s: he is specially called upon to consider.


s: Of poets it may be said, that they are not like other men,


s: though invested with similar qualities and characteristics.


s: the subtle power of genius, which no mortal can describe,


s: and more elevated surroundings.  They must be left to themselves,


s: their own ways and fancies; for ways and fancies they have


s: amongst the clouds, as the lightnings crown its summit,


s: is far more grand and imposing, more sublime and inspiring,


s: than are those subjects presented to us by pagan authors,


s: however refined and elegant may be the language employed


s: to convey their thoughts and depict their scenes.  Wherefore,


s: the Biblical narratives furnish the highest and best models


s: whose productions have withstood the severe criticism of ages,


s: and still stand as the highest models of poetic excellence.


s: that of Dante, who, with even greater boldness than Milton,


s: plunged into the impenetrable depths of the infernal regions,


s: whose appalling misery and never-ending woe he has described


s: The writer will not undertake to say what place Father Ryan


s: will occupy in the Temple of Fame, though he believes that


s: For the future of Father Ryan's poems we need have no fears.


s: They will pass down through the ages bearing the stamp of genius,


s: and nothing remains but its mutilated relics and soulless body;


s: Though the South may claim Father Ryan as her son of genius,


s: whose heart beat in sympathy with her hopes and her aspirations


s: his fame will be secure and appropriately perpetuated.


s: All sections will unite in doing honor to his memory,


s: which is associated with grand intellectual triumphs,


s: won by the union of the highest gifts of the Creator --


s: of the exalted subject -- an opinion by no means expressed --


s: and holy sentiment, a sublime, and ennobling act of piety.


s: of respect and sympathy which he exhibited towards all women.


s: Poetical sentiment and religious feeling he thus happily blended,


s: in his relations and intercourse with woman.


s: Three essentially poetical sentiments exist in man,


s: says a distinguished writer:  The love of God, the love of woman,


s: in all the majesty of His glory, wherever woman rules


s: Though he had been ailing for years, as has been stated,


s: gilding the heavens with its mild yet gorgeous splendor,


s: so did the grand soul of Father Ryan pass into eternity,


s: leaving behind the bright light of his genius and virtues --


s: must be ascribed to his own want of skill and ability


s: Let all hearts join in the wish that the valor displayed


s: and enduring greatness of the Republic!  Thus will we respond


s: to the prayer of the dead priest, whose poem, the "Lost Cause",


s: and song of "The Conquered Banner", will mingle harmoniously


s: with the soft, earnest words and sweet, placid tones


s: of his peaceful "Reunited".  So the songs of the dead poet


s: will be music to the living until time shall be no more!


s: Down the dim, voiceless valley -- alone!


s: And still found the False with the True;


s: And I wept when the clouds of the Mortal


s: And I toiled on, heart-tired, of the Human,


s: And I heard a voice call me.  Since then


s: And there arose from the depths of my spirit


s: But my tears are as sweet as the dewdrops


s: And my prayer, like a perfume from censers,


s: And the music floats down the dim Valley,


s: That to hearts, like the Dove of the Deluge,


s: And I have seen Thoughts in the Valley --


s: And they wear holy veils on their faces,


s: They pass through the Valley like virgins,


s: I leave on earth; for the stern years tread --


s: Tread out the names of the gone and dead!


s: From the light of Life, and the heat of strife,


s: To the peace of Death, and the cold, still dust,


s: In Life -- in Death -- kneel at his feet --


s: Where the wicked shall from troubling cease,


s: Go down where the wavelets are kissing the shore,


s: The poets have asked them a thousand times o'er,


s: But they're kissing the shore as they kissed it before,


s: And they're sighing to-day, and they'll sigh evermore.


s: Ask them what ails them:  they will not reply;


s: But they'll sigh on forever and never tell why!


s: The waves will not answer you; neither shall I.


s: Go stand on the beach of the blue boundless deep,


s: When the night stars are gleaming on high,


s: And hear how the billows are moaning in sleep,


s: On the low lying strand by the surge-beaten steep.


s: They're moaning forever wherever they sweep.


s: Ask them what ails them:  they never reply;


s: They moan, and so sadly, but will not tell why


s: Go list to the breeze at the waning of day,


s: The dear little breeze -- how it wishes to stay


s: Where the flowers are in bloom, where the singing birds play;


s: How it sighs when it flies on its wearisome way.


s: Ask it what ails it:  it will not reply;


s: Its voice is a sad one, it never told why.


s: The breeze will not answer you; neither shall I.


s: Go watch the wild blasts as they spring from their lair,


s: When the shout of the storm rends the sky;


s: They rush o'er the earth and they ride thro' the air


s: And they blight with their breath all the lovely and fair,


s: And they groan like the ghosts in the "land of despair".


s: Their voices are mournful, they will not tell why.


s: The blasts will not answer you; neither shall I.


s: Go stand on the rivulet's lily-fringed side,


s: The streamlets which forest trees shadow and hide,


s: And the rivers that roll in their oceanward tide,


s: Are moaning forever wherever they glide;


s: Ask them what ails them:  they will not reply.


s: On -- sad voiced -- they flow, but they never tell why.


s: Earth's streams will not answer you; neither shall I.


s: Go list to the voices of air, earth and sea,


s: Their songs may be joyful to some, but to me


s: There's a sigh in each chord and a sigh in each key,


s: And thousands of sighs swell their grand melody.


s: They sigh -- sigh forever -- but never tell why.


s: Their lips will not answer you; neither shall I.


s: And I walk by the light of its gleaming;


s: It brightens my days, and when days are done


s: It shines in the night o'er my dreaming.


s: And I know that its lustre will gladden my gaze


s: And the clouds pass away, and my spirit grows glad,


s: But it, far and fair, bright and true to the last,


s: Sheds a light that will pass away never.


s: Shine on, shine always, thou star of my days!


s: And when Death's starless night gathers o'er me,


s: Beam brighter than ever adown on my gaze,


s: A mile or so of sunlit waves off shore --


s: Our boat a "dream of rest" on the still sea --


s: That all day long sang songs unto the deep;


s: Sweet silence crept thro' the rifts of sound


s: The only cloud that flecked the foamless sea;


s: No sound! no stir in the wide, wondrous calm;


s: And snow-white, from far ridges screened with shade


s: All light seemed melting into boundless blue;


s: Thro' clouds of roses, when another slept


s: Not e'en a sea-bird o'er us waveward flew;


s: Nay! Light! some shadows fell on that fair scene,


s: No matter where! all shadows are not seen;


s: Will sudden rise as tears to shining eyes,


s: Tho' each I ween did hear the other's soul.


s: The loneliest music of the weariest waves


s: Here floats no sound, and all the seas and skies


s: The wildest waves may feel thy sceptre's spell


s: Beyond their reach lone waves on troubled seas


s: Were our eyes speaking while they watched the sky?


s: Swept sighing from the skies into our souls --


s: 'Twas more than half an age; 'tis ever thus.


s: Sped flitting like a ghost where waves of blue


s: Whence smiles have fled; we or the wavelets sighed,


s: The moonlight trembled, like a mother's smile,


s: The waves seemed listening on the lonely sea,


s: The spell of silence; and two eyes unclosed,


s: He said; "the waking waves set towards the shore."


s: Who slumbered near the mast with dreamy face


s: Shone on two souls like stars that shine on shrines;


s: Of dazzling waves our boat like wild bird flew;


s: Nocturne ["I sit to-night by the firelight,"]


s: And my eyes, they were proud to read them,


s: But there must be a change -- I feel it.


s: And the Name names the Heart that is throbbing


s: Have they sunk 'neath the gray of the ashes


s: In the white of the coal's silver flashes,


s: In the red of the restless flames' gold.


s: That fall from their shrines soon or late,


s: When the Love that is Lord of the temple,


s: Comes with sceptre and crown to the gate.


s: To be faithless oft means to be faithful,


s: The vale that loves clouds that are golden


s: Am I dreaming?  No, there is the firelight,


s: Farewell! all ye hearts, names, and faces!


s: Three pictures -- yet only one picture --


s: And their darkest of nights whose shadowy slopes


s: Are lit with the flashes of starriest hopes,


s: And their sunshiny days in whose calm heavens loom


s: The clouds of the tempest -- the shadows of the gloom!


s: Tho' the brows of To-morrows be radiant and bright,


s: With love and with beauty, with life and with light,


s: The dead hearts of Yesterdays, cold on the bier,


s: To the hearts that survive them, are evermore dear.


s: But the flowers of the future, tho' fragrant and fair,


s: With the past's withered leaflets may never compare;


s: For dear is each dead leaf -- and dearer each thorn --


s: In the wreaths which the brows of our past years have worn.


