Five Books of Song

Part I

I. Sonnet. (After the Italian) .... 4 II. Sonnet. (After the Italian) .... 4 III. "A Barren Stretch that slants to the Salt Sea's Gray" 5 IV. Love grown Bold .5 INTERLUDE 6

Part II

I. AA'ords without Song 6 II. The Traveler 7 III. Written on a Fly-leaf of " Shakespeare's Sonnets "....... 8 IV. "And were that Best ! " . . . . 8 V. "There is Nothing New under the Sun" . 9 VI. Love's Cruelty 10 INTERLUDE VI CONTENTS

Part III Page

I. " My Love for Thee doth march like Armed Men" ii II. " I will be Brave for Thee " ... 12 III. "Love me not, Love, for that I first loved Thee" 12 IV. Body and Soul I. " O Thou my Love, love first my lonely soul !" 13 II. " But, Love, for me thy body was the first" . 13 V. " Thy Lover, Love, would have some Nobler AA'ay" 14 VI. Love's Jealousy 14 VII. Love's Monotone 15 VIII. "Once Only" 15 IX. Deniai 16 X. "Once when AA'e walked within a Summer Field" 16 XI. Song: " I love her gentle forehead " . . 17 XII. Listening to Music 17 XIII. "A Song of the Maiden Morn " . . 18 XIV. AVords in Absence iS XV. Song: " The birds were singing " ... 19 XVI. Thistle-Down 19 XVII. "O Sweet Wild Roses that Bud and Blow ! " 19 XVIII. The River 20 XIX. The Lover's Lord and Master . . .21 XX. "A Night of Stars and Dreams" . . 21 XXI.

A Birthday Song 22 XXII. "AVhat can Love do for Thee, Love?" 22 XXIII. "The Smile of Her I Love" ... 23 XXIV. Francesca and Paolo 23 XXV. The Unknown Way 24 XXVI. The Sower 25 XXVII. " When the Last Doubt is Doubted " . 26 INTERLUDE CONTENTS VII

Part IV Page

I. Song: " Love, Love, my love " . . . -27 II. The Mirror 28 III. Likeness in Unlikeness .... 28 IV. Song: " Not from the whole wide world " . 29 V. All in One 29 VL "I Count my Time by Times that I meet Thee" 29 VII. Song : " \ 'ears have flown " 30 VIII. The Seasons 30 IX. "Summer's Rain and AVinter's Snow" . . 31 X. The Violin 31 XI. " O Silver River flowing to the Sea" . 32 XII. " My Songs are all of Thee " . . . 33 XIII. After Many Days 33 XIV. Weal and AVoe 34 XV. "Oh, Love is not a Summer Mood" . . 34 XVI. " Love is not Bond to any Man " . -35 XVII. " He Knows not the Path of Duty " . 35 AFTER-SONG 36 THE CELESTIAL PASSION PRELUDE 39

Part I

I. Art and Life ....... 39 II. The Poet and his Master ... 41 III. MORS TRIUMPHALIS 43 IAT. The Master-Poets CONTENTS

Part II Page

I. A Christmas Hymn ...... 48 II. Easter 49 III. A Madonna of Fra Lippo Lippi . . .50 IV. Cost Si V. The Song of a Heathen (Sojourning in Galilee, a. d. 32) 51 AT. Holy Land 52 VII. On a Portrait of Servetus . . . -52 VIII. " Despise not Thou " 53 IX. "To rest from AA'eary Work" . . .53

Part III

I. Recognition ...... 54 II. Hymn Sung at the Presentation of the Obelisk to the cityof New York, February 22, 1881 56 III. A Thought 57 IV. The Voice of the Pine 58 V. Morning and Night 59 VI. " Day unto Day uttereth Speech " . .60

Part IV

I. The Soul 60 II. "When Love Dawned" 61 III. Love and Death I. " Now who can take from us what we have known? " . . . . . . 61 II. " We know not where they tarry who have died" 62 IV. Father and Child 62 V. " Beyond the Branches of the Pine " . .63 VI. An Autumn Meditation .... 64 VII. " Call me not Dead "..... 65 VIII. "Each Moment Holy is " . . . . CONTENTS ix PAGE IX . " AA'hen to Sleep I Must " .... 66 X. To a Departed Friend 66 XL "The Evening Star" 67 XII. Life I. " Great Universe — what dost thou with thy dead! " 67 II. "Ah, thou wilt never answer to our call " . 6S XIII. The Freed Spirit 68 XIV. Undying Light I. " When in the golden western summer skies " 69 II. " O thou the Lord and Maker of life and light ! " 69 LYRICS

