X5> 
 
 lollol 
 
PS 3527 
 .184 T8 
 1919 
 iCopy 1 
 
 A 
 
 3UTE 
 
 TO 
 
 BY 
 DAVID CHALMERS NIMMO 
 
 Author of 
 
 ^1 
 
 "Nature Songs," "Home Songs," 
 "Soul Songs," "Soldier Songs," "Songs and Tales," ett 
 
 Copyrighted 1919 
 

 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 Paragraph from 
 
 Preface to * 'Nature Songs** 
 
 A great deal more in this book than the mere po- 
 etic forms will instantly compel comparisons with the 
 poet Shelley. It is the right place to acknowledge 
 the relationship which is none other than that of 
 poetic fatherhood. When attending McMaster Uni- 
 versity in Toronto my first real interest was aroused 
 in lyrical verse by our studies in Palgrave's "Golden 
 Treasury of Songs and Lyrics." In this book I was 
 especially attracted to Shelley and read, out of class, 
 all the shorter and most of his longer productions. 
 My delight was so great that on one occasion I 
 skipped the mathematical lectures and memorized the 
 "Adonais." This was no doubt a grave university sin 
 but I have ever considered it, apart from nature's 
 endowment, as one of the best inspirations of the 
 spirit of poetry in me. With the pcvems continually 
 singing themselves in my ears and the visions flash- 
 ing across my eyes it is but natural that both the 
 inner spirit and the outer form should take som^ 
 thing from the soul that nursed them into being and 
 in some measure gave them their ideal. In view of 
 this I have sometimes thought to write a song of 
 appreciation as I have done for some other persons 
 in "Civic Songs," but there are so many conscious 
 and unconscious evidences of my obligation that it 
 seems hardly necessary. 
 
 'C1.A513602 
 
 iR ib!9!9 
 
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS 
 
 Dancing!" Dancing! Dancing! 
 
 Spirits pure and bright! 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing! 
 Round a court of light, 
 ^A host of spirits blest and fairy-like to sight. 
 
 Where are these dancers gay? 
 
 Where is the court you spy? 
 This spirit, elf and fay 
 
 That on your visions fly. 
 And raise out of your heart this glad ecstatic cry? 
 
 Where? Yonder where from olden, 
 Was built old winter's throne; 
 
 Where summer summer golden 
 Is never "never known. 
 But Iceland's ancient king rifles all the pol-.ir zone? 
 
 Yonder where night's curtain 
 The storms in anger blow. 
 Where never , i^uncertain 
 Vast fields oflce and snow, 
 And clear and frosty nights and furry Eskimo. 
 
 Yonder where 'the mountains 
 
 Pure ices diadem; 
 Where the crystal fountains 
 
 Mount geyser-like to them; 
 And where the glacier flows and icebergs o?ean gejp 
 
 bonder on the summit 
 
 Around the polar star; 
 
 Climbing up the plummet 
 
 And coming from afar. 
 
 See, see the dancers come in reindeer driven car! 
 
Dancing! Dancing! Dancing! 
 
 Fairy, elf and sprite! 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing' 
 
 Phantoms of delight! 
 Nature's dreams from far in poet robes bedightf 
 
 These in "white enrobe, 
 
 As if floretted snow 
 From 5^on pure silver globe 
 
 Around their forms did bl07v% 
 To rival and to shame all gov/ns of shine ';.nd show. 
 
 These in blue are clad. 
 
 As if the azure deep 
 A portion of his plaid 
 
 Had cast round them to ke:p, 
 To be in royal style at that ecstatic leap. 
 
 That in green is dressed, 
 J. As if the flowers and grass . 
 Nature wove and pressed 
 
 And gave to some sweet lasr,, 
 And laughed unto herself that she would all surpass. 
 
 That in red is tinged. 
 
 As if the setting sun 
 A straying fleece had singed 
 
 And sent it on the run 
 To fasiilon's famous ball and dared to be outdona 
 
 Here comes the poet's sons, 
 
 Clad in robes divine; 
 The royal purple ones- 
 He sent to lead the line, 
 ^nd knew within himself that none would them outshine. 
 
 Here comes the maiden's race. 
 
 Her dreams of heart and mind; 
 Oh the pansy pansy grace 
 
 That round them has been twined. 
 And, :brighter beauties still upon their faces kind! 
 
others rainbow tinted, 
 
 As spears of melting ice 
 The liquid waters printed 
 With their prismic device 
 And gave a magic robe a joy could never price. 
 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing! 
 