s: As the vine that clings to the oak that falls;


s: As the ivy twines round the crumbled walls;


s: For the dust of the past some hearts higher prize


s: Than the stars that flash out from the future's bright skies.


s: We walked by their side, and we told them each grief,


s: And they kissed off our tears while they whispered relief;


s: And the stories of hearts that may not be revealed


s: In the hearts of the dead years are buried and sealed.


s: Ah! the Stranger-Year trips over the snows,


s: And his brow is wreathed with many a rose:


s: But how many thorns do the roses conceal


s: Which the roses, when withered, shall so soon reveal?


s: Yea! Stranger-Year, thou hast many a charm,


s: And thy face is fair and thy greeting warm,


s: But, dearer than thou -- in his shroud of snows --


s: Is the furrowed face of the Year that goes.


s: They will trust thy words in a single hour,


s: They will love thy face, they will laud thy power;


s: For the ~New~ has charms which the ~Old~ has not,


s: And the Stranger's face makes the Friend's forgot.


s: Unroll Erin's flag! fling its folds to the breeze!


s: Let it float o'er the land, let it flash o'er the seas!


s: Lift it out of the dust -- let it wave as of yore,


s: When its chiefs with their clans stood around it and swore


s: That never! no, never! while God gave them life,


s: And they had an arm and a sword for the strife,


s: That never! no, never! that banner should yield


s: As long as the heart of a Celt was its shield:


s: While the hand of a Celt had a weapon to wield


s: And his last drop of blood was unshed on the field.


s: Lift it up! wave it high! 'tis as bright as of old!


s: Not a stain on its green, not a blot on its gold,


s: Tho' the woes and the wrongs of three hundred long years


s: Have drenched Erin's sunburst with blood and with tears!


s: Though the clouds of oppression enshroud it in gloom,


s: And around it the thunders of Tyranny boom.


s: Look aloft! look aloft! lo! the clouds drifting by,


s: There's a gleam through the gloom, there's a light in the sky,


s: 'Tis the sunburst resplendent -- far, flashing on high!


s: Erin's dark night is waning, her day-dawn is nigh!


s: Lift it up! lift it up! the old Banner of Green!


s: The blood of its sons has but brightened its sheen;


s: What though the tyrant has trampled it down,


s: Are its folds not emblazoned with deeds of renown?


s: What though for ages it droops in the dust,


s: Shall it droop thus forever?  No, no!  God is just!


s: Take it up! take it up! from the tyrant's foul tread,


s: Let him tear the Green Flag -- we will snatch its last shred,


s: And beneath it we'll bleed as our forefathers bled,


s: And we'll vow by the dust in the graves of our dead,


s: And we'll swear by the blood which the Briton has shed,


s: And we'll vow by the wrecks which through Erin he spread,


s: And we'll swear by the thousands who, famished, unfed,


s: Died down in the ditches, wild-howling for bread;


s: And we'll vow by our heroes, whose spirits have fled,


s: And we'll swear by the bones in each coffinless bed,


s: That we'll battle the Briton through danger and dread;


s: That we'll cling to the cause which we glory to wed,


s: 'Til the gleam of our steel and the shock of our lead


s: Shall prove to our foe that we meant what we said --


s: That we'll lift up the green, and we'll tear down the red!


s: Lift up the Green Flag! oh! it wants to go home,


s: Full long has its lot been to wander and roam,


s: It has followed the fate of its sons o'er the world,


s: But its folds, like their hopes, are not faded nor furled;


s: Like a weary-winged bird, to the East and the West,


s: It has flitted and fled -- but it never shall rest,


s: 'Til, pluming its pinions, it sweeps o'er the main,


s: And speeds to the shores of its old home again,


s: Where its fetterless folds o'er each mountain and plain


s: Shall wave with a glory that never shall wane.


s: Take it up! take it up! bear it back from afar!


s: That banner must blaze 'mid the lightnings of war;


s: Lay your hands on its folds, lift your gaze to the sky,


s: And swear that you'll bear it triumphant or die,


s: And shout to the clans scattered far o'er the earth


s: To join in the march to the land of their birth;


s: And wherever the Exiles, 'neath heaven's broad dome,


s: Have been fated to suffer, to sorrow and roam,


s: They'll bound on the sea, and away o'er the foam,


s: They'll sail to the music of "Home, Sweet Home!"


s: Forth from its scabbard, pure and bright,


s: High o'er the brave in the cause of Right,


s: Its stainless sheen, like a beacon light,


s: Roused from its rest by the battle's song,


s: Shielding the feeble, smiting the strong,


s: That where that sword led they would dare


s: We still hoped on while gleamed the blade


s: Of a gentle priest; while in accents low,


s: The sponsors murmured the grand "I believe,"


s: And the priest bade the mystic waters to flow


s: And out of the cloud grief's rain fell fast;


s: Came the baby's smiles, and the mother's sighs,


s: And the years like waves broke on the shore


s: Of the mother's heart, and her baby's life;


s: Ere the orphaned child knew how to grieve


s: The wild birds sang where her heart was laid,


s: He drifted away from his mother's grave,


s: Like a fragile flower on a great stream's tide,


s: Till he heard the moan of the mighty wave,


s: That welcomed the stream to the ocean wide.


s: The world still laughed, 'tis ever so --


s: Young as the youngest who donned the Gray,


s: (Hot tears on the cheeks of his mother lay)


s: And the day was won -- but the field was red --


s: And the blood of his fresh young heart was shed


s: On the trampled breast of the battle plain


s: On his pale, pure face not a mark of pain,


s: (His mother dreams they will meet again)


s: In the solemn shades of the wood that swept


s: They buried him there -- and the big tears crept


s: Into strong men's eyes that had seldom wept.


s: (His mother -- God pity her -- smiled and slept,


s: A grave in the woods with the grass o'ergrown,


s: His clay in the one lies lifeless and lone;


s: There is not a name, there is not a stone,


s: And only the voice of the winds maketh moan


s: O'er the grave where never a flower is strewn


s: The waves were wild with an awful wrath,


s: Not a light shone down on the lone ship's path;


s: Rose wild from the hearts of the tempest-tossed.


s: It smote on the dark and it rended the clouds;


s: The billows below them were weaving white shrouds


s: Wailed wilder the lips of the tempest-tossed.


s: And the lifted faces were wan and white,


s: There was nothing without them but storm and night


s: And the waves and the winds of the storm were hushed,


s: And the sky with the gleams of the stars was flushed.


s: In the dark -- in the storm -- "Our Father" is nigh.


s: 'Tis sweeter when its leaves are crushed


s: The sweetest hearts are those that bleed.


s: And fell in a cause, though lost, still just,


s: They fell for us, and for them should fall


s: Just as they marched to the bloody fray,


s: Without sword or flag, and with soundless tread,


s: We gather them here and we lay them down,


s: And tears and prayers are the only crown


s: Was late thy mercy's generous deed and grand.


s: Nigh twice ten years the sword was sheathed:


s: For nigh two decades Spring had breathed;


s: Nor fields, where all were brave and some had failed.


s: And Southland, brightest sun's fair bride,


s: And blood and anguish of four deathless years.


s: And who could believe its fragrant light


s: Would e'er be freighted with the breath of blight?


s: That e'en from out its brightness spread,


s: The waiting grave would welcome as its guest.


s: The Northland, strong in love, and great,


s: Save -- she was generous and her foe was crushed.


s: And thou hast recompensed my anguished years.


s: O Northland, in thy generous deed and grand."


s: And where the stream, in wayward whirls,


s: Lay shells, that wore the look of pearls


s: The stream flowed on 'tween shore and shore.


s: While here and there the trees between --


s: And round the rocks crept flowered vines,


s: And clomb the trees that towered high --


s: And sang, while stillness grew more still


s: 'Tis sweet to believe 'tis God's, and hard


s: Yea! dreams all free from earthly taint,


s: As pure as thoughts that thrill a saint,


s: Ah! dreams that did not rise from sense,


s: Yea! dreams that vied with angels' flight!


s: But when the priest knelt down that night


s: And prayed, why woke ye from your sleep?


s: The wreck that drifted thro' the years --


s: Her lips were sealed, they could not pray,


s: The prayer of tears, which swiftest goes


s: "Mother!" -- her pale lips said no more --


s: The wreck, at last, reached Mercy's shore,


s: "A land without ruins is a land without memories --


s: a land without memories is a land without history.


s: A land that wears a laurel crown may be fair to see;


s: but twine a few sad cypress leaves around the brow of any land,


s: and be that land barren, beautiless and bleak, it becomes lovely


s: Yes give me the land where the ruins are spread,


s: And the living tread light on the hearts of the dead;


s: Yes, give me a land that is blest by the dust,


s: And bright with the deeds of the down-trodden just.