Part I

Ode 73 A Song of Early Summer 75 A Midsummer Song 76 " On the AVild Rose Tree " 78 A Song of Early Autumn 78 The Building of the Chimney . . . . • . 79 "A Word Said in the Dark" 85 A Riddle of Lovers 85 Before Sunrise 86 " The AVoods that Bring the Sunset Near " . .86 Sunset from the Train 87 ;' After Sorrow's Night " 88 A November Child .88 At Night S9 Cradle Song 89 " Nine Years " . . . 90 "Back from the Darkness to the Light Again" 91

Part II

Fate . 91 " We Met upon the Crowded Way "... X CONTENTS PAGE The AA'hite and the Red Rose 93 A Woman's Thought 95 The River Inn 96 The Homestead 97 At Four Score 98 John Carman 100 Drinking Song 103 The Voyager 104 A Lament for the dead of the " Jeannette " brought home on the "Frisia" 105 III Tidings (The Studio Concert) . . . . 10S A New AA'orld 109

Part III

Congress : 1S7S 109 Reform no Memorial Day in North to the South 112 The Burial of Grant. (New York, August S, 1885). 112 The Dead Comrade. (At the burial of Grant, a bugler stood forth and sounded "taps") 114 On the Life-Mask of Abraham Lincoln . . 115 The President 115

Part IV Essipoff

Il6 Adele aus der Ohe 117 Modjeska 11S For an Album. (To be read one hundred years aster) . 118 Porto Fino 119 To F. F. C. (On the pansy, her class flower) . . . 121 Impromptus I. Art 121 II. To a Southern Girl ....... 121 III. For a Fan CONTENTS XI

Part V Page

Music and AVords 122 The Poet's Fame 123 The Poet's Protest 126 To a Young Poet 127 "When the True Poet Comes" 127 Youth and Age 128 The Sonnet 12S A Sonnet of Dante ....... 129 " Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare." The New Troubadours (Avignon, 1879) . . .129 Keats 130 An Inscription in Rome (Piazza di Spagna) . . . 130 Desecration 131 "Jocoseria" 132 To an English Friend, with Emerson's " Poems " 133 Our Elder Poets (1878) 133 Longfellow's "Book of Sonnets" .... 134 " H. H." 135 The Modern Rhymer 135 TWO WORLDS AND OTHER POEMS

Part I

Two AVorlds I. The A'enus of Milo 141 II. Michael Angelo's Slave 141

Part II

The Star in the City 141 Moonlight 142 " I Care not if the Skies are AVhite " . . CONTENTS PAGE Contrasts 144 Serenade (For Music) 145 Largess 146 Indoors at Night 146 The Absent Lover 146 "To-night the Music doth a Burden Bear" . 147 Sanctum Sanctorum 147 The Gift 148 "Ah, Time, go not so soon " 150 "The Years are Angels" 150 "In her Young Eyes" 150 "Yesterday, when we were Friends" . . . 150 A Night Song (For the Guitar) 151 Leo 151

Part III

Brothers 153 Love, Art, and Time. (On a picture entitled " The Portrait," by AVill H. Low) 153 The Dancers. (On a picture entitled " Summer," by T. AV. Dewing) . . . . . . . .154 The Twenty-Third of April 154 Emma Lazarus 155 The Twelfth of December 155

Part IV

Sheridan .156 Sherman 157 Pro Patria. (In memory of a faithful chaplain : the Rev. AVilliam H. Gilder) 159 To the Spirit of Abraham Lincoln. (Reunion at Gettysburg twenty-five years after the battle) . . 162 Failure and Success 162 J. R. L. : on his Birthday 163 Napoleon 163 The White Tsar's People CONTENTS XIII

Part V Page

Hide not Thy Heart 166 "The Poet from his own Sorrow" .... 167 "AA'hite, Pillared Neck" 167 "Great Nature is an Army Gay" . . . . 16S "Life is the Cost" 169 The Prisoner's Thought 169 The Condemned 171 "Sow Thou Sorrow" 172 Temptation 172 A Midsummer Meditation . . . . . .172 "As Doth the Bird" 173 A.sions 173 With a Cross of Immortelles 175 The Passing of Christ 175 Credo .......... 178 Non Sine Dolore . 179

