's craven lust its whiteness blacked in beastly lairs. Or does the social vortex oft destroy earth's pure? [37] TO THE DOGMATIST Is not "I must" the law that binds her needful poor? The mother's voice shakes hard with pain, in sobs she speaks : "Ere now has self ne'er moved my soul; e'en still my life Is yours, boy, girl of mine ; my spirit seeks But means to purge, or save, or bless. I bled in strife, I bowed my back, my fingers bent,^ — what futile toil! To feed desire's ravening maw, or war's red moil." She pauses, lifts her head, then swiftly speaks: "My neighbor, too, has boys and girls, but they are small ; My soul thrills through with growing joy that greets The dawn of Peace, when war shall be to chil- dren all Sick thing of bones and spattered brains, of mingled gore, — High flash from hell, low groan from heaven, curst thing of yore ! [38] AND OTHER POEMS * * The dawn of Peace, when purity, made money- free, No more shall yield its crystal strength for food or drink. I look beyond life's present veil, and clear I see A world without a human soul near shame's fell brink. My neighbor, too, has girls and boys, but they are small; Nor blood nor lust-chased need shall cause their souls to fall. ''Is earth a waste? Christ's spirit steals across the waste : Dust climbs to soul in grass and flowers, in plant and tree. Is earth a darkened vault of tears? His angels haste With torch of love: the weeping laugh, the vault-blind see. I see earth's Eden fair restored; men work with God, And in His present bow the knee, or plow the sod." Unselfish heart! Thy joy from others' joy is born! [39] TO THE DOGMATIST Thou art the spark divine of God, incased in clay: Thy wrinkled-hand and furrowed brow, thy stooping form, In service wrinkled, furrowed, stooped, calm wait the day When spirit bound by mortal flesh, from flesh made free. Shall join the sea whence spirits spring, — God's spirit-sea. Thy soul, — is it not the fount whence all life's glories rise? Rich source of art, unfailing vine of deathless branch, Bright sun of warming light red-set in azure skies, Soft, soothing balm, earth's bleeding wounds to heal and stanch : Thou art the world, all form and shape in life expressed Is thee in varied changing guise, each like the rest. Thou art the fount ; the painter takes a drop of thee, — [40 AND OTHER POEMS Strange prism that breaks in many hues each ray of white. The sculptor takes, congeals the drop, and lo ! men see Stone wondrous-formed to stir their souls with beauty's might. Unknowing, life its fashion has from force of thine. Of thee were born time's deeds and thoughts, time's truths sublime. Thou seest but dim the light that glows, the log that burns, But what thou seest beyond the glow, what mortal knows ? Thy secrets have but murmuring lips, and no one learns Save he who, like thyself, to death's gate goes. Thou art too deep ; on rocking-chair, absorbed in thought. Earth blesses thee but breathes in awe, ''What hath God wrought ? ' ' [41] TO THE DOGMATIST The College Sport's Philosophy SO luring is the path of flowery joy And grim the narrow way of work and toil, I wonder why Abe Lincoln trod o'er thorns, Where lions lurk and slimy serpents coil! Give me for weary soul soft wine of ease, And let me live where music lulls and calms ; Where brooks go chattering by with soothing song, And merry swallows scatter all alarms. When evening broods and lights are mellow-dim. May sweet caresses be my joyful part ; But let the heart be stone — for when I go I would not leave behind one broken heart. Or let my tired body cushioned lie While wreathes of smoke with lazy motion rise: So worries fade and visions gather thick, — Earth's dust angelic wings thru starry skies. [42] AND OTHER POEMS When empty ritual groans o'er chapel seats And hollow music unaccompanied weeps, Neglected textbooks call and I obey, — For conscience lolls 'neath ritual's wing, and sleeps. Some student friends of mine seem glad to work, And I am glad they seek truth 's golden star : Their notebooks are as useful helps as Jowett, Their broad and easy backs ride better far. A glass or so, — ^no harm can come of that; Why, friend, men high in life drink Indian fire. If others, weaker, follow me and fall Am I to blame for their uncurbed desire? So let us love and smoke and trot and drink : We 're here for royal fun and work must wait. Let clouds of future ill ne'er cross joy's path; Live on, I say, forget dark threats of fate ! He best treats self and reaps life's richest gains Who smiling sucks the honey others build. Flings care to