7 Class F S^SSf Book: 7^5^ L i Gopight]^" /f/"7 CDEmiGHT DEPOSm Love and Laughter By Caroline Edwards Prentiss (Mrs. George Hunt Prentiss) Author of Fleeting Thoughts" and "Sunshine and Shadow" G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London Zbc Iknlcftcrbocftcr press 1917 Copyright, 1917 BY CAROLINE EDWARDS PRENTISS M -9 1917 Ube ftnfclierboclter press, flew K?otlt - \ Dc&fcateD TO MY HUSBAND GEORGE HUNT PRENTISS The writer wishes to thank those friends who have helped her by their criticism, comment, and suggestion. PAGE Love and Laughter i How Choose . 2 Morn, Noon, Night . 3 Morning . 4 Immortality 5 Night 6 The Everlasting 7 Playthings 8 Thought . 9 Nevertheless . 10 The Soul . 11 He Sleeps 12 A Petition 13 A Woman's Part 14 Popularity 15 To my Sweetheart . i6 Faithlessness . . 17 Experience . I8 Why? . 19 As of Old 20 Peace 22 vu viii Contents PAGE Fulfilment .23 Disappointment 24 The Utmost 25 Who can Tell? 26 Two Pearls 27 Little to Little • 28 Atonement 29 War 30 The Diplomat . 31 Love's Secret . " 32 Vanity 33 What is Sleep? 34 Love-Song 35 The Play . 36 Bird-Song. 37 Fortune . 38 Just a Rift . 39 To A Friend . . 40 Wounded . 42 Temptation . 43 The Ruby . 44 The Hypocrite 45 In Love to make Amends . 46 Happiness 47 A Vagabond . 48 Contents ix PAGB A Pilgrim 49 The Factory Girl . 50 Sculpture 51 Age .... 52 Moods 54 Anger 55 Youth and Age 56 Halfway . 57 Joy ... . 58 My Book . 59 Imagination 60 December 61 Just Tears and Tears 62 Near to Sleep 63 Some Days 64 Sleep 65 The Circus 66 Longing . 67 My Baby . 68 Music 70 A Penitent 71 The Mermaid . 72 She Loves Me . 74 Memory's Moods . 75 Time .76 X Contents PAGE Unpraised . 77 My Muse . . 78 The Poet . 79 Bells and Bells 8i Priscilla . 82 In and Out • 83 Retold . 84 Expiation . 85 Be True . . 86 Lost Fancies . . 87 Tradition 8S Just One . 89 Poverty and Wealth 90 Enough for Me 91 Hope and Fear 92 Marjorie Sweet 93 The Shadow 94 Undercurrents 95 Too Dear 96 Make-Believe . 97 Power 98 The Artist 99 Sweetheart 100 The Blind lOI The Fruitful Hour . 102 Contents xi PAGB The Deaf Mute 103 The Song Writer 104 Over All . 105 Compensation . 106 Love Awakes . 107 Conquest 108 The Unseeing . 109 Loneliness no If only in a Dream III Sunshine's Morrow 112 Sudden Music . 113 Forgotten Hours 114 The Diamond . 115 In Lonely State 116 In a Golden Hour 117 Sweet Music . 118 Drifting . 119 Defeat 120 Fair Mistress . 121 Like Butterflies 122 Hearts for Sale 123 The Automobile 124 Fickle Fortune 125 The Dreamer . 126 Love and I 127 Xll Contents The Jester Unfulfilled How I Have Loved Sleep On . Safety-Land Death The Waltz You Who Have Failed Me Love's Heart of Rose My Heart's Sweet Flower Vision .... Love's Day My Heart's Desire Mere Memories Just Then On the Uphill Road A Grey Day Frivolous Betty Cupid .... The Master Musician Sleeping Night Love's Share . Life .... My Grandfather's Clock Warfare .... PAGE 128 129 130 131 132 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 155 Contents xiii PAGE Farewell 156 The Coquette . . 157 Today and Tomorrow . 158 An Afternoon Tea . . 159 Lock and Key . . 161 Of Scanty Erudition . 162 The Old Actor . 164 From the Ages to the Now . 165 Wayfarers . 166 Dear Love . 167 Life's Trinity . 168 Rather to Storms . 169 Great Heart . 170 New Life 171 Insomnia .... 172 A Sunbeam to the Fern . ^72> Snowflakes 174 The Opal .... 175 Echoes 176 Wedded .... 177 Soul and Song 178 Phosphorescence 179 Transfigured .... 180 The Sea 181 A Broken Promise . 182 XIV Contents PAGB Vistas .183 The Stars . 184 The Garden of Death . 185 The World Runs Away . . 186 God's Lullaby 187 The Princess of Summer . . 188 Rivers and Robins . . 189 Where Sweet is Rest . 190 Nature's Melodies . . 192 Nature's Best . 193 The June Rain. . 194 A Bird out of the Nest . 195 The Rain .... 196 The Moon 197 Glad Heart of Me . 198 Wanton Weather 199 Earth Changed to Paradise 200 Nature .... 201 Yearning .... 202 Almost .... 203 Early Morning 204 Betrayed .... 205 Dancing 206 Birds 208 Masquerading .... 209 Contents xv PAGE The Nightingale 210 The Peacock . . . . . . .211 Fallen Leaves 212 Wanted 213 The Cloud 214 The Willows 215 Blossom-Suitors . . . . . .216 The Heart of the World . . . .217 The Rainbow .218 Heat Lightning 219 In Arcadie 220 Song to a Song 221 Everywhere and Nowhere .... 222 Sweet Silences ...... 223 The Brook ....... 224 Spirits of the Woodlands .... 225 Wanderlust . . . . . . . 227 The Seraph 228 The World's Echo ...... 229 All Tremulous with Tears .... 230 Fascinating Fannie 231 Nature 232 Drifts and Drifts ...... 233 Dewdrops 234 The Cardinal Bird 235 xvi Contents PAGE Waiting . . 236 The Mountain Stream . 237 The Forest . 238 The Earth . 239 The Early Dawn to the Sun . 240 The Buried Volcano . 241 When Spring Comes . 242 Early April . 243 Spring's Incense . 244 April . 245 June Days . 246 Expectancy . 247 March . . 248 May to June . • 249 Spring's Jewels • 250 Midwinter . 251 Dear Midsummer . 252 Summer Days . . 253 The Old, Old Story . 254 August • 255 Spring is Here . 256 The Rain of May . 257 A June Song . . 258 The Leaf to the Tree . . 259 Autumn's Artistry . . . 