Part VI

Ode. (Read before the Society of the Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard University, June 26, 1890) .... 183 AFTER-SONG (To Rosamond) 1S8 THE GREAT REMEMBRANCE

Part I

The Great Remembrance. (Read at the annual reunion ofthe Society ofthe Army of the Potomac, Faneuil Hall, Boston, June 27, 1893) 191

Part II

"The AVhite City" 199 "The Vanishing City" CONTENTS PAGE The Tower of Flame. (The Columbian Exposition, July 10, 1893) 2°3 Lowell 203 The Silence of Tennyson 2°5 On the Death of a Great Man .... 205 A Hero of Peace. (In memory of Robert Ross : died March 6, 1894) 206 The Battle Monument. (Trenton, October 19, 1S93) 207 Fame 208 A Monument by St. Gaudens 208 A Memory of Rubinstein 208 " How Paderewski Plays " 209 Handel's Largo 210 The Stairway 211 The Actor 211 The Stricken Player 211 An Autumn Dirge (E. F. H.) 212 Eleonora Duse 214 Kelp Rock (E. C. S.) 214 Charleston, 1886 215 At Niagara 215 The Child-Garden 216 The Christ-Child. (A picture by Frank Vincent Du Mond) 217 A Child 218 Two Valleys 219 On the Bay 219 AVashington Square 220 The City 220 A Rhyme of Tyringham 221 Elsie 222 Indirection 224 "Ah, be not False " 224 The Answer 225 How Death May Make a Man .... 225 "Came to a Master of Song" 227 Bards 228 Meridian 229 Evening in Tyringham Valley .... CONTENTS XV

Part III Page

A AA'eek's Calendar : I. New Year 231 II. A New Soul 231 III. "Keep Pure Thy Soul" 231 IV. " Thy Mind is Like a Crystal Brook " . 232 V. "One Deed May Mar a Life" . . . 232 VI. The Unknown 233 VII. Irrevocable 233

Part IV

Songs : "Because the Rose Must Fade" . . . 234 " Fades the Rose " 235 The Wintry Heart 236 Hast Thou Heard the Nightingale? . . . 236 "In That Dread, Dreamed-of Hour" . . 237 " Rose-Dark the Solemn Sunset " ... 238 " AVinds to the Silent Morn " . . . . 238 The Unreturning 239 Two Years 240 Decorations by H. de K. THE NEW DAY A POEM IN SONGS AND SONNETS THE NEW DAY PRELUDE THE night was dark, though sometimes a faint star A little while a little space made bright. Dark was the night and like an iron bar Lay heavy on the land — till o'er the sea Slowly, within the East, there grew a light AVhich half was starlight, and half seemed to be The herald of a greater. The pale white Turned slowly to pale rose, and up the height Of heaven slowly climbed. The gray sea grew Rose-colored like the sky. A white gull flew Straight toward the utmost boundary of the East Where slowly the rose gathered and increased.

It was as on the opening of a door By one who in his hand a lamp doth hold, (Its flame being hidden by the garment's fold) — The still air moves, the wide room is less dim. More bright the East became, the ocean turned Dark and more dark against the brightening sky — Sharper against the sky the long sea line. The hollows of the breakers on the shore AA^ere green like leaves whereon no sun doth shine, Though white the outer branches of the tree. From rose to red the level heaven burned ; Then sudden, as if a sword fell from on high, A blade of gold flashed on the ocean's rim. i i

Part I

I — SONNET (AFTER THE ITALIAN) I KNOW not if I love her overmuch; But this I know, that when unto her face She lifts her hand, which rests there, still, a space, Then slowly falls — 't is I who feel that touch. And when she sudden shakes her head, with such A look, I soon her secret meaning trace. So when she runs I think 't is I who race. Like a poor cripple who has lost his crutch I am if she is gone ; and when she goes, I know not why, for that is a strange art — As if myself should from myself depart. I know not if I love her more than those AVho long her light have known; but for the rose She covers in her hair, I 'd give my heart. II — SONNET (AFTER THE ITALIAN) I like her gentle hand that sometimes strays, To find the place, through the same book with mine I like her feet ; and oh, those eyes divine !