s: Yes, give me the land where the battle's red blast


s: Has flashed to the future the fame of the past;


s: Yes, give me the land that hath legends and lays


s: That tell of the memories of long vanished days;


s: Yes, give me a land that hath story and song!


s: Enshrine the strife of the right with the wrong!


s: Yes, give me a land with a grave in each spot,


s: And names in the graves that shall not be forgot;


s: Yes, give me the land of the wreck and the tomb;


s: There is grandeur in graves -- there is glory in gloom;


s: For out of the gloom future brightness is born,


s: As after the night comes the sunrise of morn;


s: And the graves of the dead with the grass overgrown


s: May yet form the footstool of liberty's throne,


s: And each single wreck in the war path of might


s: Shall yet be a rock in the temple of right.


s: They come, as the breeze comes over the foam,


s: Waking the waves that are sinking to sleep --


s: The fairest of memories from far-away home,


s: The dim dreams of faces beyond the dark deep.


s: They come as the stars come out in the sky,


s: That shimmer wherever the shadows may sweep,


s: And their steps are as soft as the sound of a sigh


s: And I welcome them all while I wearily weep.


s: They come as a song comes out of the past


s: A loved mother murmured in days that are dead,


s: Whose tones spirit-thrilling live on to the last,


s: When the gloom of the heart wraps its gray o'er the head.


s: They come like the ghosts from the grass shrouded graves,


s: And they follow our footsteps on life's winding way;


s: And they murmur around us as murmur the waves


s: That sigh on the shore at the dying of day.


s: They come, sad as tears to the eyes that are bright;


s: They come, sweet as smiles to the lips that are pale;


s: They come, dim as dreams in the depths of the night;


s: They come, fair as flowers to the summerless vale.


s: There is not a heart that is not haunted so,


s: Though far we may stray from the scenes of the past,


s: Its memories will follow wherever we go,


s: And the days that were first sway the days that are last.


s: My face is wan and white with many woes!


s: But I will lift my poor chained hands to God,


s: And for my children pray, and for my foes.


s: Beside the graves where thousands lowly lie


s: I kneel, and weeping for each slaughtered son,


s: And pray, O Father, let Thy will be done!


s: My heart is filled with anguish, deep and vast!


s: My hopes are buried with my children's dust!


s: My joys have fled, my tears are flowing fast!


s: In whom, save Thee, our Father, shall I trust?


s: Ah! I forgot Thee, Father, long and oft,


s: When I was happy, rich, and proud, and free;


s: But conquered now, and crushed, I look aloft,


s: And sorrow leads me, Father, back to Thee.


s: Amid the wrecks that mark the foeman's path


s: I kneel, and wailing o'er my glories gone,


s: I still each thought of hate, each throb of wrath,


s: And whisper, Father, let Thy will be done!


s: And keep me, guard me, with Thy loving care.


s: Whose broken heart bled at the feet of grief,


s: That hearts of earth, whenever they shall break,


s: Ah, me, how dark!  Is this a brief eclipse?


s: O Father! Father! with my pale, sad lips,


s: And sadder heart, I pray Thy will be done.


s: My homes are joyless, and a million mourn


s: Whose hearts were light, are burdened now and torn,


s: Where many smiled, but one is left to moan.


s: And ah! the widow's wails, the orphan's cries,


s: Are morning hymn and vesper chant to me;


s: And groans of men and sounds of women's sighs


s: Commingle, Father, with my prayer to Thee.


s: Beneath my feet ten thousand children dead --


s: Oh! how I loved each known and nameless one!


s: Above their dust I bow my crownless head


s: And murmur:  Father, still Thy will be done.


s: Ah! Father, Thou didst deck my own loved land


s: With all bright charms, and beautiful and fair;


s: But foeman came, and with a ruthless hand,


s: Spread ruin, wreck, and desolation there.


s: Girdled with gloom, of all my brightness shorn,


s: And garmented with grief, I kiss Thy rod,


s: And turn my face, with tears all wet and worn,


s: Around me blight, where all before was bloom,


s: Save this -- that I can lean on wreck and tomb


s: And weep, and weeping, pray Thy will be done.


s: And oh! 'tis hard to say, but said, 'tis sweet;


s: The words are bitter, but they hold a balm --


s: A balm that heals the wounds of my defeat,


s: It is the prayer of prayers, and how it brings,


s: When heard in heaven, peace and hope to me!


s: When Jesus prayed it did not angels' wings


s: My children, Father, Thy forgiveness need;


s: Alas! their hearts have only place for tears!


s: Forgive them, Father, ev'ry wrongful deed,


s: And every sin of those four bloody years;


s: And give them strength to bear their boundless loss,


s: And from their hearts take every thought of hate;


s: And while they climb their Calvary with their cross,


s: Oh! help them, Father, to endure its weight.


s: Ah! sighs may soothe, but prayer shall soothe me more!


s: Oh! rest their souls, my Father, I implore;


s: Forgive my foes -- they know not what they do --


s: Forgive them all the tears they made me shed;


s: Forgive them, though my noblest sons they slew,


s: And bless them, though they curse my poor, dear dead.


s: With swift, white wings, that, bathing in my tears,


s: Will bear Thee, Father, all my prayers of love,


s: And bring me peace in all my doubts and fears.


s: Father, I kneel, 'mid ruin, wreck, and grave --


s: A desert waste, where all was erst so fair --


s: Pity and pardon.  Father, hear my prayer!


s: Where the star-fringed shadows softly sway


s: And, all the day -- since white-robed priest


s: They shone like stars around thee, Queen!


s: Shines not as the tender love-light shines,


s: In the mother's eyes, whose pure heart pines


s: Let thy sceptre wave in the realms above


s: Of all His children!  The last, least one,


s: Weary hearts! weary hearts! by the cares of life oppressed,


s: Ye are wand'ring in the shadows -- ye are sighing for a rest:


s: There is darkness in the heavens, and the earth is bleak below,


s: And the joys we taste to-day may to-morrow turn to woe.


s: Lonely hearts! lonely hearts! this is but a land of grief;


s: Ye are pining for repose -- ye are longing for relief:


s: What the world hath never given, kneel and ask of God above,


s: And your grief shall turn to gladness, if you lean upon His love.


s: Restless hearts! restless hearts! ye are toiling night and day,


s: Breaking hearts! broken hearts! ye are desolate and lone,


s: And low voices from the past o'er your present ruins moan!


s: In the sweetest of your pleasures there was bitterest alloy,


s: And a starless night hath followed on the sunset of your joy.


s: In bright or blighted places, wheresoever ye may roam,


s: Ye look away from earth-land, and ye murmur, "Where is home?"


s: To the splendors and skies of the light-land,


s: To the cloudless and shadowless bright-land,


s: It flashed from the crown that she wore,


s: And the eyes, that with rapture were beaming,


s: And to-night I look up to the star-land,


s: Let us meet at the shrine of the Virgin,


s: Flashed bright with the roses' red sheen;


s: The sun-gleams came down from the heavens


s: And they seemed to kneel down with the shadows


s: The singers, their hearts in their voices,


s: And the last trembling wave of the Vespers


s: On the far shores of silence had rolled.


s: And there -- at the Queen-Virgin's altar --


s: While the hands of the twilight were weaving


s: They bore the bright blue of the heavens,


s: And beneath them fair children were kneeling,


s: Their brows wore the wreath of the rose,


s: And their hearts like their flutterless banners,


s: That from eyes that are most like the heavens


s: And they bent their bright folds for the blessing


s: That fell from the priest's lifted hand.


s: And he signed the three fair, silken standards,


s: What stirred them?  The breeze of the evening?


s: And I believe, with the Children of Mary,


s: Ah, faith! simple faith of the children!


s: Finds a home in the hearts of the children


s: Swept a voice:  was it wafted from Heaven?


s: Where it sleeps on the shore in the night time?


s: Heard you ever the hymns the breeze brings


s: From the hearts of a thousand bright summers?


s: Heard you ever the bird, when she springs


s: To the clouds, till she seems to be only


s: Never flower such a sweetness distilled;


s: And they laid down the wreaths of the roses


s: Met ere their Queen's Feast passed away,


s: Where the sun-gleams knelt down with the shadows


s: "Come!" and our hearts will be bright again.


s: Come! and shine in your place once more,


s: And darkness rests where you shed for us


s: Till we sink like you and the stars away.


s: With a gleam for the folds of the vestments


s: And the white is the white of a sunlight


s: And the hearts of Christ and the Christian


s: Where the daylight hath died in the valley,


s: On the shadow of death there is flashing


s: On the face of the dead there is glowing


s: Still, shadow! sleep on in the vestments


s: And they send from their altars sweet prayers


s: O'er the tears that rain down from their eyes.