260 Contents xvu Spring The North Wind The East Wind The South Wind The West Wind A Compassionate Lover The Tempest . Where the Wind Blows The Song of the Winds My Lady Daffodil . The Edelweiss. Love-in-the-Mist The Violet Who Knows? . The Scarlet Geranium Clovers . The Pipsissewa. The Bluebell . The Tulip The South Wind to the Violet Dandelions May and the Lily-of-the- Valley The June Day Rosebud The Water Lily Pansies PAGE 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 xviii Contents PAGE When Roses Bloom 286 Cherry Blossoms . 287 Early Arbutus . 288 Roses .... . 289 Pussy Willows . 290 The Daffodil and the Bee . 291 The Primrose . . 292 For Love it Grew . • 293 Rose of the Glad Time . • 294 Love and Laughter Love and Laughter To lengthen days but lengthen laughter, Flowery ways must come thereafter. Lest a man the good be losing, Laughter let him then be choosing. Choosing laughter, choose the flowers That, thereafter, grace man's hours. Lengthen days and lengthen laughter, Joy and love shall come thereafter. Let us then choose Life to love us, Joy and laughter, love to move us. Choosing joy and love and laughter. Flowery days must come thereafter. HOW CHOOSE If I may only choose one song How could I choose? How learn to lose The song whose urge is overstrong ? I cannot choose The songs to lose. Yet those I sing I may sing wrong; I cannot choose So will not lose The songs that once to me belong. MORN, NOON, NIGHT Morn, noon, night. Love, death, might, From these few notes the poets fashion As many tunes as tears, Music to melt heart-fears And lilting songs that swell to passion. MORNING Into the open come I Cleaving the sleepy, sad air, Come laden with dewbuds and balsam (God fashions the burden fair) . I come from the stars, from enchantment, The glad flower-land all my own, The foam-beds and forests possessing. The summitless heaven my throne. Into the open come I To exult, though disaster my goal; Through perils, my breast bared to toiling, The child in my veins, in my soul, I come from the stars, from enchantment, Dropping fire and a glory the same, The fire like gold on a pearl drop. The heart of its whiteness aflame. Into the open come I And the gods, breathing beauty on me, Wake my heart-strings to tenderest music, Like bird songs but sweeter, more free; I come from the stars, from enchantment, There is joy in the beat of my wings. My lips none too mute, none too singing, I am king of the sun-nourished kings. IMMORTALITY Out of the infinite, helpless we come ; Into the infinite go worn and dumb. Shackled is joy, is vision, is ruth. But safe in the travail is pain-quickened truth. NIGHT Into the open come I, My eyes keeping fear well at bay : Not bruising the weak with my footsteps I stifle all cries, still all play. In my zeal deathless fires o'erleaping, Creeping under all earth-clinging bars, I come and imperial the journey. Come far from the dim, distant stars. Into the open come I, From years and their cycles of pain, I come, bearing spoils from God's Kingdom, Exaltation and pity the twain. Where, oh, where, shall I lay them down gently These holiest holies so white, A touch unrevering would stain them, Where's the bed for their crystalline light? Into the open come I, A prophet with prophecy thrilled, Seeking mystery in life's domination. The passion of dreams new-fulfilled. I'm peace to pale souls self -condemning. To sufferers a heaven-sent shield, My majesty comes of God's giving, Crowned by Him to no earth king I yield. THE EVERLASTING Quick with agony, a soul Sought in Death her distant balm; In her grave Death willed her life, Sent her forth, reborn in calm. PLAYTHINGS I pawned the playthings of an hour, And with their price I sought to buy The mystery of unearned power; I paid the price, not asking why The conquest of myself begun Was but a dream — a dream half done. I learned too late that I must pawn The playthings of a life for gain (No single hour of love withdrawn) . The payments made, the price of pain The conquest of myself — a dream Of power fulfilled — the dream supreme. THOUGHT Thought smiles on me, I smile on him, We marry, heart-to-heart elate; I the servant, he my king, Elysium my new estate. NEVERTHELESS There*s a smile in the day, Love's refrain in my heart, When the tender winds play Till the rose leaves unpart. There's a tear in the day For Love's heart-beat is cold, Still the tender winds play And the rose leaves unfold. lo THE SOUL An echo rings from shore to shore GirdHng the sleepless sea, Winging through the mist to soar Upward, onward, fast and free, To its goal Eternity. II HE SLEEPS His wonder-dreams betray Where song is, where is breath; Alike they Hfe reveal, Where shallows are, where deeps. His sovereign dreams allay Hurt miseries, even death; Yet on his lips a seal, The secret his, he sleeps. A PETITION Give me something born of Wisdom, Perfect to breathe with every breath; Something to make Life's bitter heartaches Sweet for ages, sweet in Death. 