 What a mazy flight! 
 Dancii \g ! Dancing ! Dancing • 
 On our mortal sight 
 Every motion, style and grace and all in piire delight! 
 > 
 
 Forward with a bound; 
 
 Backward with a glide; 
 Then turning round and round 
 Till head does dizzy lide; 
 Then promenading up, and in from side tc side. 
 
 Now hand in hand they go; 
 
 Now swinging left and righl; 
 Now up the center so; 
 Now spinning swift as sighi; 
 Oh it is a mazy crowd and drunken with delight! 
 
 Fantastic, straight and fair. 
 
 Sudden, now and then. 
 Yonder, here and there, 
 
 Unseen and in our ken; 
 Mocking us and -all our v/hat and why and when? 
 
 Rising high and oft, 
 
 Frosty, straight and strong, 
 Sinking, silent, soft. 
 Narrow, thin and long. 
 And if our sense could hear, Oh singing whac 9 song. 
 
 Moving, quick and mad. 
 
 Crystal, pure and clear. 
 Conical and glad. 
 
 Enthroned and far and neai, 
 Celestial and divine as being can appear 
 
oil round and round and round 
 
 Like figures in a dream 
 These poet spirits bound 
 To music like a stream 
 That bursts within the heart with overflowing teem. 
 
 Dancing ! Dancing ! Dancing ! 
 
 Souls of electric light! 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing! 
 
 Essential natures bright! 
 Bodiless and beautiful as ever met the sight ! 
 
 How we sluggish mortals 
 
 Wonder and admire, 
 When these kingdom portals 
 
 Are opened, and its fire 
 Is flashed upon our sight with dreams of something higher I 
 
 How earth and sea and sky- 
 Are lifted with delight 
 
 When yonder there on high 
 They rise upon the sight. 
 And draw all nature up as moons the oceaa bright! 
 
 How the stars that sprinkle 
 
 All the dome of space. 
 Twinkle, brighter twinkle 
 In their nocturnal race, 
 When beauties so divine are circling in their grace! 
 
 How youth and maid on pinions 
 
 Here hasten with entrance; 
 Flaming sword dominions 
 Nor hinders their advance; 
 Welcome, <velcome, welcome youth! Come! Mingle in the 
 
 dance ! 
 
 How the poet's pleasure 
 
 Is passing into pain! 
 His joys like their own measure 
 Is swelling every vein. 
 Inspiring fancy's fairy forms around his heait and brain. 
 
How, how his very dreams 
 
 Grow passionate and faint! 
 Grow thirsty for new streams 
 To drink away complaint 
 Which these on high inspire and perfect blessing taint! 
 
 Dancing! Dancing i Dancing! 
 
 In the vision caught; 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing! 
 
 Lost and found in thought, 
 In brighter dreams divine and higher wisdom taught! 
 
 What revelry and sports 
 * Upon that mountain height' 
 
 What carnival that courts 
 Such spirits of delight! 
 Oh what ecstatic bliss of touch and sound and sight! - 
 
 That scene it is the joy 
 
 That filleth nature's iieart; 
 The height of her employ 
 Is free and full to bart 
 Her happiness of life to all thp.t from her start. 
 
 Vv^hat divinest glory 
 
 Before the eye has sailed? 
 What harmony or story 
 Or prophecy been hailed? 
 What life and love and light and truth have been unveiled? 
 
 That beauty does entrance, 
 
 That love their hearts inflame. 
 
 That song impel to dance. 
 That hope and starry fame. 
 Which we have seldom felt and never think or claim. 
 
 Where the souls are purest 
 
 They dwell above the spheres; 
 There freedom is securest. 
 And life exempt from fears, 
 And joy contagious, quick and sweet as that which here 
 
 appears. 
 
 5 
 
Where a love is living 
 
 'Tis full and sweet and puicj, 
 Rejoicing in its giving 
 And thus is most secure; 
 The heart that gives its all and self forever shall endure. 
 
 Where the life is deepest 
 
 Is mountings oft and high; 
 And as it upward leapest 
 
 With joy's ecstatic cry 
 It finds and lives within the life that fills Lne azure sky. 
 
