Some Verses

SONG

 
Softly sighs the gracious wind—
Dash of rose, in deeps of sky,
Love is fair and love is kind,—
Singing free—I passed him by.
 
 
Shredded clouds are whirled in air,
Winter stalks adown the gale
Tossing wide Love's golden hair—
Cease the singing—Love grows pale.
 
 
Howls the grey sky to the sea—
Loose the storm-dogs from their bed.
Turned I back—and woe is me—
I must die—for Love is dead.
 

SIGH NOT FOR LOVE

 
Sigh not for love, the ways of love are dark!
Sweet Child—hold up the hollow of your hand
And catch the sparks that flutter from the stars!
See how the late sky spreads in flushing bars!
They are dead roses from your own dear land
Tossed high by kindly breezes: lean, and hark,
And you shall know how morning glads her lark!
The timid Dawn, herself a little child
Casts up shy eyes in loving worship—dear,
Is it not yet enough? the Spring is here
And would you weep for Winter's tempest wild
Sigh not for love, the ways of love are dark!
 

AMBITION AND LOVE

 
Sweet, in the golden morning of my days,
With young tempestuous joy I reared my head
To gaze adown the splendid sunlit ways
Where all the fires of fame burned glory red,
I recked not where the sounding arches led,
Save at the end I gain my august bays.
 
 
But as of old, when through the patient night,
Fair losing or fair gaining, till the morn,
Great Israel strove to break the angel's might,
Till spent and failing, in his heavenly scorn,
Th' immortal wrestler touched the earthly born,
Striking him powerless, winning thus the fight.
 
 
So did false Fortune, when I strove and fought,
Smiling 'neath half-closed eyelids, when seemed won,
For a brief hour, the beckoning goal I sought—
Then with frustrating touch dimmed all my sun
Blotted the work and faith so brave begun;
But what I gained was none too dearly bought.
 
 
I have no wreath to lay before your feet;
There shines no future, and the past is dead;
But you have heard me, and I love you—Sweet.
The low sun crowns with gold your gracious head,
The heavy lilies nod upon their bed—
I look at you, and find my life complete.
 

TO B. D

 
Broad browed beneath a cloud of dusky hair
Her eyes are midnight seas that never sleep
But see beyond the dull world's heavy air
The mystery of ages buried deep.
 
 
The faint sweet shadows trembling round her mouth
Lighten with youth and love the Sphinx's face.
And as she moves, a soft wind from the South
Floating, flower-laden seems—so sweet her grace.
 
 
Aloof she stands, from idle mirth and tears
And keeps the white sails of her spirit furled,
Altho' a girl, pure from the stain of years,
An ancient Egypt, smiling at the world.
 

LITTLE SAD FACE

 
Little sad face, come close, so close to mine,
See through these eyes the sweetness of the day,
Feel how the sunbeams dance in Summer's wine,
Hold fast my hands and let our pulse combine
And with my steps dance down the happy way;
For youth is love and love is light and gay,
Little sad face.
 
 
Little sad heart, come close, so close to mine,
And know the utmost limits of the will
Of all the worlds, till soft thy heart divine
A joy which can encompass grief like thine;
Hide in my breast, and let faint pulses thrill,
For youth is love, and love is great and still,
Little sad heart.
 
 
Little sad soul, which ne'er can come to mine,
So great in loneliness of grey despair,
There is not one whose spirit may entwine
With thee—the world looks on without a sign;
Go—hide thy face within thy tossing hair,
Thyself veil close with smiles, for none will care,
Little sad soul.
 

EARTH'S TEARS— AND MAN'S

 
These slanting lines of hoary rain
Are as my grizzled hair;
The face of earth is old with pain
As mine—with dull despair.
 
 
And yet, one sun will gild the air,
Earth's tears were not in vain:
No smile can ease mine eyes of care
Or make me young again!
 

I HAVE SEEN WHAT THE SERAPHS HAVE SEEN

 
I have seen what the seraphs have seen
As they gaze thro' the limitless air—
Thro' the wind and the clouds to the lean
Pale face of the moon, and the bare
Bright flame of the sun, unaware,
I have seen what the seraphs have seen!
 
 
Thro' the limitless spaces of air
The brave mists that waver and wane
Are patient and pallid and fair.
I have fathomed the pride and the pain
Of the snows and compassionate rain
Thro' the limitless spaces of air.
 
 
I have known them, the brave mists that wane
And the glory and peace of the skies.
Where all strife and impatience are vain
And ahush are all passionate sighs,
For I gazed in the deeps of Love's eyes,
And I know what no seraphs shall gain!