And when we say farewell, perhaps she stays Love-lingering — then hurries on her ways, As if she thought, "To end my pain and thine. I like her voice better than new-made wine ; I like the mandolin whereon she plays. And I like, too, the cloak I saw her wear, And the red scarf that her white neck doth cover, And well I like the door that she comes through ; LOVE GROWN BOLD 5 I like the riband that doth bind her hair — But then, in truth, I am that lady's lover, And every new day there is something new. Ill — "A BARREN STRETCH THAT SLANTS TO THE SALT SEA'S GRAY" A barren stretch that slants to the salt sea's gray, — Rock-strewn, and scarred by fire, and rough with stubble, — AVith here and there a bold, bright touch of color — Berries and yellow leaves, that make the dolor More dolorous still.

Above, a sky of trouble. But now a light is lifted in the air ; And though the sky is shadowed, fold on fold, By clouds that have the lightnings in their hold, That western gleam makes all the dim earth fair — The sun shines forth and the gray sea is gold. IV— LOVE GROWN BOLD This is her picture painted ere mine eyes Her ever holy face had looked upon. She sitteth in a silence of her own; Behind her, on the ground, a red rose lies ; Her thinking brow is bent, nor doth arise Her gaze from that shut book whose word unknown Her firm hands hide from her ; there all alone She sitteth in thoughttrouble, maidenwise. And now her lover waiting wondereth Whether the joy of joys is drawing near; Shall his brave fingers like a tender breath That shut book open for her, wide and clear ? From him who her sweet shadow worshipeth Now will she take the rose, and hold it dear ?

INTERLUDE THE sun rose swift and sent a golden gleam Across the moving waters to the land ; Then for a little while it seemed to stand In a clear place, midway 'twixt sea and cloud; AVhence rising swift again it passed behind Full many a long and narrow cloud-wrought beam Encased in gold unearthly, that was mined From out the hollow caverns of the wind. These first revealed its face and next did shroud, AVhile still the daylight grew, and joy thereby Lit all the windy stretches of the sky — Until a shadow darkened from the east And sprang upon the ocean like a beast.

Part II

i THERE was a field green and fragrant with grass and flowers, and flooded with sunlight, and the air above it throbbed with the songs of birds. It was yet morning when a sudden darkness spread over the earth, and out of the darkness lightning, and after the light ning fire that consumed every green thing; and the singing birds fell dying upon the blackened grass. The THE TRAVELER 7 thunder and the flame passed, but it was still dark — till a ray of light touched the field's edge and grew, lit tle by little. Then one who listened heard — not the songs of birds again, but the flutter of broken wings. II— THE TRAVELER I met a traveler on the road AVhose back was bent beneath a load ; His face was worn with mortal care, His frame beneath its burden shook, Yet onward, restless, he did fare AVith mien unyielding, fixed, a look Set forward in the empty air As if he read an unseen book.

What was it in his smile that stirred My soul to pity ! AVhen I drew More near it seemed as if I heard The broken echo of a tune Learned in some far and happy June. His lips were parted, but unmoved By words. He sang as dreamers do, And not as if he heard and loved The song he sang : I hear it now ! He stood beside the level brook, Nor quenched his thirst, nor bathed his brow, Nor from his back the burden shook. He stood, and yet he did not rest ; His eyes climbed up in aimless quest, Then close did to that mirror bow — And, looking down, I saw in place Of his, my own familiar face. i* . IH_WRITTEN ON A FLY-LEAF OF "SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS" When shall true love be love without alloy — Shine free at last from sinful circumstance ! When shall the canker of unheavenly chance Eat not the bud of that most heavenly joy !

When shall true love meet love not as a coy Retreating light that leads a deathful dance, But as a firm fixed fire that doth enhance The beauty of all beauty ! Will the employ Of poets ever be too well to show That mightiest love with sharpest pain doth writhe That underneath the fair, caressing glove Hides evermore the iron hand ; and though Love's flower alone is good, if we would prove Its perfect bloom, our breath slays like a scythe ! IV— "AND WERE THAT BEST!" And were that best, Love, dreamless, endless sleep ! Gone all the fury of the mortal day — The daylight gone, and gone the starry ray ! And were that best, Love, rest serene and deep ! Gone labor and desire ; no arduous steep To climb, no songs to sing, no prayers to pray, No help for those who perish by the way, No laughter 'midst our tears, no tears to weep !

