lavish June;For the heart that died in the long ago;
For the livelong pain that pierceth so:
Thus the Pewee cries,
While the evening lies
Steeped in the languorous still sunshine,
Rapt, to the leaf and the bough and the vine
Of some hopeless paradise.
Two Portraits
Wild hair flying, in a matted maze,
Hand firm as iron, eyes all ablaze;
Bystanders timidly, breathlessly gaze,
As o’er the keno board boldly he plays.
— That’s Texas Bill.
Wild hair flying, in a matted maze,
Hand firm as iron, eyes all ablaze;
Bystanders timidly, breathlessly gaze,
As o’er the keyboard boldly he plays.
— That’s Paderewski.
Vanity
A Poet sang so wondrous sweet
That toiling thousands paused and listened long;
So lofty, strong and noble were his themes,
It seemed that strength supernal swayed his song.
He, god-like, chided poor, weak, weeping man,
And bade him dry his foolish, shameful tears;
Taught that each soul on its proud self should lean,
And from that rampart scorn all earth-born fears.
The Poet grovelled on a fresh heaped mound,
Raised o’er the clay of one he’d fondly loved;
And cursed the world, and drenched the sod with tears
And all the flimsy mockery of his precepts proved.
Sleeping
Gangs
In suits of gray
Worked upon the highway
In a Southern State. Stones
Were their companions,
Coarse food
Their nourishment.
Cruelty
Met often with Greed
And Fear
Lived with Hatred,
When Love
Sought entrance
On a night
In June,
Trying
All the entrances
Unavailingly,
And tiring at last.
Kindness came
And whispering
In Love’s ear Said:
“Down the road
You will find open several houses.
Better go! I will watch here.”
Love
Gave thanks,
And with bounding steps
Went gayly to the Highway.
The sun
Was hot
And the stones were sharp,
But the time for rest was near,
And a little ripple
Was running along the highway, —
A tiny little wave
Of Joy.
Love
Seeing this,
Danced with glee
And began to sing:
“Come with me
Where the flowers bloom
And birds make music All the noon.
Sunshine Dances,
Girls give glances
To the moon.
Friends Take chances,
Gay their fancies, Come with me.”
Startled
Glances went down the line,
And Love swept on
To the end, Seeking
Entrance in each heart
And sending thrills
With delight,
Until
To each one
Passed the word
“Love is here!”
Backs
Grew straighter,
Faces brighter,
Down the line.
God