13 A WOMAN'S PART Her two small hands must Pain uphold, Must mould The cruel thing into a grace, Whose face Is ever fair and unafraid. Her longing eyes must gather Peace, Must cease To hold Regret a prisoner there, A prayer The only yearning plea betrayed. Her heart must Memory possess, No less Than Love's in death and make no sign; Divine To hide dread sorrow in its birth. Her soul must waft to heaven, there lay Away, Within its brooding nest, delight. The might Born of her endless faith on earth. 14 POPULARITY Sweet-pampered by the gaping universe, A kingdom and a crown your fatal lot, For as the fickle Fates their loves reverse, New Sovereigns seek, your fame is soon forgot. TO MY SWEETHEART I send to you, my Sweetheart, This Hly bud whose face Betokens naught but grace. For you alone, my Sweetheart, Whose smiling eyes speak true, For you alone it grew. FAITHLESSNESS Aye! his the art To mould her heart As he might with the skill of a master, Who magically chisels a block Just to build of his fancy Love's statue, Whose fingers with Death's interlock. 17 EXPERIENCE Seeking knowledge I met Love And reading from his page knew Pain ; Seeking Love I Knowledge found, Then Wisdom was the heart-won gain. And now, so wise have I become, That old-time teachers teach me not. In turn my learning I impart, My heart-won Knowledge not forgot. i8 WHY? Between the mist and mist, the sky Mutely holds Tomorrow fast. Make war, the loving arms defy ! Steal, if this the power thou hast : Seize Tomorrow — then ask why Thou would'st know one hour's forecast. 19 AS OF OLD A Sunray in far travel Alights upon my desk, Then glides o'er hieroglyphics That wander, half grotesque, Upon the moon-white pages Like some old arabesque. And there, as if to shame me, The spirit over-bold, Abides and peering curious (When leaves on leaves unfold Of poesy denuded) Pierces it to the core. And sees that in my anguish I sing not as of yore. Oh! Sunray, child of Heaven, Wrought of the summer's gold, What know you of heart-hunger. Of earth's enslaving cold? How know that if soul-famished, I sing not as of old? 20 As of Old 21 But, Sunray, once you touch me And hold me in your heart, Sweet lyrics I'll be singing. Soul-hunger lost in part. Then if you'll scan my pages There poesy you'll see, And then love's rose and silver Will tint life's day for me. PEACE When you beckon Life's horizon near, So near it comes caressing you, Then find your overlook all clear, The hallowed rest of Christ in view. 22 FULFILMENT Can aught but a white-souled lily Uncover her heart at will? Yield sweets to her butterfly lover Who, coveted bliss to fulfil, Is at rest On her breast (The breast of the white- winged lily), Whose bidding 'tis joy to obey: The lily, earth's loveliest blossom. The queen of midsummer's long day. Yea — so doth a pure-eyed maiden Uncover her heart to one, Who, waiting her, will and adoring, His ecstasy sweet begun. Is at rest On her breast, The breast of the soft-lipped maiden, Whose bidding 'tis joy to obey: The maiden whose gladsome white spirit Smiles as the sun smiles on day. 23 DISAPPOINTMENT When you lure the sunbeams to your lair, Whereby is Summer held, then find That shadows hang a curtain there, With Winter threatening behind. 24 THE UTMOST A sigh, a frown, a fear, Thus Hfe to Hfe must speak; A smile, a sob, a tear, Thus souls each other seek. A wish, a cry, a glance, And feeble is life's tongue; A thought, a kiss, a trance, And soul's desire is sung. ^5 WHO CAN TELL? Who can see In the winter a gleam Of the summer's warm glow? Can there be, From long sleep, a light dream? Who can know? Who can tell How calm wakens from strife, How a soul-cry out-rings Pain to quell? How a life to a life Sobs or sings? 26 TWO PEARLS I found two pearls upon the sand. One like a fallen star, But lit the common underworld, There gleaming on the bar. And one lay closer to the tide Where sea-foam touched its face; Its little tender gleam lay dead, Smothered its yearning grace. Then on the shore I found two souls. One held the torch of fame, Lifting its hopeful fire afar, As star to star its flame. And one went over to the brink Of murmuring waters, where Life's waves o'erwhelmed its feeble light, Unsaved by grace or prayer. 27 LITTLE TO LITTLE If little to little be wedded, There's a ponderous hill part begun And when built by the brawny ungrateful Its peak may uplift to the sun. 28 ATONEMENT A twig, and lo the leaves show fair, In the dread, the hitherto unknown. The first-born of the spring, they came. For the dark of winter to atone. A life, and lo, new grace is here. In unguessed, unsought, fruitful ways, The first-born of the soul to be, Glad love atoning for dead days. 29 WAR Oh War, I may Not wean you from the lust of gore, Nor stay The treachery that long endures And lures Into your soul-destroying lair The buoyant young — the ever fair. Oh War, Unslain You are, through poisoned days and more, Through pain, Through all the devastating years, Through tears, Though every human ill Lay on your heart enough to kill. Unslain till women will to pray, And leagued against your shameless strife Shall conquer all your evil way, And kill your brutal, venomed life. 30 THE DIPLOMAT Deceit is the cloak that a courtier wears long As a polished, a baffling pretence, Whereunder, protected, he canny and strong, It with smiles but beguiling your sense. 