And were that best, Love, sleep with no dear dream, Nor memory of anything in life — Stark death that neither help nor hurt can know ! THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN 9 Oh, rather, far, the sorrow-bringing gleam, The living day's long agony and strife ! Rather strong love in pain; the waking woe! V— "THERE IS NOTHING NEAV UNDER THE SUN" There is nothing new under the sun ; There is no new hope or despair; The agony just begun Is as old as the earth and the air. My secret soul of bliss Is one with the singing stars, And the ancient mountains miss No hurt that my being mars. I know as I know my life, I know as I know my pain, That there is no lonely strife, That he is mad who would gain A separate balm for his woe, A single pity and cover; The one great God I know Hears the same prayer over and over.

I know it because at the portal Of Heaven I bowed and cried, And I said : " AVas ever a mortal Thus crowned and crucified ! My praise thou hast made my blame ; My best thou hast made my worst ; My good thou hast turned to shame ; My drink is a flaming thirst." But scarce my prayer was said Ere from that place I turned ; I trembled, I hung my head, My cheek, shame-smitten, burned; For there where I bowed down In my boastful agony, I thought of thy cross and crown — O Christ ! I remembered thee. VI — LOVE'S CRUELTY " And this, then, is thy love," I hear thee say, " And dost thou love, and canst thou torture so ? Ah, spare me, if thou lov'st me, this last woe ! " But I am not my own ; I must obey My master ; I am slave to Love ; his sway Is cruel as the grave. AA^hen he says Go ! I go ; when he says Come !

I come. I know No law but his. AVhen he says Slay ! I slay. As cruel as the grave? Yes — cruder. Cruel as light that pours its stinging flood Across the dark, and makes an anguished stir Of life. Cruel as life that sends through blood Of mortal the immortal pang and spur. Cruel as thy remorseless maidenhood. INTERLUDE THE cloud was thick that hid the sun from sight And over all a shadowy roof outspread, Making the day dim with another night — Not dark like that which passed, but oh ! more dread "MY LOVE FOR THEE 11 For the clear sunlight that had gone before And prophecy of that which yet should be. Like snow at night the wind-blown hills of sand Shone with an inward gleam far down the land : Beneath the lowering sky black was the sea Across whose waves a bird came flying low, Borne swift on the wind with wing-beat halt and slow, — From out the dull east toward the foamy shore.

There was an awful waiting in the earth As if a mystery greatened to its birth. Though late it seemed, the day was just begun AA Tien lo ! at last, the many-colored bow Stood in the heavens over against the sun.

Part III

I — "MY LOVE FOR THEE DOTH MARCH LIKE ARMED MEN " MY love for thee doth march like armed men, Against a queenly city they would take. Along the army's front its banners shake ; Across the mountain and the sun-smit plain It steadfast sweeps as sweeps the steadfast rain ; And now the trumpet makes the still air quake, And now the thundering cannon doth awake Echo on echo, echoing loud again. But, lo ! the conquest higher than bard e'er sung : Instead of answering cannon, proud surrender ! Joyful the iron gates are open flung And, for the conqueror, welcome gay and tender ! Oh, bright the invader's path with tribute flowers, AArhile comrade flags flame forth on wall and towers! I II_ "I WILL BE BRAVE FOR THEE" I will be brave for thee, dear heart ; for thee My boasted bravery forego. I will For thee be wise, or lose my little skill ; Coward or brave ; wise, foolish ; bond or free.

No grievous cost in anything I see That brings thee bliss, or only keeps thee, still, In painless peace. So heaven thy cup but fill, Be empty mine unto eternity ! Come to me, Love, and let me touch thy face ! Lean to me, Love; breathe on me thy dear breath ! Fly from me, Love, to some far hiding-place, If thy one thought of me or hindereth Or hurteth thy sweet soul — then grant me grace To be forgotten, though that grace be death ! III — "LOVE ME NOT, LOVE, FOR THAT FIRST LOVED THEE" Love me not, Love, for that I first loved thee ; Nor love me, Love, for thy sweet pity's sake, In knowledge of the mortal pain and ache Which is the fruit of love's blood-vein6d tree. Let others for my love give love to me ; From other souls, oh, gladly will I take, This burning, heart-dry thirst of love to slake, What seas of human pity there may be !

Nay, nay, I care no more how love may grow, So that I hear thee answer to my call ! Love me because my piteous tears do flow, Or that my love for thee did first befall. Love me or late or early, fast or slow — But love me, Love, for love is all in all ! BODY AND SOUL 13 IV — BODY AND SOUL i O thou my Love, love first my lonely soul ! Then shall this too unworthy body of mine Be loved by right and accident divine. Forget the flesh, that the pure spirit's goal May be the spirit ; let that stand the whole Of what thou lov'st in me. So will the shine Of soul that strikes on soul make fair and fine This earthy tenement. Thou shalt extol The inner, that the outer lovelier seem. Remember well that thy true love doth fear No deadlier foe than the impassioned dream Should drive thee to him, and should hold thee near — Near to the body, not the soul of him.