s: "Laudate" rings out through the heavens --


s: The dead priest hath won his faith's prize.


s: And their prayers round his brow in the heavens


s: Flows thro' each tear -- sounds in each sigh.


s: The flowers of crowns we yet shall wear.


s: On laughter's billows hearts are tossed,


s: One -- tender and true, with the shyest smile,


s: Stilled were the throbbings of human love;


s: On the human love fell the heavenly grace,


s: Two loves passed down the long, wide aisles,


s: Will they ever forget the low, white gate?


s: Shines o'er two children's hearts at rest,


s: Round which you twined the badge of blue.


s: Go to their graves, this Virgin's feast,


s: Beside those children's grave, song dies;


s: Hush!  Poet! -- Priest!  Prayer hath a wing


s: Reverie ["We laugh when our souls are the saddest,"]


s: We laugh when our souls are the saddest,


s: And our souls mourn in anguish the while.


s: And our eyes wear a summer's bright glory,


s: Yea, swift as the sunshine, and fleeting


s: And we smile, and mayhap grief is sleeting


s: And the clouds of the tempest are shifting


s: O'er the heart, tho' the face may be bright;


s: And the snows of woe's winter are drifting


s: There is something -- a something -- alloying


s: The flowers there are thorns for us all.


s: Ah! 'tis hard when our beautiful dreamings


s: Wave their wing when the gloom hides their gleaming,


s: While vain is the spirit's wild yearning


s: They have gone -- they have gone -- and forever --


s: And the light that grows dimmer and dimmer --


s: That we may read clearly life's story --


s: Some hearts beat where some hearts break;


s: Some wills faint where some wills fight,


s: The ones who strive, or those who yield?


s: The half-furled banners of light, that hung


s: And over the blue where the river rolled,


s: The soft-voiced winds sang joyous lay --


s: You never would think they had ever sighed;


s: But where the woods waved low and green,


s: And seldom would let the sunlight through,


s: Sweet shadows fell, and in their screen,


s: Who have reached the evening of the old!


s: And father -- mother -- sister -- priest --


s: The young forgot they would e'er be old,


s: Where'er their footsteps stayed or strolled,


s: Came wittiest word from tireless tongue,


s: Where the woods drooped low and the river rolled.


s: On the fair, sweet brows in that fairest place


s: Joy reigned in the fullness of her grace.


s: Swift to the West bright-winged she fled;


s: The last rays flushed which her plumage shed


s: From an evening cloud -- was it a sign of grief?


s: And the bright day passed -- is there much relief


s: That its dream dies not when its gleam is dead?


s: Thou givest the sign of our coming days.


s: That evening cloud was a sign, I ween --


s: Shall come next year to the selfsame scene;


s: Shall robe thee again in a golden sheen;


s: Yet though thy shadows may weave a screen


s: Whose sounds are like shadows soft and dim.


s: Let it sweep as a lone star sweeps along


s: Where nothing is drear, or dark, or dim,


s: And earth-song soars into heavenly hymn.


s: Years have swept, and years are sweeping


s: To thy birth-land's cause she bound thee,


s: With fond prayers and blessings crowned thee,


s: And she sobbed:  "When foes surround thee,


s: Forth, with footsteps firm and fearless,


s: Though his heart was lone and cheerless,


s: On, where swords are clanging, clashing,


s: While the glorious shout swept sounding,


s: 'Twas the midnight; stars shone round him,


s: The waves were weary, and they went to sleep;


s: The furrowed face of all the mighty deep.


s: The billows yester eve so dark and wild,


s: Like that which rests upon a cradled child.


s: The sky was bright, and every single star,


s: And looked upon the sea -- so fair and far.


s: And all was still -- still as a temple dim,


s: A bark slept on the sea, and in the bark


s: Whose face is light! where all, all else, is dark.


s: His brow was heavenward turned, His face was fair


s: The stars He made were gleaming through His hair.


s: And lo! a moan moved o'er the mighty deep;


s: Felt all the waves awaking from their sleep.


s: The winds wailed wild, and wilder billows beat;


s: But Mary's Son slept on, serene and sweet.


s: The tempest raged in all its mighty wrath,


s: And darker waves surged round the bark's lone path.


s: The sleeper woke!  He gazed upon the deep;


s: Be still!"  The tempest fled -- the ocean fell asleep.


s: And ah! when human hearts by storms are tossed,


s: And 'mid the wildest waves where all seems lost,


s: He now, as then, with words of power and peace,


s: And lo! a great calm comes -- the tempest's perils cease.


s: And the sound of their voices is all unheard;


s: Or, if heard at all, 'tis as faint as the flow


s: Of beautiful waves which no storm hath stirred.


s: Lone ways on earth, without leaving a mark;


s: They move 'mid the living, they pass to the dead,


s: As still as the gleam of a star thro' the dark.


s: And none may know that they beat at all;


s: They muffle their music whenever they meet


s: Soundlessly -- shadowly -- such move on,


s: How lofty their souls -- their hearts how deep.


s: Tho' in the world 'tis their lot to stay --


s: The tremulous wings of their hearts are furled


s: Where earth's unknown shall be known the best,


s: And the hidden hearts shall be brightest blest.


s: But my heart, like the lost star, can dream


s: How a face that was once bright and so fair,


s: Wild rushed the hot tears from her eyes,


s: From her lips rushed the wildest of sighs,


s: And her lips they were moving in prayer,


s: But some tell their days by the flow of their tears,


s: And their lives by the moans of their heart.


s: Few or many they come, few or many they go,


s: And not by the scenes that we pass on our way,


s: And not by the furrows the fingers of care


s: Not by the sun of the earth, but the shade


s: Of our souls, and the fall of our tears.


s: While their blood beats warm, their hearts are cold --


s: O'er them the spring -- but winter is there.


s: And they sing in age, as in youth they sung,


s: And they laugh, for their cross was light.


s: From a cross to a cross they lead; 'tis well,


s: And they're blest with a blessing of tears.


s: Give me instead of a long stream of life


s: But never the foam brings the lone back home --


s: And skies have clouds, and souls have care?"


s: "What ails the world?" he sang and asked --


s: From him whose soul first soared in song,


s: "What ails the world?" comes from the throng.


s: When o'er the list'ning world there floats


s: The song of fame floats forth, e'en then


s: Their sweetest harps have broken strings,


s: "What ails the world?" he sings and sighs;


s: There never was a valley without a faded flower,


s: There never was a heaven without some little cloud;


s: The face of day may flash with light in any morning hour,


s: But evening soon shall come with her shadow-woven shroud.


s: There never was a river without its mists of gray,


s: There never was a forest without its fallen leaf;


s: And joy may walk beside us down the windings of our way,


s: When, lo! there sounds a footstep, and we meet the face of grief.


s: There never was a seashore without its drifting wreck,


s: There never was an ocean without its moaning wave;


s: And the golden gleams of glory the summer sky that fleck,


s: Shine where dead stars are sleeping in their azure-mantled grave.


s: There never was a streamlet, however crystal clear,


s: Without a shadow resting in the ripples of its tide;


s: The shadow of the mountain falls athwart the lowly plain,


s: And the shadow of the cloudlet hangs above the mountain's head,


s: And the highest hearts and lowest wear the shadow of some pain,


s: For no eyes have there been ever without a weary tear,


s: And those lips cannot be human which have never heaved a sigh;


s: For without the dreary winter there has never been a year,


s: And the tempests hide their terrors in the calmest summer sky.


s: The cradle means the coffin, and the coffin means the grave;


s: The mother's song scarce hides the ~De Profundis~ of the priest;


s: You may cull the fairest roses any May-day ever gave,


s: But they wither while you wear them ere the ending of your feast.


s: So this dreary life is passing -- and we move amid its maze,


s: And we grope along together, half in darkness, half in light;


s: And our hearts are often burdened by the mysteries of our ways,


s: Which are never all in shadow and are never wholly bright.


s: And our dim eyes ask a beacon, and our weary feet a guide,


s: There grandeur dreamed its dream and thought


s: There rulers reigned; yon heap of stones


s: There legions marched with bucklers bright,


s: While flags, like eagles plumed for flight,


s: There marched the warriors back to home,


s: That Rome is dead -- here is the grave --


s: I nearly died, I almost touched the door


s: That swings between forever and no more;


s: Death's coming; but alas! 'twas all in vain:


s: The door half-opened and then closed again.


s: What were my thoughts?  I had but one regret --


s: That I was doomed to live and linger yet


s: In this dark valley where the stream of tears


s: Flows, and, in flowing, deepens thro' the years.


s: My lips spake not -- my eyes were dull and dim,


s: But thro' my heart there moved a soundless hymn --


s: Transcending language -- as the summer breeze,


s: Which, through the forest mystically floats,


s: Transcends the reach of mortal music's notes.