 Where the light is brightest 
 Appears the most divine; 
 Wherever beauty lightest 
 It is a rainbow sign 
 That God is seeking thus to draw thy heart with his to 
 
 twine. 
 Dancing! Dancing! Dancing,! 
 Through the live-long night. 
 Entrancing! Oh entrancing 
 With ma^ic magic might, 
 For mortal and immortal are the dreams of love and light! 
 
 THE BRIDE OF THE SUN. 
 
 Oh hail, bright maiden, haili 
 
 From thy mortal swoon 
 What spirit rent the veil? 
 What life restored the boon 
 ^nd sent thy queenly soul to seek thy lovej Noon? 
 
 Who nursed thee from the trance? 
 
 Who broke the shadowed spell 
 That in the hour of dance 
 Upon thy being fell? 
 Who brought thee to the light where starry splendors 
 
 dwell? 
 Oh hail, bright maiden, hail! 
 What life reviving dream 
 O'er thy brain did sail. 
 Upon thy heart did stream. 
 That from thy liquid rest thy soul it should redeem? 
 
Hast thy mother earth. 
 
 The mother most divine. 
 Brought thee again to birth 
 And with the infant shine 
 That glowed upon thy face upon that morn benign? 
 
 In thy soul's eclipse, 
 
 Did the love beguile 
 Thy lover to thy lips 
 There to rest awhile 
 And did his burning kiss awake this rapturous smile? 
 
 • Or hast thou been above, 
 
 In thy bower so bright 
 To gaze upon thy love 
 Across the cone of night 
 And is this smiling life his answering delight? 
 
 In this evening's hush 
 
 What breath of love or wine 
 
 Upon thy cheeks do flush 
 And from thy heart divine 
 Like some celestial fire doth through thy tdng ^ihine ? 
 
 Perhaps some summer soul 
 
 With magic magic flowers 
 Whose living perfume^ roll 
 
 To heaven's highest towers 
 Is reaching up to thee the glory of the hours. 
 
 Perhaps a strain of life, 
 
 The echoes of the spheres 
 Has healed thee of the strife. 
 Is raining on thy ears 
 The fancies, joys and hopes that fed thy heart for years. 
 
 Perhaps love's intensity , 
 High as starry height, 
 Deep as is the sea, 
 
 Warm as siimmer night, 
 Pure as wiiitest fire, feed.Hh thee delighl 
 
Perhaps the dream of dream 
 
 So fills the heart and brain 
 Thy being over teems 
 
 With sweet delicious pain 
 That thou must wander forth where nature doth sustain. 
 
 But why art thou so cold 
 
 That thou dost fly apace 
 From hearts that free unfold 
 
 The fulnesp of their grace? 
 And ask but in return a smile of thy bright face? 
 
 Ihe dancing spirits gay 
 
 Who love thee, in the wood 
 Have left their fairy play 
 
 And near the edge have stood, 
 Have turned from watching thee to hide m solitude. 
 
 A maiden like to thee, 
 
 A pure and fragile cloud, 
 Who came up from the sea 
 
 In her soft silver shroud 
 Has gone away to weep, heart-broke by thee sg proud. 
 
 Thy risters in the sea 
 
 In face and form and light, 
 Twin spirits like to thee. 
 
 Are trembling through the night 
 With hope that thou wilt turn and feed their longing sight. 
 
 Stars and planets pale 
 
 For thy love do pine; 
 Their sweet lights do fail 
 For their eye,5 divine 
 Are wearied with the watch they ever kef p on thine. 
 
 Thy presence bright awakes 
 
 The meteor from her trance 
 So glad her sleep she shakes 
 In her swift shining dance, 
 Whose joyous love for thee now kills thy scornful glance. 
 
Like the very queen 
 
 Of heaven's starry height 
 Crowned in golc'en sheen, 
 Clad in robe? of light, 
 Thou ridest past the earth and all that lift the sight. 
 
 Thy faith has never doubt 
 
 That thou shalt ever miss 
 His bmile which streameth out. 
 
 Embalming many a kiss 
 That rests upon thy heart prophetic of thy bliss. 
 
 • That blest and bridal day 
 
 Must be drawing near 
 That night should so array 
 Her dark and cloudy sphere 
 In such a flood of light, serene and pure and clear. 
 
 All lovers on the earth 
 
 Look up with deep delight. 
 The dreams that come to birth. 
 The passion pure and white 
 Are kindred unto thee, thou goddess of the night. 
 
 Out, out of thee are dreams; 
 Deep, deep in them desires; 
 Down, down from thee are streams 
 Of pure celestial fires 
 And dreams, desires and hopes are dancing to the lyres. 
 