31 LOVE'S SECRET Perhaps the silent eyes, the lair May be the lips love-fraught, Or else a silken tress the snare Wherein my heart is caught. Perhaps my instant weal or woe Is held within a glance. How learn the secret I would know, If love be snared by fate or chance? 32 VANITY Come, place your hand in mine My Vanity and let Me there your seal confine, Till chance, I may forget The burdens you ne'er cease To lay upon my peace. So Vanity, I hold Your mighty hand in mine, Thus if too baneful-bold I sooner may divine Your evils, quicker kill Them ere they slay my will. 33 WHAT IS SLEEP? Is sleep the heart's contentment, Day's memories there subdued ? Is a dream the changed or changeless, Is it self in self renewed? Is sleep the ringing foretime, Whose world is unexplored? Is a dream life's finished glory, Love's promise therein stored? Is sleep a boundless harbour, Is a dream its silent sea? The sea whereon if sailing, Sails the soul to Destiny? 34 LOVE-SONG Of Harmonies the purest One little tune I hear, That, with the south-wind floating, Is wondrous glad and clear. It trembles ere alighting, Then, choosing me, comes near, Enters my heart to fill it, Displacing dread and fear. 35 THE PLAY Waiting for the curtain's rise, To show the quick and mimic play, Side by side sit sinners, saints, The unpaid actors, who betray As many moods as men are there, Moods dark as night, moods heavenly fair. Suddenly the stage is gay With actors working for a wage, Joy and sorrow they betray, Painted youth and painted age; Laughing, dancing, great the glee, Saints or sinners they can be . Puppets either way they play. Paid or unpaid actors they. Hither, thither, they must run As the race was first begun; Laughing, dancing swift or slow, Lawful, lawless on they go. Saints or sinners, they forget That they must pay God's unpaid debt. Z^ BIRD-SONG The poet harks to the bird-song, The plaint and the pleading to part ; The lover but hears in the trilling The cry of the human heart. Am I lover or poet that bird-songs Sing a paean — and only to me, Just a note that no other soul heareth Till my heart again sings it to thee? 37 FORTUNE Your quiverful of frowns or favors Holds gifts of rosy summer time, Promises that heavenward open If, in love, they wake sublime. Fair destinies you keep in hiding When smiles your sunny heritage; Sudden sleep for men in anguish. Resignation held for age. Your kindness lost in jealous angers, You kill with overvenomed darts. Cruelly shooting poisoned arrows. Stabbing beauty, stabbing hearts. Slaves are we to your caprices And targets for your piercing aim, We play Life's game without its hazard; Freedom's but an empty name. 38 JUST A RIFT Just a halt in the world's wildest hiirry, As with Silence Death sets his long seal. Just a rift in expectant far-Heaven, As mourning our loved ones we kneel. Just a hush falling over the angels, As the rift of the sk}^ closes in, Just a sigh of benignant, sweet mercy, As they welcome souls severed from sin. 39 TO A FRIEND The Greetings oj Long-Ago Tonight we have come Out of the silent shadow-land And out of the long-ago ; Dreaming the dreams we used to dream, The mystery of Life to know — As in days of long-ago ! Tonight we have come In robes soft-woven of white and gold And fashions of long-ago ; In garb that maids were fain to wear When Love was yearning, life aglow, — As in days of long-ago ! Tonight we have come. To bring from a dear and vanished hand The clasp of a long-ago, Yet love-light pales when life-dreams seem But Fame that happy fates bestow — As in days of long-ago ! 40 To a Friend 41 Tonight we have come, Through shadows dim that now unfold, Revealing the long-ago ; To greet fair youth who, free, may care For Life, Love and Fame. — Be it so, — The greetings of long-ago. WOUNDED Curling over to the stem A rose-leaf met a cruel thorn. Stabbed — the petal shed her tears, — Thus of ruddy beauty shorn. And so my heart was pierced through By faithlessness, whose sharpened dart Stung fierce and deep to hurt, not kill. But my soul fell fainting from the smart. 42 TEMPTATION Cross swords with me, the fight is long, Find me glad and find me strong. Love's fairest flowers offer me, Inward glories let me see. Hold a victory near my hand, Imprisoned, show me freedom's land, Cross swords with me, the fight be long. Find me glad and find me strong. 43 THE RUBY The blood of Life's warfare imbibing, In your veins the red rivers swift roll. A mirror, you image Love's wonder And the fervours consuming its soul. Insatiate your eye is reflecting The desire that is Love's — his alone — *Tis fire to fire eternal, Less immortal your heart than my own. 44 THE HYPOCRITE "I'm not as other sinners are," The wily hypocrite soft said, Friends thought him over good to die, And yet he lay among the dead. Then spectres from his past arose. Rough hands despoiled him of his fame ; Once loving him none loved him then. His life despised, his name a shame. 