s: Wedded to words, it might have been like this:


s: I'll meet thee -- time's dread lictor --


s: Old trees, old trees! in your mystic gloom


s: Old trees, old trees! without pomp or prayer


s: Old trees, old trees! keep watch and ward


s: 'Tis a glory, old trees, to stand as guard


s: Old trees, old trees! we shall pass away


s: But ye, lone sentinels, still must stay,


s: Who fears not human rage, nor human guile;


s: Upon his cheeks the twilight of a grief,


s: But in that grief the starlight of a smile.


s: Deep, gentle eyes, with drooping lids that tell


s: They are the homes where tears of sorrow dwell;


s: A low voice -- strangely sweet -- whose very tone


s: Tells how these lips speak oft with God alone.


s: I kissed his hand, I fain would kiss his feet;


s: "No, no," he said; and then, in accents sweet,


s: He bade me rise; a few more words he said,


s: Then took me by the hand -- the while he smiled --


s: And, going, whispered:  "Pray for me, my child."


s: The living and dead of the conquered land


s: Go! halt by the fields where warriors fell;


s: Whilst right is right, and wrong is wrong,


s: Go! guard the private and guard the chief,


s: Go forth, to watch for a time -- a time --


s: Sing round the graves, whilst hot tears surge


s: Brave men may die -- Right has no death!


s: And the waving wings of the poet's words


s: To watch the graves where the grass is dank,


s: At the beck of the bard -- a hope forlorn --


s: Let the sword still flash, tho' its flag be furled,


s: That the men were right who wore the gray,


s: From the ages' crest; o'er the world they fling


s: Go down the world, in loud-voiced throngs,


s: I have a faith, and my heart believes still


s: They watch the clouds, but wait the rift


s: By a thought that sleeps in a deathless word,


s: Will stir the world to its depths and thrill


s: His sun through one of to-morrow's gates


s: And the rebels shall rise and march again


s: And the men who wore the gray shall seem


s: And the father's curse and the mother's sigh,


s: And a master-hand -- but the humblest hand


s: My songs, like the birds', will be forgot,


s: While the gentle, humble, and low-toned rhymes


s: But the way was bright to our soldiers' feet


s: Our cause was wrapped in its winding shroud,


s: But we know he sheathed his stainless sword


s: North, keep the clouds that flush the West,


s: That the soldiers who wore the gray, and died


s: Dead soldiers! rise from your graves and speak,


s: But in all the colors that deck the world


s: The Northern heart and the Southern heart


s: Dead! but his sunny and sad land wreathes


s: And teardrops fall from our eyes in waves


s: His face was sad; some shadow must have hung


s: Above his soul; its folds, now falling dark,


s: Now almost bright; but dark or not so dark,


s: Like cloud upon a mount, 'twas always there --


s: His eyes were changeful; for the gloom of gray


s: Within them met and blended with the blue,


s: And when they gazed they seemed almost to dream


s: And often drooped; his face was always sad.


s: His eyes were deep; I often saw them dim,


s: Had gathered there, and only left a mist


s: That made them moist and kept them ever moist.


s: And yet he seemed as one who often wept,


s: Or always, tears that were too proud to flow


s: In outer streams, but shrunk within and froze --


s: Froze down into himself; his face was sad.


s: And yet sometimes he smiled -- a sudden smile,


s: As if some far-gone joy came back again,


s: Surprised his heart, and flashed across his face


s: A moment like a light through rifts in clouds,


s: He rarely laughed; his face was ever sad.


s: And when he spoke his words were sad as wails,


s: And strange as stories of an unknown land,


s: And full of meanings as the sea of moans.


s: At times he was so still that silence seemed


s: Would leave his heart; his face was strangely sad.


s: But then at times his speech flowed like a stream --


s: A deep and dreamy stream through lonely dells


s: Of lofty mountain-thoughts, and o'er its waves


s: Hung mysteries of gloom; and in its flow


s: It rippled on lone shores fair-fringed with flowers,


s: And deepened as it flowed; his face was sad.


s: He had his moods of silence and of speech.


s: I asked him once the reason, and he said:


s: "When I speak much, my words are only words,


s: When I speak least, my words are more than words,


s: When I speak not, I then reveal myself!"


s: It was his way of saying things -- he spoke


s: In quaintest riddles; and his face was sad.


s: And, when he wished, he wove around his words


s: A nameless spell that marvelously thrilled


s: The dullest ear.  'Twas strange that he so cold


s: Could warm the coldest heart; that he so hard


s: Could soften hardest soul; that he so still


s: Could rouse the stillest mind:  his face was sad.


s: For thought to play with; and of life he spoke


s: As of a toy not worth the play of thought;


s: And of this world he spoke as captives speak


s: Of prisons where they pine; he spoke of men


s: As one who found pure gold in each of them.


s: As if he walked with Him and knew His heart --


s: As if he dragged a chain, or bore a cross;


s: His heart seemed scarce to know an earthly joy,


s: And yet the joyless were rejoiced by him.


s: He seemed to have two selves -- his outer self


s: Was free to any passer-by, and kind to all,


s: And gentle as a child's; that outer self


s: Kept open all its gates, that who so wished


s: Might enter them and find therein a place;


s: The inner self he guarded from approach,


s: He kept it sealed and sacred as a shrine;


s: Its gates were locked and watched, and none might pass


s: Beyond the portals; and his face was sad.


s: But whoso entered there -- and few were they --


s: They never did forget; they said:  "How strange!"


s: They murmured still:  "How strange! how strangely strange!"


s: They went their ways, but wore a lifted look,


s: And higher meanings came to common words,


s: And lowly thoughts took on the grandest tones;


s: The "Shadow and the Shrine"; his face was sad.


s: He was not young nor old -- yet he was both;


s: Nor both by turns, but always both at once;


s: For youth and age commingled in his ways,


s: His words, his feelings, and his thoughts and acts.


s: At times the "old man" tottered in his thoughts,


s: The child played thro' his words; his face was sad.


s: I one day asked his age; he smiled and said:


s: "The rose that sleeps upon yon valley's breast,


s: The moss-robed oak of twice a thousand storms --


s: It was his way -- he always answered thus,


s: And thou hast reached His feet!  Glad wave,


s: Dost yearn that we shall meet, pure wave,


s: I would not bring thee back, heart wave,


s: "No, no," he gently spoke:  "You know me not;


s: My mind is like a temple, dim, vast, lone;


s: Just like a temple when the priest has gone,


s: And all the hymns that rolled along the vaults


s: Are buried deep in silence; when the lights


s: That flashed on altars died away in dark,


s: And when the flowers, with all their perfumed breath


s: And beauteous bloom, lie withered on the shrine.


s: My mind is like a temple, solemn, still,


s: Which seem to linger in the holy place --


s: The shadows of the sinners who passed there,


s: The marble floor memorials of their tears."


s: And while he spake, his words sank low and low,


s: Until they hid themselves in some still depth


s: He would not open; and his face was sad.


s: Passed slowly from him, and his look, so mild,


s: Whitened his lips, and clouds rose to his eyes,


s: Dry, rainless clouds, where lightnings seemed to sleep.


s: Slow-hardened into thorns, but seemed to sting


s: Himself the most; his brow, at such times, bent


s: Most lowly down, and wore such look of pain


s: As though it bore an unseen crown of thorns.


s: His hand upon his brow, or touch his eyes,


s: And then the olden gentleness, like light


s: Which seems transfigured by the touch of dark,


s: Would tremble on his face, and he would look


s: More gentle then than ever, and his tone


s: Would sweeten, like the winds when storms have passed.


s: I saw him, one day, thus most deeply moved


s: And darkened; ah! his face was like a tomb


s: That hid the dust of dead and buried smiles,


s: But, suddenly, his face flashed like a throne,


s: And all the smiles arose as from the dead,


s: And passed beneath the sceptre of a hope


s: Which came from some far region of his heart,


s: Came up into his eyes, and reigned a queen.


s: With all his own, and wafted me these words:


s: "There are transitions in the lives of all.


s: There are transcendent moments when we stand


s: In Thabor's glory with the chosen three,


s: And weak with very strength of human love


s: We fain would build our tabernacles there;


s: We cry aloud:  `'Tis good that we are here;'


s: Swift are these moments, like the smile of God,


s: "And then we stand upon another mount --


s: Dark, rugged Calvary; and God keeps us there


s: For awful hours, to make us there His own


s: In Crucifixion's tortures; 'tis His way.


s: We wish to cling to Thabor; He says:  `No.'


s: And what He says is best because most true.


s: We fain would fly from Calvary; He says:  `No.'


s: And yet, my friend, these two mounts are the same.