 Thou leadest forth the swain. 
 Thou callest forth the maid; 
 Was ever such a twain 
 
 As wandered down the glade 
 And such another bride in golden light arrayed? 
 
 ' Thy overflowing joy 
 
 Shoots down a piercing dar!. 
 Oh youth and maiden coy, 
 Till thy celestial art 
 Has nourished into life the best within the heart. 
 
Thou pourest soft thy rain; 
 
 They aream and dream and dieam. 
 Life nearly is insane 
 Such fountains in them teem 
 And brighter than thyself the earthly bride doth seem. 
 
 Beneath thy magic spell 
 
 The magic word is found; 
 Two fountain spirits well; 
 Two hearts in one are bouitd 
 And thou has seen and heard, apd both with gladness 
 
 crowned. 
 Through the window .ight 
 
 Thy smiles upon them stream ; 
 Thy rays of magic might 
 Within their beings teem — 
 A bridegroom and a bride, a dream within a dream. 
 
 But Oh that passing cloud ^ 
 
 Upon thy breast and face, 
 That wraps thee like a shroud 
 As round a mortal race, 
 To disappoint the hope that life and love embrace! 
 
 Like ours. Oh radian maid! 
 
 Hast thy love a moan? 
 Art thou e'er afraid 
 Lest the earth's dark cone. 
 Like death will come between, and leave thee all alone? 
 
 Fear not! He an urn has filled 
 
 With vital vital dew. 
 That has been distilled 
 
 From his dome of blue 
 To sprinkle on thy heart and thy young life renew. 
 
 He will send thee now 
 Fleecy sandals rare. 
 Stars to gem thy brow, ' 
 
 Veils of misty air 
 And rainbow ribbon bands to bind tl y streaming hair. 
 
 10 
 
The chariot of the wind, 
 
 The steeds of swiftest time. 
 Along the zodiac signed 
 With images sublime, 
 Bear thee all heaven's queen while starry echoes chime. 
 
 Jn the golden dawn 
 
 The god of life and light 
 Awaits. Thou wilt be drawn 
 
 liito his bosom bright 
 And in the deep embrace be lost an hour tc sight! 
 
 Oh pure celestial maid! 
 * Oh bride the most divine! 
 
 There never V7ap displayed 
 Such beauty to our eyne. 
 And thou has fed the heart of life's eternal pine. 
 
 Farewell, chaste bride, farewell: 
 
 May joy attend thy flight! 
 My heart songs ne'er can tell 
 It's wish for thy delight 
 When thou Las joined thy love in bowers of morning 
 
 bright. 
 
 THE ECHO. 
 
 Hush, hush my heart, be still! 
 
 Oh hark with bated breath! 
 Thy being silence fill 
 
 As motionless as death! 
 A soft celestial voice, a world for what she saith! 
 
 Oh hush my heart! The birth 
 
 And being most divine 
 I ever heard on earth, 
 
 Between her world and mine 
 Is singing, and my life for hers I would resign. 
 
 Oh matchless sou] of song! 
 
 Spirit of melody! 
 The leader of the throng 
 
 11" 
 
Of lyric natures free! ' 
 
 The most divinest life inspires the heart in thee. 
 
 Thee nature loves to greet; 
 
 Her singers siJent be; 
 Wave, stream and tree entreat 
 
 Thy music rich and free, 
 And drink and drink and drJnk thy living melody. 
 
 Unseen, enchanting fairy! 
 Unknown, beloved sprite! 
 On ether wings most airy 
 With far encircling flight, 
 Round lake and o'er the hills thy song rolls with delight 
 
 Awaking joy so pure 
 
 The souls that hear thee sing, 
 The strain cannot endure 
 And from theii hearts they fling 
 Their love and joy and praise and toward thee nearer 
 
 spring. 
 Clear, joyous and divine, 
 
 A song nev>^ come to birth ; 
 A singer drunk with wine. 
 A bright and lyric mirth. 
 Who sings to ease her heart and not for ours of earth. 
 
 Pure and liquid soul! 
 
 Dewy and rich and deep! 
 Winds, clouds and azure roll 
 
 The notes they cannot keep. 
 And now they forth through thee to vocal being leap. 
 
 Oh soft and dying tone! 
 