45 IN LOVE TO MAKE AMENDS After his death they go away, These friends who bid me, kneeling, pray To ask my God to hold my heart Unbreaking, while the sting and smart Of Sorrow hirrt me sore, Bruising me more on more. They go away, well satisfied, While I, heart-hunger once denied, I ask of Grief the reason why I must bear pain with no outcry. I pray as men have prayed, "God keep me unafraid." These friends, they love me true and. yet Compassionate, they must forget ; While I must fight my fight and ask My God to help me in the task, Blending with tears my plaint. My tortured heart beats faint. At last there comes a new-bom day. When sunshine seems with me to stay And change my darkest day to light. God has altered pain to might. Now come to me, my friends, In love, 111 make amends. 46 HAPPINESS Within four walls I know a fair, If little, world of dazzling light, For true love came and settled there ; 'Twas Happiness dark could not blight. 47 A VAGABOND A vagabond, of race I'm proud, As proud as any king might be; A king has treasures I have not. Yet he's a slave, while I am free. Kingdoms bought in blood has he, Gold and subjects at his call, A queen to kneel at his command, Yet, sceptred, still is he in thrall. His jewelled crown bears heavily. No heart is his that he holds true; His soul is under lock and key, His intimates are false and few. While I can count the world my own, Every hearth a friendly place, A love for asking I can find, A light in every nameless face. The golden sun my treasure is. My million subjects everywhere. The creeping things that warm the trail, The flying things that grace the air. A vagabond am I — and glad That freedom is of life the leaven, As proud am I of my estate As angels are of theirs in Heaven. 48 A PILGRIM A pilgrim at the shrine kneels long, Begs Destiny to stay its hand; Because his worldly heart beats strong Looks down, his soul to understand. The pilgrim lays away desire, His human heart in firm control, And by his shrine of flame and fire Looks up to realize his soul. 49 THE FACTORY GIRL Heigho-lack-a-day — The overweary maiden sang, She must work and never play, Work driven by the mill's harsh clang. Heigho-lack-a-day — The maiden's sudden cry outrang — Whipped by factories that flay The strongest of the feeble gang. Heigho-lack-a-day — The anguished cry a shriller twang — Falling white — a corpse the prey — Buried to the mill's fierce clang. 50 SCULPTURE This child of mine can mould the smudgy clay And spirits of the world there wake alive, Called thither at her cry — their hearts in play — Or shriven if her magic power can shrive. A child of mine, yet spite her mystic ways She fails, for spent her powers she could not bring Life's melodies into her plastic clays, Nor fix the song the nightingale doth sing. So much to keep eternal, yet her hands. No cunning have to mould the heaven's white way, No colour can she set that Time withstands, Nor hold in sight the glories of one day. 51 AGE Just in my prime, One day I met A foe called Time. In fight he let Me cross my sword with his, A pretty play! . I would defy, Yet I obey, And "Fool" I cry, When Time the Conqueror is. I pay to him My little all, The eyes that dim, The rose in thrall Once sleeping on my cheek ; And he demands The tribute of My trembling hands, And even Love Before his glance grows weak. Then courage, smiles Are feeble, slow; No grace beguiles Me from my woe. 52 Age 53 I weary of the fight ; My fervor slain, My sword is his, Nothing my gain, Each day I wis Creeps nearer to the night. MOODS A lullaby in chanting, A shiver of the wind, A grief on grief descanting, A subtle hurt to find. A love astray in longing, A loss too quick with pain, A faith that dies of wronging, A sacrifice in vain. A noontime gone to madness, A darkness sudden white, A lull in sweet soul-sadness, A day that blazons light. A dream in words unspoken, A fancy born in song, A silence, long unbroken, — These moods to life belong. 54 ANGER Steeped in petty, paltry passion Anger makes a Thing of man, Who fashions fate as hammers fashion Hot steel, when poor the artisan. 55 YOUTH AND AGE To youth and age May Time presage Great gifts, each precious in its way ; To youth, Love's dream, To age, the gleam Of Truth that shall for youth repay. To age the kind, Assured mind That safely holds a hallowed trust ! The soul that serves, That Love conserves, In spite of Fate's estranging thrust. To age the true Sweet faith, as new - As Springtime after winter's cold; The tenderness. Time's best caress, That wraps age around with fold on fold. 56 HALFWAY Blurring the vision of glad day Grief spoils the sweetness of love's hour, Strips earth of summer's bud and flower, Scattering woes the ragged way. Am I a coward that I shrink Into his footsteps deep to sink, To walk with Grief, my hand in his, Over dead bloom, over dead bliss? A coward that I love the day Full of blossoming and glow, Warm with love-light where I go? Life bids me walk with Grief halfway, Roses in one hand to keep And then o'er withered bloom to weep : But at last the lips of Life I kiss, Grateful to know one hour of bliss. The hour that love-light sheds quick rays Back more than halfway o'er dead days. 57 JOY Beginning the day Joy sings triumphantly And clad in shining robes of rose and white Is winged Youth, The heart's delight; But twin of ruth Soon must his laughing song a wailing be, Soon must his shining robes of rose turn grey, Changing forsooth To show Life's way, It's eternal truth, That song and laughter, light and all gay things Must stifle, sicken, die with drooping wings. 