s: And yet -- strange mystery! -- they are the same.


s: Earth's shadows move, as moves far-heaven's sun,


s: Tell, darkly, in the vale the very hours


s: The sun tells brightly in the sinless skies.


s: Dost understand?"  I did not understand --


s: "Dost thou not understand me?  Then your life


s: Between two narrow shores; you never wept --


s: You never wore great clouds upon your brow


s: As mountains wear them; and you never wore


s: Strange glories in your eyes, as sunset skies


s: Oft wear them; and your lips -- they never sighed


s: Grand sighs which bear the weight of all the soul;


s: You never reached your arms a-broad -- a-high --


s: To grasp far-worlds, or to enclasp the sky.


s: Depth, only depth, can understand the deep.


s: The dewdrop glist'ning on the lily's face


s: One day we strolled together to the sea.


s: Gray evening and the night had almost met,


s: We walked between them, silent, to the shore.


s: The feet of weird faced waves ran up the beach


s: Like children in mad play, then back again


s: Then up again -- and farther -- and they flung


s: White, foamy arms around each other's neck;


s: Then back again with sudden rush and shout,


s: As if the sea, their mother, called them home;


s: Then leaned upon her breast, as if so tired,


s: But swiftly tore themselves away and rushed


s: Away, and farther up the beach, and fell


s: For strength to rise and flow back to the deep.


s: But all in vain, for other waves swept on


s: And trampled them; the sea cried out in grief,


s: The gray beach laughed and clasped them to the sands.


s: It was the flood-tide and the even-tide --


s: Between the evening and the night we walked --


s: We walked between the billows and the beach,


s: We walked between the future and the past,


s: Down to the sea we twain had strolled -- to part.


s: The shore was low, with just the faintest rise


s: Of many-colored sands and shreds of shells,


s: Until about a stone's far throw they met


s: A fringe of faded grass, with here and there


s: A pale-green shrub; and farther into land --


s: Another stone's throw farther -- there were trees --


s: Tall, dark, wild trees, with intertwining arms,


s: Each almost touching each, as if they feared


s: The night was in the trees -- the evening on the shore.


s: We walked between the evening and the night --


s: Between the trees and tide we silent strolled.


s: There lies between man's silence and his speech


s: A shadowy valley, where thro' those who pass


s: Are never silent, tho' they may not speak;


s: And yet they more than breathe.  It is the vale


s: Of wordless sighs, half uttered and half-heard.


s: We walked between our silence and our speech,


s: And sighed between the sunset and the stars,


s: Far o'er the reach of waters, hanging low


s: 'Tween sea and sky -- the banner of the storm,


s: Its edges faintly bright, as if the rays


s: That fled far down the West had rested there


s: And slumbered, and had left a dream of light.


s: Its inner folds were dark -- its central, more.


s: It did not flutter; there it hung, as calm


s: Above the shore the heavens bended blue.


s: We walked between the cloudless and the cloud,


s: There gleamed a sword of wild, terrific light --


s: Its hilt in heaven, its point hissed in the sea,


s: Its scabbard in the darkness -- and it tore


s: The bannered cloud into a thousand shreds,


s: Then quivered far away, and bent and broke


s: That shook the mighty sea from shore to shore,


s: But did not stir a sand-grain on the beach;


s: Then silence fell, and where the low cloud hung


s: Clouds darker gathered -- and they proudly waved


s: We walked between the lightning's parted gleams,


s: We walked between the thunders of the skies,


s: We walked between the wavings of the clouds,


s: We walked between the tremblings of the sea,


s: We walked between the stillnesses and roars


s: Of frightened billows; and we walked between


s: The coming tempest and the dying calm --


s: Between the tranquil and the terrible --


s: The sea, and broke the heart of every wave


s: That struck its breast; not steep enough nor high


s: Yet not so low as that its brow was laved


s: By highest tide, yet not sufficient high


s: To rise beyond the reach of silver spray


s: That rained up from the waves -- their tears that fell


s: Upon its face, when they died at its feet.


s: Around its sides damp seaweed hung in long,


s: Sad tresses, dripping down into the sea.


s: A tuft or two of grass did green the rock,


s: A patch or so of moss; the rest was bare.


s: Adown the shore we walked 'tween eve and night;


s: But when we reached the rock the eve and night


s: Had met; light died; we sat down in the dark


s: Careered and clashed in air -- a thousand waves


s: Whirled wildly on in wrath -- a thousand winds


s: Howled hoarsely on the main, and down the skies


s: Into the hollow seas the fierce rain rushed,


s: As if its ev'ry drop were hot with wrath;


s: And, like a thousand serpents intercoiled,


s: The lightnings glared and hissed, and hissed and glared,


s: And all the horror shrank in horror back


s: Before the maddest peals that ever leaped


s: We silent sat.  No rain fell on the rock,


s: In wild delirium, like a thousand hearts


s: Far parted -- parted long -- which meet to break,


s: Which rush into each other's arms and break


s: In terror and in tempests wild of tears.


s: No rain fell on the rock; but flakes of foam


s: Swept cold against our faces, where we sat


s: Between the hush and howling of the winds,


s: Between the swells and sinking of the waves,


s: Between the stormy sea and stilly shore,


s: Between the rushings of the maddened rains,


s: Between the dark beneath and dark above.


s: We sat within the dread heart of the night:


s: One, pale with terror; one, as calm and still


s: And stern and moveless as the lone, low rock.


s: Sometimes the Saviour sleeps, and it is dark;


s: For, oh! His eyes are this world's only light,


s: And when they close wild waves rush on His bark,


s: And toss it through the dead hours of the night.


s: In Peter's bark, while wild waves raved at will;


s: A cry smote on Him, and when He did wake,


s: He softly whispered, and the sea grew still.


s: As erst he slept in Peter's waved-rocked bark;


s: A storm is sweeping all across the deep,


s: While Pius prays, like Peter, in the dark.


s: The sky is darkened, and the shore is far,


s: The tempest's strength grows fiercer every hour:


s: Upon the howling deep there shines no star --


s: Why sleeps He still?  Why does He hide His power?


s: That guides the bark thro' all the tempest's wrath;


s: Quail not! the wildest waves can never whelm


s: The ship of faith upon its homeward path.


s: The Master sleeps -- His pilot guards the bark;


s: He soon will wake, and at His mighty will


s: The light will shine where all before was dark --


s: The wild waves still remember:  "Peace! be still."


s: Ah! time has fled, and friends have failed


s: Nocturne ["Betimes, I seem to see in dreams"]


s: Where God meets hearts with gentlest grace?


s: Must souls, like skies, when day-dawns break,


s: And "what has been", and "what will be",


s: And "what is not", but "might have been",


s: They come to ev'ry life -- sad, sunless days,


s: With not a light all o'er their clouded skies;


s: And thro' the dark we grope along our ways


s: With hearts fear-filled, and lips low-breathing sighs.


s: What is the dark?  Why cometh it? and whence?


s: How does it weave a spell o'er soul and sense?


s: Why falls the shadow where'er gleams the ray?


s: Hast felt it?  I have felt it, and I know


s: From out the depths of some dim realm of woe,


s: To wrap their darkness round the human soul.


s: Those days are darker than the very night;


s: For nights have stars, and sleep, and happy dreams;


s: But these days bring unto the spirit-sight


s: Hangs like a pall of death above the soul,


s: Which rocks amid the gloom like storm-swept bark,


s: And sinks beneath a sea where tempests roll.


s: A Reverie ["Did I dream of a song? or sing in a dream?"]


s: Did I dream of a song? or sing in a dream?


s: Like a stream thro' a shadow-land, floweth


s: Under each thought of my spirit that groweth


s: Under each fancy that cometh and goeth --


s: Wayward, as waves when evening breeze bloweth


s: For I mused and thought, but I cannot say


s: If I dreamed of a song, or sang in a dream.


s: In the silence of sleep, and the noon of night;


s: And now -- even now -- 'neath the words I write,


s: The flush of the dream or the flow of the song --


s: I cannot tell which -- moves strangely along.


s: Ah! hush, heart! hush! 'tis of no avail;


s: Lifts it off from his thoughts at times,


s: They ask me to sing them a Christmas song


s: How know I that the world's great throng


s: Let the young and the gay chant the Christmas lay,


s: But I -- I am old, and my locks are gray,


s: Ah! once I could sing, when my heart beat warm


s: With hopes, bright as life's first spring;


s: But the spring hath fled, and the golden charm


s: I have lost the spell that my verse could weave


s: And never again -- how it makes me grieve --


s: Why ask a song? ah! perchance you believe,


s: That the song you'll hear on this Christmas eve


s: Do you want the jingle of rhythm and rhyme?