 More far anc' faint and dear! 
 A music serapli's moan 
 
 In his beloved'b ear 
 Is mingled with the breath which now I faintly hear. 
 
 Fainter and more faint, 
 
 Softer and more sweet. 
 As a maiden saint 
 
 Breathes when the angel feet 
 Bear her lily, lily soul far dcwn earth's shadowed street. 
 
 12 
 
Fainter and more faint, 
 
 Your music ip no more, 
 As last words cf a saint 
 
 Speak to our spirit's core. 
 Your silence is a song of sweet and lasting lore. 
 
 Now silence g:rdeth round 
 
 But soul must list'ning be. 
 Straining in the calm profound 
 To hear tho measures free 
 That ever rise nnd ring as memory thinks of thee. 
 
 m Oh clear and crystal singer! 
 
 Again to life awake! 
 Oh clear and crystal singer! 
 Across the moon-light lake 
 Your happy happy elfin horns, shake out again, Oh shake! 
 
 Awake again. Oh wake! 
 
 My heart for song doth pine! 
 Thy lips again unbreak. 
 And thy sweet voice divine 
 Will be a lasting strain as on me ye untwine! 
 
 Hark! Does the deepest fountain^ 
 The lake's divinest daughter, 
 
 Love the snowy mountain. 
 The soul above the water. 
 And whispers now a song as fervent love has taught her? 
 
 Does now som? silver dream 
 
 From icy summits free 
 Through rocky gorges stream 
 
 With fall and foam and glee 
 A.nd sing his bridal song as happy as can be? 
 
 Does the moon's bright soul 
 
 Touch her golden lyre. 
 And drink night's dewy bowl 
 A new song to inspire 
 For her other soul of deep and pure desire? 
 
 13 
 
Is heaven's worla of l<5ve 
 Here the nearest earth? 
 Does some warm turtle dove, 
 O'er her dearest birth 
 Now throw upon our ears her first, sweet, mother mirth? 
 
 Has some sweet fairy sprite 
 From Paradise .just fell? 
 In her descending flight 
 Tinkles her fairy bell 
 In silver, silver tones that swell and ever swell? 
 
 Oh spirit, who art thou? 
 
 Whence and what and where? 
 Could I but see thee now. 
 
 Thy being ijure and fair 
 Would be a sight divine which love would treasure rare. 
 
 But better thus unseen 
 
 Like all things most divine; 
 For nothing comes between 
 
 Thy heart and hungry mine, 
 And that encircling heart which all our hearts enshrine. 
 
 Oh echo, thy refrain 
 
 Is like a life to me! 
 It passes through my brain 
 
 And kindred finds to thee; 
 Awaking sleeping dreams in coldest memory. 
 
 I listen, yes I listen! 
 
 I know! J know! I know! 
 Mine eyes v>rith sorrows glisten. 
 
 My heart doth overflow. 
 Spirit of innocence from paradise, I trow! 
 
 Thy spirit once was mine. 
 And I v/as like to thee; 
 We both were then divine 
 And loved with purity; 
 But life divorces hearts that in each other be. 
 
 14 
 
Oh soui of angtl dower! 
 
 Oh maid ot early years! 
 The music of that hour 
 
 That hour gtil more endears; 
 To hear thee once again now melts my frozen tears: 
 
 Oh hear me as I cry! 
 
 Come to me once again ! 
 Leave thy blue native sky! 
 
 Abide with mortal men! 
 Forgive and lead* me from this dark and stifling fen! 
 
 • Oh dost thou turn away? 
 
 I hear thy velvet feet 
 More faintly as I pray. 
 
 Shall this new warming meet 
 No hope that here or hence thy spirit I shall greet? 
 
 More faintei' and more faint 
 
 I hear thee die away. 
 As dieth my complaint 
 For lack of words to pray 
 For thee and thine and all of that eclipsed day. 
 
 Beyond the hills afar 
 I hear thee going fleet, 
 . Go, going to the star 
 
 Of morning, morning sweet 
 And I would follow fast in hope we there jnay meet. 
 
 Sing, sing Ye Echo Souls ! 
 
 Oh often sing to me! 
 Divinest music rolls 
 And leads where none can see 
 When e'er I hear your sweet, celestial melody. 
 
 Sing, sing Ye Echo Sprites! 
 
 Your silence oft unbind! 
 From heaven's golden heights 
 
 Ye open on my mind 
 Such dreams of purity as lift and cleanse and blind 
 
 15 
 
Sing, sing Ye Echo Hours ! 
 