58 MY BOOK I have a book Wherein I look, To see if there I find a sign Whereof the word Is softly heard In singing rhymes of line on line. And sometimes I Can hear a sigh That floats between the finished leaves; A sob I hear, As though a tear With gayer melodies inweaves. This book is glad, Its music mad Sings sweet through all my dreaming hours, And as it plays Through all my days, I love its song as earth loves flowers. 59 IMAGINATION He draws from deeps that have no soundings, He gathers grace from heights unknown, And drifting onward, seaward, skyward Is a king — aloof if not alone. The mighty forces nature cradles, Are quick or sleeping at his will ; And even love he makes life-lasting. While youth he holds for ever still. And lavishly the easy spendthrift Scatters his songs all men among; Yet wise is he, his wisdom telling; So children read his simple tongue. Aye King is he, with endless kingdoms Circled with summer's softest air, With mystic fancies ever peopled These alien lands are ever fair. 60 DECEMBER Grim and gaunt December stands, His haunt the howling wilderness; The long, rough way he understands. No cooing breeze melts his duress. The devastating wind, his pride. Although the shivering worlds protest; With unforbearing fiends allied He only is content — at rest. 6i JUST TEARS AND TEARS His heart is stilled and yet I wait Listening for speech — long lost in sleep; I search his eyes for light again, Not finding what I want — I weep. Just tears and tears and who shall weigh My grief by such a sign as this ? But watching you could see my pain When his cold lips refuse my kiss. Just tears and tears the long day through, 'Tis ever so the sad heart cries. But oh, for one small moment when I could but see his paradise. If my hurt soul could follow his, To reach his Heaven where no one weeps. My tears and tears would fewer be — I'd know God's peace that never sleeps. 62 NEAR TO SLEEP When cradled by a cloud I swing (The soft and wavering winds a-wing To chant my lullabies) I swing to wayward skies, Where crimson tints betray the day — Where moonbeams silver half the way. And swung a-nigh to shadow lands, Sleep's hushed encroachment I withstand To linger there a while With the purpling sun's last smile. But while I'm brooding over this, I jdeld to night's endearing kiss. 63 SOME DAYS Some days are but the haunting ghosts Of yesterdays I would forget ; Possessing me, they come with hosts Of wrongs deep weighted with regret. And then some days I fain recall The subtle honied words that calm, The mystic things that seemed life's all, Things eloquent of heart-sweet balm. The dear enduring things that come Proclaiming light, though it be dark; Of yesterdays this magic sun Lays hand on me its might to mark. Then some days I but see the sun Shining its way where'er I glance. There I see Love not dead but won, Beginning with me my life's romance. 64 SLEEP In silent and far sliadowland, I feel a soft, compelling hand Close over me, So I can be No wanderer and fly away, Back in the world of men to stay. So languorous and strange the place, Whose dark has yet a tender face. That there I bide, The distant wide, Soft shadowland my restful bed, The dark wherein love's dreams are bred. 65 THE CIRCUS There merry men are valiant ones, Brave women dally long with life ; A husband in the daring play Flings danger to his willing wife. And early as the child can spell Is self-control his alphabet ; His hand must guide, must brutes command, His feet must not their tricks forget. He must essay new winged flights And from the canvas heaven look down. Look down upon the gaping crowd To win his laurel wreath, his crown. One awful moment as he falls, The moans of many men arise. His mother's courage in his soul, He wins God's Heaven as his prize. There merry men are valiant ones; With hearts of horror, aping fun, They hazard lives as though in play — No chance to weep, the game begun. 66 LONGING Dear heart of mine, I want you madly While my untired eyes are bright, I want you when the hours drag sadly, When, sightless, all my day is night. I want you when you're worn and weeping And when your changing mood is gay, I want you, dear, my heart in keeping, To be my seeing eyes, my day. 67 MY BABY 'Twas after many days, when I had been Near shadow land, so weak I wept, And waking to this world of din, They told me that my baby slept, The sleep that long its silence kept. And why Should I Be left, ■ Bereft Of all my aching heart had craved ? Just I, who from my starved life My hungry soul for her had saved. Just I, who learned man's love from strife, Not e'en in name a lawful wife. A wife, A Hfe, And then, Again The baby spirit passing by E'er I had heard its first-born wail, ] Its faint and fitful mother-cry ; For