Love first my soul and then both will be dear. ii But, Love, for me thy body was the first. One day I wandered idly through the town, Then entered a cathedral's silence brown AVhich sudden thrilled with a strange heavenly burst Of light and music. Lo ! that traveler durst Do nothing now but worship and fall down. He thought to rest, as doth some tired clown AArho sinks in longed-for sleep, but there immersed Finds restless vision on vision of beauty rare. Moved by thy body's outer majesty I entered in thy silent, sacred shrine ; 'T was then, all suddenly and unaware, Thou didst reveal, O maiden Love ! to me, This beautiful, singing, holy soul of thine. V — "THY LOVER, LOVE, WOULD HAVE SOME NOBLER WAY" Thy lover, Love, would have some nobler way To tell his love, his noble love to tell, Than rhymes set ringing like a silver bell.

Oh, he would lead an army, great and gay, From conquering to conquer, day by day ! And when the walls of a proud citadel At summons of his guns far-echoing fell, — That thunder to his Love should murmuring say : Thee only do I love, dear Love of mine ! And while men cried : Behold how brave a fight ! She should read well, oh well ! each new emprise : This to her lips, this to my lady's eyes ! And though the world were conquered, line on line, Still would his love be speechless, day and night. VI — LOVE'S JEALOUSY Of other men I know no jealousy, Nor of the maid who holds thee close, oh close ! But of the June-red, summer-scented rose, And of the barred and golden sunset sky That wins the soul of thee through thy deep eye ; And of the breeze by thee beloved, that goes O'er thy dear hair and brow ; the song that flows Into thy heart of hearts, where it may die.

I would I were one moment that sweet show Of flower ; or breeze beloved that toucheth all ; Or sky that through the summer eve doth burn. I would I were the song thou lovest so, At sound of me to have thine eyelid fall ; — But I would then to something human turn. "ONCE ONLY" 15 VII — LOVE'S MONOTONE Thou art so used, Love, to thine own bird's song, — Sung to thine ear in love's low monotone, Sung to thee only, Love, to thee alone Of all the listening world, — that I among My doubts find this the leader of the throng : Haply the music hath accustomed grown And no more music is to thee ; my own Too faithful argument works its own wrong. Love, Love, and must I learn for thy sweet sake The art of silence ? — Ah, then hide the light Of thy dear countenance, lest the music wake ! Yet should thy bird at last fall silent quite, AVould not thy heart an unused sorrow take ?

Think not of me but of thyself to-night. VIII— "ONCE ONLY" Once only, Love, may love's sweet song be sung ; But once, Love, at our feet love's flower is flung ; Once, Love, once only, Love, can we be young ; Say shall we love, dear Love, or shall we hate ! Once only, Love, will burn the blood-red fire ; But once awakeneth the wild desire ; Love pleadeth long, but what if Love should tire ! Now shall we love, dear Love, or shall we wait ! The day is short, the evening cometh fast ; The time of choosing, Love, will soon be past ; The outer darkness falleth, Love, at last ; Love, let us love ere it be late, — too late ! IX— DENIAL When some new thought of love in me is born Then swift I seek a token fair and meet That may unblamed thy blessed vision greet ; Whether it be a rose, not bloodless torn From that June tree which hideth many a thorn, Or but a simple, loving message, sweet With summer's heart and mine, — these at thy feet I straightway fling; but all with maiden scorn Thou spurnest.

What to thee is token or sign, Who dost deny the thing wherefor it stands ! Then I seem foolish in my sight and thine, Like one who eager proffers empty hands. Thou only callest these my gifts unfine, While men are praising them in distant lands. X— "ONCE AVHEN AVE AVALKED AVITHIN A SUMMER FIELD" Once when we walked within a summer field I plucked the flower of immortality, And said, " Dear Love of mine, I give to thee This flower of flowers of all the round year's yield ! " 'T was then thou stood'st, and with one hand didst shield Thy sun-dazed eyes, and, flinging the other free, Spurned from thee that white blossom utterly. But, Love ! the immortal cannot so be killed. The generations shall behold thee stand Against that western glow in grass dewwet — Lord of my life, and lady of the land.