s: Or the music of thought, that, like the chime


s: Soothing the breast with a sound as soft


s: Do they want a song that is only a song,


s: Well, then, I'll sing, though I know no art,


s: A music I learned in the days long gone --


s: But what shall I sing for the world's gay throng,


s: And what the words of the old man's song?


s: The world they tell me, is so giddy grown


s: And thoughtless minds and shallow hearts alone


s: That fools have prestige, place and power and fame;


s: That wisdom is a scorn, a hissing shame,


s: They tell me, too, that all is venal, vain,


s: That truth and honor are the slaves of gain;


s: That lofty principle hath long been dead


s: That virtue walks ashamed, with downcast head,


s: They tell me, too, that few they are who own


s: That thousands, living for this earth alone,


s: That daily, hourly, from the bad to worse,


s: Blaspheming God, and careless of the curse


s: And must I sing for slaves of sordid gain,


s: Shall I not dedicate this Christmas strain


s: No; not for the false shall I strike the strings


s: Beneath their spell, and in verses rude,


s: Whether they gladden, or whether they grieve,


s: Though some of the strings of his lyre are broke


s: From gay to grave -- from grave to gay --


s: The folds of the shadows droop and fall,


s: I'm sitting alone in my pictured room --


s: I'm watching the fire-glow fade into gloom,


s: And the weary-voiced winds, in the outer gloom,


s: As if it were tired of its long, cold flight,


s: But, torn from the arms of their parent trees,


s: There's nothing left but shadows drear --


s: Ah! there's nothing like a Christmas eve


s: To take old stings from out our heart --


s: Old stings that made them bleed and smart --


s: And press them back to the heart's own core.


s: And make it drift, and drift, and drift,


s: And the marvelous notes they sink and swell,


s: How the sounds tremble! how they thrill!


s: Floats the deep-toned voice of the mystic bell


s: Soundeth the wild, weird, ding, dong, dell!


s: Night, be a priest! put your star-stole on


s: And over the dead stands the high priest, Night,


s: Thou hast sounded through a thousand years,


s: And still, sad psalm, you mourn the fate


s: You sound o'er the good, you sound o'er the bad,


s: For the saintly a blessing; for sinners a curse.


s: Psalm, sad psalm! you must pray and grieve


s: And the night chants the psalm o'er the mortal clay,


s: To the music of hope sing this sweet-toned lay.


s: And we from a land where we may not grieve


s: The earth watches over the lifeless clay


s: And the sleepless spirits that passed away


s: We shall meet again, in a bright, calm clime,


s: And our lives shall be filled, like a Christmas chime,


s: The snows shall pass from our graves away,


s: And the flowers of a bright, eternal May,


s: When you think of us think not of the tomb


s: But look aloft, and beyond earth's gloom,


s: And the pontiff, Night, with his star-stole on,


s: To hear the song of the Christmas feast.


s: And the light of earth that night eclipsed


s: Swelleth the hymn of the Saviour's birth.


s: A change of heart with a change of place?


s: When footsteps pass from scene to scene,


s: Fades soul from soul with face from face?


s: Are hearts the slaves or lords of space?


s: Can leagues of land part hearts? -- I ween


s: That blends our sighs, but parts our smiles,


s: And a wreck shall drift to some unknown shore


s: The stars are veiled -- and the hearts that sailed


s: Shall sob their last for their quiet home --


s: And, sobbing, sink 'neath the whirling foam


s: God help the souls that will meet their doom


s: And the sleepers sleep, but beyond the deep


s: The eyes that watch for the ships shall weep


s: Like the voice of a half-sleeping rill --


s: And the winds have a home where they sleep,


s: Where they murmur the while we may weep.


s: But songs -- like the birds o'er the foam,


s: Where the storm wind is beating their breast,


s: In the shelter of words where they rest.


s: They hurry away from the thronging crowd


s: And the world looks on and mutters -- "Proud."


s: Men gather in awe and kiss their shroud,


s: And in love they kneel around their clay.


s: A garland for a grave!  Fair flowers that bloom,


s: We twine your leaflets 'round our Claudia's tomb,


s: And with your dying beauty crown her clay.


s: Ye are the tender types of life's decay;


s: Your beauty, and your love-enfragranced breath,


s: From out the hand of June, or heart of May,


s: Fair flowers! tell less of life and more of death.


s: My name is Sorrow.  I have knelt at graves,


s: All o'er the weary world for weary years;


s: I kneel there still, and still my anguish laves


s: The sleeping dust with moaning streams of tears.


s: And yet, the while I garland graves as now,


s: I bring fair wreaths to deck the place of woe;


s: Whilst joy is crowning many a living brow,


s: I crown the poor, frail dust that sleeps below.


s: She was a flower -- fresh, fair and pure, and frail;


s: A lily in life's morning.  God is sweet;


s: He reached His hand, there rose a mother's wail;


s: Her lily drooped:  'tis blooming at His feet.


s: Where are the flowers to crown the faded flower?


s: And who will bring them from the dell and bower,


s: To crown what God hath taken, with what heaven gave?


s: As though ye heard my voice, ye heed my will;


s: Ye come with fairest flowers:  give them to me,


s: To crown our Claudia.  Love leads memory still,


s: Her grave is not a grave; it is a shrine,


s: Bright over which God's stars must love to shine,


s: Fair Spring shall come, and in her garland twine,


s: They wreathe with it the warrior's brow,


s: But the laurel's leaves love best to grace


s: The weeping-willow bends her branches down


s: And the valley grows lonely in spite of the sun,


s: For flowerets are fading fast, one by one.


s: Leaves for a grave, leaves for a garland,


s: Leaves for a little flower, gone to the far-land.


s: "Forget-me-not!"  The sad words strangely quiver


s: On lips, like shadows falling on a river,


s: I bring this for her mother; ah, who knows


s: The lonely deeps within a mother's heart?


s: Beneath the wildest wave of woe that flows


s: Above, around her, when her children part,


s: There is a sorrow, silent, dark, and lone;


s: It sheds no tears, it never maketh moan.


s: Whene'er a child dies from a mother's arms,


s: A grave is dug within the mother's heart:


s: This garland fading even while 'tis fair,


s: When God hath taken her whom heaven gave.


s: And there is sorrow every -- everywhere.


s: They are like deaths:  they bring a wintry chill


s: To summer's roses, and to summer's rill;


s: For pure as altar-lights hearts pass away;


s: Hearts! we said to them, "Stay with us! stay!"


s: And they said, sighing as they said it, "Nay."


s: The sunniest days are shortest; darkness tells


s: The starless story of the night that dwells


s: Two faces meet here, there, or anywhere:


s: Each wears the thoughts the other face may wear;


s: Their hearts may break, breathing, "Farewell fore'er."


s: And the dim rippling river said softly to me,


s: To the shores that are white where the waves are so weary,


s: To the beach that is burdened with wrecks that are dreary.


s: And the weariest wave from its dreariest dream


s: Will wake to the sound of the song of the stream;


s: Down the slopes where the rocks are gray,


s: Thro' the vales where the flowers are fair --


s: Where the sunlight flashed -- where the shadows lay


s: And another will whispered, "Stay with me:"


s: And the river made answer, soft and low --


s: And a white, white wave whispered, "List to me,


s: I'm a note in the song for the beautiful sea, --


s: A song whose grand accents no earth-din may sever,


s: And the river flows on in the same mystic key


s: That blends in one chord the `forever and never'."


s: Where never the waves of a tempest roll --


s: Fold to thy breast, like a mother, the song


s: And song! sound soft as the streamlet sings,


s: And pure and bright and white be the wings


s: Yea! fly as the sea-birds fly over the sea


s: And breathe forth the message I trust to thee,


s: In a wave that is purest -- then haste and bring


s: Oh! bring it, and sing it -- its notes are tears;


s: Who knows but its tones in the far-off years


s: Yea! bring it, and sing it -- a worded moan


s: And the thoughts take the wings of words, and float


s: But the song dies away into only one note,


s: And the note! 'tis the wail of the weariest wave


s: And the key! never mind, it comes out of a grave;


s: And the chord! -- 'tis a sad "nevermore".