such a joy all others pale; When I so wanted this, why fail? 68 My Baby 69 Ah me, To be Alive, To shrive Myself of sin and make me true Is all I ask of Heaven, just this: To make my woman's soul anew, That I may reach my utmost bliss, The guerdon of my baby's kiss. MUSIC Men search the peopled ways for song Whose soul is summoned from the sea, Whose fire is earth's, in flame outburst. Whose sweet desire is m.elody, For song with no discordant note Of life's long moan and agony; For heart-songs with the tender tunes To tame untamed humanity, For song whose chant is low to please The child untaught in minstrelsy, The toiler worn with age too soon, The sick who pay pain's penalty. But saints who haunt the heavens for song, Hear pure, unbroken harmony. Which human lips, in worship, sing In sacramental ecstasy. 70 A PENITENT Conquering sleep lays lips on mine, Lays on my heart its light caress, And I, I worship at its shrine, A penitent, my sins confess. Then Sleep betrays not as I fear, And ne'er a penance doth impose: But, as a saviour, holds me dear And stills my quaking, quick heart-throes. 71 THE MERMAID Skimming close to the face of the ruffled blue sea, Can a mermaid the raindroppings hear? Can she fancy the blossoming daisy-white lea, Or the glow of the still-fading year ? Can she hear, sinking lower, song-sirens that charm. As they fly through the pink coral deeps ? Of what measure the loves that her heart -fears disarm ? What the dreams that arise when she sleeps? Has she fellows to follow, a hand in her hand? Is her firmament lit with a star? Wakes a moon, or a sun, at her whispered com- mand? Does she ride in a dragon-drawn car? Is her garment of rose with a silvery sheen. Does her hair fall in pale golden curls ? And in gathering treasure, what gems can she glean For her crown, over-broidered with pearls? 72 The Mermaid 73 Buried under the restless, the murmuring blue sea, Is she dancing, her grief to dispel? Is there somewhere a place, a fair heaven to be? Has the mermaid a soul, who can tell? SHE LOVES ME In the gloaming have you listened To the patter of the rain ? Have you heard it soft-repeating, Just a laughing, light refrain? In a murmur, swift-surprising. Have you ever heard it tell, Of the jealous-guarded secrets Of the sky from which it fell ? In the gloaming I am listening To the patter of the rain, And it whispers to me something, In a laughing, light refrain. Yes, a secret out of heaven, Though it surely is of earth; Just the sweet refrain — she loves me. In rain-music has its birth. 74 MEMORY'S MOODS If memory play a pleasant part, She smiles and smiles away my heart; Spiteful, she spoils the sunny days, In bitterness her half debt pays. And naught I ask or aught could be Can change these moods of memory, And so companioned, side by side, With joy and grief I must abide. 75 TIME A soul I am, sin-free, new born, On earth commanding what I will; An overlord, I stay the morn And hold the flying century still. All darkest hours with joy I mate, Make sweet the strong, make brave the weak And suffering long a silent state, I make all nature's mutes to speak. The trees and hills praise me in prayers. The rivers voice a joyous theme. And what a happy tongue is theirs — When day is whitest and supreme. A soul I am, yet I must know The world, its every mystic thrill; So I this hour my heaven forego To hold the flying century still. 76 UNPRAISED A single singing bird can fill The lucent atmosphere with song; Returning spring wakes in its trill All men and maids, a praising throng. A poet sings, and spring days hold No sweeter sounds than his unpraised, He yet finds men and maidens cold, His first unfolding song unpraised. 77 MY MUSE The day is drear with sullen tears And all the winter waste is blurred, Yet I am close to gladdest years, My muse in thrilling music heard. While wrapped in sunshine, fold on fold. Old Time our dying must withhold. 78. THE POET Sweet lyrics sing their simple way Into the hearts of child or man, Man perfectly attuned to play, The child whose soul his years outran; And poets may be proud to pen These little thoughts for such a child, For children who are wearied men. Whose ache comes from a day defiled. But oh, what poet would not speak The one resounding word that tells Of wrath that must its vengeance wreak, So that its blow a wrong dispels; That he a magic wand might raise. Bring earth to heaven and heaven to earth, And, singing with great gods, sing praise. From woe to wake but smiles and mirth. So he would steal the sting from crime, Would, kissing, heal the bleeding smart, Then, dallying a day with time, Would halt the grief that seeks man's heart : And he might shape the shapeless soul With ruin sunken-eyed and cowed, Then lead him on to pity's goal, There mask his face his sin avowed. 