winds and flies on freedom's car To lands that charm, with wine and pleasure filled. [43] TO THE DOGMATIST A Dream OFT had I marked her beauty and her grace, And marvelled that her garment, white as fleece, Could brush the grimj^ woes of dust-stained men With healing in its folds, and yet retain Its whiteness lily-pure. Now as she moved With lofty mien, but hands in blessings rich. Among the throng, — I saw the pleading eyes Of anguished mothers glad with laughing tears ; And men who, like Laocobn of Rome, Had graven on their face the lines of death, Round whom the God-cursed serpent tightly wound Its evil poisoned strength, — on them I saw The look of triumph, as that which once Had clasped its slimy length about their forms Was turned to dust and scattered by earth's winds. A weazened child, whose twisted body bore The ugly marks of Ignorance, Greed, and Lust, [44] AND OTHER POEMS The syllables of whose speech were groans and sobs, Came limping to her gracious side : methinks I ne'er shall see again such infinite pain And sorrow writ on face of man or god As then I saw enshroud the face of her Who long stood silent, gazing on the stem, The bent and bruised stem, the broken stem Of childhood's blooming, blushing flower. The child In timid, hesitating hope, mayhap In doubt lest that unusual sympathy Which beamed from out the stranger's suffering eyes Were but another mask for tyrant Industry, Reached slowly out to feel her snow-white robe. I saw that queen come down from heaven stoop And press his fearful frailty close. It was As if a pitying angel, passing by, Should see a daisy crushed by impious feet, And, seeking to restore to God what man, Forgetting Beauty, and exalting Use, Had idly spumed and trod to earth, should breathe Anew upon the flower the breath of life. And lift its drooping head to face the sun. [45] TO THE DOGMATIST For when again the stranger stooped, the lad That left her fond embrace was fair to see : His limbs, that once were gnarled, now showed as straight As forest pines ; his eyes, now tearless, danced ; Away he gamboled free as running water. As gleeful as the colt in new-found pastures. Thus, Ceres-like, she scattered from her horn Of plenty, fruits of power, peace, and joy. As lazy clouds, hung black twixt sun and earth And casting o'er the world of men dark shades Of gloomy night, when Aeolus breathes, move swift. While shadows run before the hosts of light, Her coming 'mid the press dismayed the Fiends Who long had found delight in chaining men With fears, and sowing discords, lust, and hate To mock with insolent, leering face the sons Of God ; and at her voice, as sweet And potent as the lyre whose charming song Could melt the heart of Pluto and recall From Hades loved Eurydice, they fled To hide unseen of men, while all the earth Was basking in the sun of hope and faith and love. [46] AND OTHER POEMS She fed with generous hand the hungry, wan And lonely in their squalid huts; of drink She freely gave to all whose lips were pale And parched with thirst; in her the stranger found A hostess prodigal of hospitality, Who took the friendless in and bade him stay Where glowed the fires of kindness and good cheer ; She clothed the naked; they who pined In sickness felt her near to bless and fill Again the weary flesh with vigor. He Who sat imprisoned, nursing dull despair, Drew from her lovely presence lively hope. Her name was Love. * * * 0, would my dream were fact ! For if the love of Him whose life was love Expressed in lovely deeds, were given a place To dwell among the suffering sons of men. We all should be as gods, and Earth were Heaven ! [47] TO THE DOGMATIST Faith THEY play me false who in my hopeful youth I never dreamed could shame their lips with lies, Their prayers with fair deceits, their love with lust. Their lauded alms with ill-concealed desire To gain the public eye, or, sadder still. To turn the thronging feet of those who praise To barter at their counters. Yet to me 'Tis given to trust that in the hidden years Which lie before, the good shall crush the bad; The serpent shall release his fangs; the fox, Whose cunning is the art of diplomats And thieves who rob men's gold and steal the gems Of Virtue; jungle beasts whose roar and claw Beat pruning hooks to swords, — all these must come To own the reign of Love, the might of minds Attune with infinite Beauty, Right, and Truth. [48] \i2^ ■•^>°:...-.%r:.<.^.:%;--^>'"'... . %** ;.' ,- ,, ♦ ^^ o. • ' •• ' V^* ^. * • « • ^..♦* .»Jfe\ v./ /i$5i^'o \,^« / ■ ♦ -h^ I't'?* ■*-./ .\,>» ' -^^..^ ' •^0 \ <$y .^ .40 v^