 Although ye wake the tears 
 Ye lift me to the towers 
 . With virtue of the spheres, 
 And life's golden summits pure to the spirit far appears. 
 
 THE MOCKING BIRD 
 
 Mocking Bird, Oh Mocking Bird! 
 
 The mention of thy name 
 Deep desire within has stirred 
 And from the north I came 
 To hear the magic song that gives thy spirit fame. 
 
 I harken now for thee; 
 
 Sing, sing to me a strain ! 
 Thy music full unfree 
 
 Into my heart and brain! 
 I'm kindred unto thee and list'ning as in pain. 
 
 Hark! Hark! Is that the measure 
 
 Bursting on my ear, 
 Too high for sense of pleasure, 
 Too deep for doubt or fear, 
 Quick'ning song that reaches out with hunger 
 
 vast to hear? 
 Forth leaps the strain of life; 
 
 Out shoots the stream of fire; 
 It pierces like a knife; 
 It quickens like inspire; 
 Waking, waking, waking soul with infinite desire. 
 
 Soul cannot think or dream. 
 
 Can only hark and hear. 
 All pov/ers that in me stream 
 Are straining at my ear; 
 To lose a single note is growing pain and fear. 
 
 On flows the thriling sound; 
 
 On sweeps the flood of song; 
 Life riseth with a bound 
 
 16 
 
Of passion swelling strong, 
 Enchanted, chained and held though sweeping swift 
 
 along. 
 
 New fountains in me burst; 
 
 Life mounteth up the steep; 
 Has drunk away her thirst; 
 Can walk and run and leap; 
 Something strange, divine, and swift doth through 
 
 her being sweep. 
 Oh Music, thou art best 
 Of all the muses fine! 
 There floweth from thy breast 
 * The songs for which we pine. 
 
 Ever still the Queen of life, supremest and benign! 
 
 Out, out thou now dost fling 
 
 The fulness of thy heart, 
 To earth and heaven sing 
 
 The lyrics of an art 
 That feedest full the passion of a life's immortal part! 
 
 Far, far thou now dost throw 
 
 A thousand notes of fire! 
 Soul and song are in' a glow; 
 Thou art lost in thy inspire. 
 Crimson life is sweeping through thy heart so like a 
 
 lyre. 
 Forth, forth thou now dost pour 
 The spirit-quick'ning strains! 
 All spirits drink and soar 
 Forgetful of their pains. 
 After every vital draught more thirsty still remains. 
 
 'Tis a glowing, glowing passion. 
 
 Pure, flaming, swift and bright 
 Tht music takes the fashion 
 Of the spirit burning white. 
 Every note intense and round and piercing with 
 
 delight 
 'Tis a wild ecstatic measure, 
 
 A swift delirious strain. 
 The youngest youngest pleasure 
 
 17 
 
With a drunken heart and brain, 
 That sorrow never never knew and never dreamed a 
 
 pain. 
 'Tis a lyric lyric rapture 
 
 Of a lyric spirit glad, 
 With lyrics that recapture 
 The soul of sorrow sad, 
 Restoring it the happiness no dreams have ever had. 
 
 Here Nature sits and nurses 
 
 Her children gathered round. 
 She feedeth them the verses 
 That in her bosom bound. 
 And to her youngest singing soul has taught this 
 
 glorious sound. 
 Here beauties, dreams and visions 
 
 Are crowding hill and dale; 
 Loud laughing with derisions 
 Or intense and still and pale; 
 Spirit lifted up on high and swept on like a gale. 
 
 Here song and joy and story 
 Are list'ning as in trance; 
 There is a flash of glory. 
 Of splendor and romance 
 Everv time the wild caprice sweeps the ' ecstatic 
 
 dance. 
 Here poet ranks and orders 
 
 Come running from afar. 
 Thy song ha^ crossed the borders 
 And swings Ihe gates ajar, 
 The past and future singers around thy presence are. 
 
 They forward lean and listen, 
 
 All straining and intense. 
 Some eyes with sorrows glisten, 
 Some swell with power immense 
 Some white and glowing glow and all are free from 
 
 sense. 
 Between the breathing pauses 
 
 Each smothers down his lyre. 
 But the pulsing pulsing causes 
 A bursting out of fire; 
 One by one they sing to thee a snatch of their desire, 
 
 18 
 
"I have heard the lyric chqrus 
 
 Of the early dewy morn 
 When before and round and o'er us 
 As the sun again was born, 
 Every winged singing soul with gladness new was 
 
 torn. 
 As I listened to that singing 
 
 Up I mounted to the height; 
 There were dreams before me winging 
 That did capture my delight, 
 'Til forgotten was the song in the images so bright. 
 