79 8o The Poet While seizing from the heavens anew The sense wherein man's love is bred, The poet finds the wonder true, Hell's foul and lying love instead: Then sometimes is he mad with dreams And gathering lyrics from the past. Each happy one more joyous seems, As sung, the summer to forecast. With lyrics may the poets please The children of a sunny day, But kissing bleeding wounds they ease The anguished souls who weep, And so, if poets healers be For this they ask nor gold, nor gain, Suffice it if their lyrics key In tune with songs that sweet remain. BELLS AND BELLS Into silvered silence breaking, Scarce uttering a whispered note, Life speaks, in bells and bells soft -singing The love- words that in ether float. In silence, sun-arrayed and rosy, The mother dreams her first fine dreams. Dreams sung, in bells and bells outwinging Till all the world a radiance seems. In denser silence, dark with doubting, Revealing hosts of frightened things. Hearts cry, in bells and bells outflinging The beating of Death's raven wings. But, breaking into golden silence A single sound stirs far away, Then near, in bells and bells, sweet-ringing To say that Christ is risen today. As each bell breaks the golden silence Surprising souls from thinking men, Listen ! in bells and bells outswinging Are prayers that sing themselves again. 8i PRISCILLA Priscilla is my laughing lady, Past mistress of the pleasing art, Wherewith, in sorcery bewitching, She steals away from me my heart. And mocking is this little lady. For this one theft will not atone, She flouts me while my heart in keeping Withholds the giving of her own. 82 IN AND OUT \ In and out, in and out, Threaded shuttles go, In and out, round about. Suddenly, then slow. In and out, webs to weave, Silken and spun gold; In and out, a thread to leave Run fine in damask fold. In and out, in and out, Busy shuttles play. In and out, round about, Life's o'ertangled day. In and out, a web to weave. Silken and spun gold. In and out, a thread to leave That Sorrow shall enfold. In and out, in and out, Wearied shuttles cease — First to spin silk threads about The web of golden Peace. 83 RETOLD Oh Time, instead of telling me That lurking in my single hour Which stretches to Eternity, Is budding thought that may not flower, Tell me that in this hour I find Flowering thought whose buds unfold, Fulfilled sweet blossoms of the mind, Rare truths in beauty thus retold. 84 EXPIATION A wanderer, man asks no boon Of Fate, whose spiked arms must flay, And flay him walking (ash o'erstrewn) Life's vanishing and once green way ; The way where fire soon charred all things That overmaster if they please, Beauty, pomp, and wealth that brings To sufferers no light nor ease. A wanderer, his earth is set With cruel thorns that tear his feet. His day is dark, with blood stains wet, And naught is left there seeming sweet. Yet, in the gloom he seeks to find The gleam of many little lights That rise exultant in the mind When happiness with peace unites. He walks the burning ash-strewn way. Till suddenly the fire is dead And flowers again the once green day As Fate bestows a boon instead, The one impassioned hour wherein God's firmament has spread its glow Upon his expiated sin, His heritage of waste and woe. 85 BE TRUE Are you Full satisfied if mating winds be sweet And lull you, prisoned, into melting dreams Where unrestraint and soulless pleasures meet, Forgetting, in this destiny, its means ? Be true And rather ask that mating winds be strong, Whose beating wings arrest and wake your soul. So wild and crimson glamours be not long — So bruised days wake happily and whole. 86 LOST FANCIES Adown the wildering, winding way Of flying time I go To look for Fancies gone astray, Whose every name I know, Rose, violets and lilies too — All rooted where they, winging, flew. By light of dreams inwoven so With moonshine that I see, I find them where they rooted grow In blossoming to be My sweet and mellowed mysteries, My Fancies, my lost melodies. I call them by the names I gave To each in tenderness, Seeking their love for me to save I would their souls possess — Rose, violets and lilies too, Rooted where they, winging, flew. They answered me but would not come — How could they, rooted so? They could not, winging, fly back home. They could not come, ah, no! So lost to me my mysteries. My Fancies, my sweet melodies. 87 TRADITION Tradition chains me, dumb as in a trance, Wake, Revelation ! wear the bonds away, Then will my life be young unshamed romance As into Freedom's endless realm I stray. 88 JUST ONE Oh happiness! Leave one of all thy joys to me, Just one — that in my meagre days The twilight shall not hastened be, That morning in my pleasure stays. No more, no less — Just one pure joy with no desire To roam in radiancy and far, Just one, all mine, for ever mine, Of my lone heritage the star. 89 POVERTY AND WEALTH Companions in the city streets, Walk shambling Poverty and Wealth, But Poverty, in tears, retreats, Treading with heavy foot and stealth. While Wealth, shod easily and fine — His stalking vSclf soft wound about With silvered robes where gems outshine, Wears affluence the day throughout. Wealth dangles gold and with it buys Sad sin, with pain the aftermath. While Poverty, though hunger-wise. Shares half the single crust he hath. Then Poverty, soft wrapped in grace — The raiment of a silken sheen — Stands glorified in paupered space, The noonday smiling in his mien. 9