 But the song that now is sweeping 
 «» Flings enchantment on the ear; 
 
 With the high crescendoes leaping 
 I am climbing up the sphere, 
 And abounding with the passion that is binding me 
 
 to hear. 
 As I circle round the pleasures 
 
 Of the forest, sea and sky, 
 I will never hear such measures 
 : As this wild ecstatic cry; 
 But the echoes, Oh the echoes, they will never never die." 
 
 "I have heard the strings of liiTe 
 
 And fingers full of fire; 
 Though entangled in the strife 
 
 Did answer their inspire. 
 Leaping with a life divine and panting witl; desire. 
 
 But this passion more intense. 
 More intense and pure and v^bite, 
 
 Delivers from all sense 
 And spirit doth bedight 
 In singing singing robes that bear me with delight 
 
 Where priests and prophets liliig 
 Their visions, dreams and lays. 
 And flaming echoes fling 
 Adowii enchanted ways 
 Where Life and Love and Truth the scepter swings and 
 
 sways. 
 
 19 
 
As I go upon my way 
 
 I will listen to the lyre 
 But my hand will often stay 
 
 Its throbbing strings of fire, 
 Dreaming of this soul of song that captures my desire." 
 
 "I have felt the hungry tooth 
 
 Of the dragon of remorse 
 Bite, bite unbitten youth 
 
 With the fury of its force, 
 Driving blinded and insane the mortal on its course. 
 
 The spirit of the morn 
 
 In rainbow beauty dressed 
 Was torn as clouds are torn 
 Before the storm's unrest. 
 Pitching down the ruined night from heaven'.s highest crest. 
 
 Life now has clean forgot 
 
 The poison of the pain; 
 The spirit so besot 
 
 Is rising without stain. 
 Binding tight the glorious song upon its heart and brain. 
 
 As I go upon my course 
 
 I will sing as sorrow sings. 
 As sorrow is the source 
 
 Of song that sweetest rings 
 T will mingle it with this in the fountain hcaa of springs." 
 
 "I have heard the systems swinging. 
 Sing the echoes of the spheies, 
 
 I have heard the ages winging 
 Ring the choruses of years, 
 And these broken-hearted mortals in the tragedy of tears. 
 
 But the high eonic measures 
 
 Of the universal score 
 Are forgotten in the pleasures 
 
 Of the strains that on me pour, 
 hi the panting panting rapture of this lyric lyric lore. 
 
 Sublime in their sublimity 
 They go upon their way. 
 Divine in thy divinity 
 
 20 
 
The raptures of thy lay 
 Createth new the worlds of life and sweep them down the 
 
 day. 
 When I sweep along the ages. 
 
 When I soar above the spheres. 
 When the battle fiercest rages, 
 There will ring within my ears 
 This passioned, passioned measure that is laughing at all 
 
 fears." 
 "I have heard the poet's lark 
 
 Soar singing to the sun; 
 All the world doth pause and hark 
 ^ As the stream adown doth run, 
 
 Lost, lost and found in dreams when it is but begun. 
 
 The beauty, bird and strain 
 Doth lift Life out of earth. 
 It pierces heart and brain 
 Till dreams come unto birth. 
 Singing, singing, singing songs delicious in mirth. 
 
 Now far across the sea 
 
 I bend a listening ear; 
 And now I turn to thee 
 
 Deep thriling as I hear. 
 Yielding thine the palm of song, perhaps because so near. 
 
 Those poets and their lark, 
 These and their mocking bird,^ 
 
 To each other bend and hark, 
 By each other vast are stirred, 
 More impassioned passioned praise was never never heard." 
 
 "Unto the golden spheres 
 
 Prom whence we came we turn. 
 Not one of our compeers 
 Thy song would dare unlearn. 
 For through the future's lyre thy soul and song shall burn." 
 
 Mocking Bird, Oh Mocking Bird! 
 
 Oh Music wild and free! 
 Though images and word 
 Are pleasures unto me. 
 Vaster, vaster is the joy of listening unto thee. 
 
 21 
 
UBRABV 
 
 OF CONGRESS 
 
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