s: And just like the wavelet that moans on the beach,


s: So my song -- it just touches the rude shores of speech,


s: Yea, song! shrink back to my spirit's lone deep,


s: But I -- I forever shall hear the grand sweep


s: Sweep on, mighty song! -- sound down in my heart


s: Not a sound of thy music shall pass into art,


s: Yet Stephen's heart quailed not with fear


s: When I am dead, and all will soon forget


s: I, somehow, think I'll walk beside thee yet


s: For my dead hand will brightest blessings wave


s: You must not weep; I believe I'd hear your tears


s: My rest would not be rest, if in your years


s: For -- from the first -- your soul was dear to mine,


s: Until my soul, in every prayer, would twine


s: You came to me in girlhood pure and fair,


s: You came to me in girlhood -- and you brought


s: No matter what -- or whose -- I often sought


s: Didst ever mark how, sometimes, I became --


s: Gentler than ever when I called thy name,


s: You came to me in girlhood; as your guide


s: We walked God's holy valleys side by side,


s: And so went on the years -- 'tis five and more;


s: Is falling, soon to fade; when I am dead


s: I never said -- I never could have said --


s: I treated you as I would treat a flower,


s: And from my lips God heard in many an hour


s: I watched the flower's growth; so fair it grew,


s: Your soul to purest thoughts so sweetly true;


s: I guide you still -- in my steps you tread still;


s: 'Twill soon be over:  child! when I am dead


s: 'Tis better far that I should go before,


s: When I am dead; in some lone after time,


s: You'll think -- remembering this simple rhyme --


s: I guide you here -- I go before you there;


s: Whether the roses, or the thorny crown you wear


s: You must not weep -- follow where I led,


s: Deep in the dark I hear the feet of God:


s: He walks the world; He puts His holy hand


s: On every sleeper -- only puts His hand --


s: Then passes on; but ah! whene'er He meets


s: (Does God, like man, feel lonely in the dark?)


s: He rests His hand upon the watcher's brow --


s: But more than that, He leaves His very breath


s: Upon the watcher's soul; and more than this,


s: He stays for holy hours where watchers pray;


s: And more than that, He ofttimes lifts the veils


s: That hide the visions of the world unseen.


s: The brightest sanctities of highest souls


s: How extremes meet! the very darkest crimes


s: That blight the souls of men are strangely born


s: Deep in the dark I hear his holy feet --


s: He lingers by the temple where His Christ


s: And where poor hearts in sorrow cannot rest,


s: He lingers there to soothe their weariness.


s: Where mothers weep above the dying child,


s: He stays to bless the mother's bitter tears,


s: And consecrates the cradle of her child,


s: Which is to her her spirit's awful cross.


s: He shudders past the haunts of sin -- yet leaves


s: E'er there a mercy for the wayward hearts.


s: Still as a shadow through the night He moves,


s: With hands all full of blessings, and with heart


s: How God does love this poor and sinful world!


s: And arch His path of mercy with their rays;


s: The stars are grateful -- He gave them their light,


s: And now they give Him back the light He gave.


s: They feel His presence, and they know His face.


s: The shadows, too, are grateful -- could they pray,


s: How they would flower all His way with prayers!


s: The sleeping trees wake up from all their dreams --


s: Were their leaves lips, ah, me! how they would sing


s: The lowly grasses and the fair-faced flowers


s: And mourn they have no hearts to love their God,


s: And sigh they have no souls to be beloved.


s: Man -- only man -- the image of his God --


s: Lets God pass by when He walks forth at night.


s: Poets are strange -- not always understood


s: Upon their spirits there hath come a breath;


s: Will rise to higher life, or taste of death


s: The Poet is great Nature's own high priest,


s: To keep for hearts an everlasting feast --


s: They cannot help but sing; they know not why


s: And float above the world, beneath the sky,


s: They are like angels -- but some angels fell,


s: Their poems are the gates of heav'n or hell,


s: Looks thro' their ev'ry word into your face,


s: And leaves upon your soul a grace or trace


s: They move along life's uttermost extremes,


s: And in their spirit's depths sleep strangest dreams,


s: They all are dreamers; in the day and night


s: The wondrous mystery of the dark or bright


s: They live within themselves -- they may not tell


s: They are the loneliest men that walk men's ways,


s: The stars and sunlight of their nights and days


s: They breathe it forth -- their very spirit's breath --


s: The words of some command the world's acclaim,


s: While others' words receive no palm from fame,


s: But, live or die, their words leave their impress


s: And mark men's souls -- some more and some the less --


s: The slanting sunbeams fell upon his face,


s: His shadow fluttered on the pure white sands


s: Like the weary wing of a soundless prayer.


s: Brown sandals on His feet -- His face downcast,


s: As if He loved the earth more than the heav'ns.


s: His face looked like His Mother's -- only hers


s: Had not those strange serenities and stirs


s: That paled or flushed His olive cheeks and brow.


s: He wore the seamless robe His Mother made --


s: The wavelets heard a sweet and gentle voice


s: Murmur, "Oh! My Mother" -- the white sands felt


s: The touch of tender tears He wept the while.


s: He walked beside the sea; He took His sandals off


s: To bathe His weary feet in the pure cool wave --


s: For He had walked across the desert sands


s: All day long -- and as He bathed His feet


s: He murmured to Himself, "Three years! three years!


s: And then, poor feet, the cruel nails will come


s: And make you bleed; but, ah! that blood shall lave


s: All weary feet on all their thorny ways."


s: "Three years! three years!" He murmured still again,


s: "Ah! would it were to-morrow, but a will --


s: My Father's will -- biddeth Me bide that time."


s: Approached, but when he saw the weary face,


s: Said mournfully to Him:  "You look a-tired."


s: He placed His hand upon the boy's brown brow


s: "I am so tired to wait."  The boy spake not.


s: That had been sweeping on the farther shore,


s: Came fluttering towards Him, and, panting, fell


s: At His feet and died; and then the boy said:


s: "Poor little bird," in such a piteous tone;


s: He took the bird and laid it in His hand,


s: Its little life returned; and then he gazed


s: With look intensest on the wondrous face


s: (Ah! it was beautiful and fair) -- and said:


s: "Thou art so sweet I wish Thou wert my God."


s: He leaned down towards the boy and softly said:


s: "I am thy Christ."  The day they followed Him,


s: With cross upon His shoulders, to His death,


s: That little boy knelt down, and there adored,


s: While others cursed, the thorn-crowned Crucified.


s: Thro' ears that hear, and eyes that see,


s: For that which, else, would nameless be;


s: Lines ["The world is sweet, and fair, and bright,"]


s: The world is sweet, and fair, and bright,


s: Much less of thorns and more of flowers;


s: As o'er the rains, from clouds that fall,


s: All hearts have clouds -- but heaven's blue


s: Joy is life's tree -- grief but its leaf.


s: Do we weep for the heroes who died for us,


s: With the blood they shed in a tide for us?


s: They left:  Would it not be a blame for us


s: And bright were the lives they gave for us;


s: Their blood poured down all in vain for us,


s: Red, rich, and pure, like a rain for us;


s: But their memories e'er shall remain for us,


s: And their names, bright names, without stain for us:


s: The glory they won shall not wane for us,


s: Which God has placed before an unseen shrine,


s: A smile with shadows on it -- and 'tis sad


s: Men bask beneath the smile, but oft forget


s: The loving Face that very smile conceals.


s: The Changeable is but the broidered robe


s: At Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus! while the world


s: Prepares its heart for consecration's hour.


s: Which God is wearing, like the Carmelite


s: Who hides her face behind her virgin veil


s: Shields souls from sin -- and many hearts from harm.


s: God hides in nature as a thought doth hide


s: In humbly-sounding words; and as the thought


s: Beats through the lowly word like pulse of heart


s: That giveth life and keepeth life alive,


s: So God, thro' nature, works on ev'ry soul;


s: For nature is His word so strangely writ


s: In heav'n, in all the letters of the stars,


s: Beneath the stars in alphabets of clouds,


s: And in the earth, on all the leaves of flowers,


s: And on the grasses and the stately trees,


s: And on the rivers and the mournful rocks


s: The word is clearly written; blest are they


s: Who read the word aright -- and understand.


s: For God is everywhere -- and He doth find


s: A shrine to hide His presence, and reveal


s: His name, love, power, to those who kneel


s: And lift their eyes, thro' all this mystery,


s: To catch the vision of the great beyond.


s: Yea! nature is His shadow, and how bright


s: Must that face be which such a shadow casts?


s: We walk within it, for "we live and move


s: Why is God shy?  Why doth He hide Himself?


s: The tiniest grain of sand on ocean's shore


s: Entemples Him; the fragrance of the rose


s: Folds Him around as blessed incense folds


s: The altars of His Christ:  yet some will walk


s: To find within the Presence, and the Light


s: Which sheds its rays on all that is without.


s: And nature is His voice; who list may hear


s: His name low-murmured every -- everywhere.


s: In songs of birds, in rustle of the flowers,


s: In swaying of the trees, and on the seas


s: The blue lips of the wavelets tell the ships


s: The winds, or still or stormy, breathe the same;


s: And some have ears and yet they will not hear


s: The soundless voice re-echoed everywhere;


s: And some have hearts that never are enthrilled


s: By all the grand Hosannahs nature sings.


s: List!  Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus! without pause


s: Sounds sweetly out of all creation's heart,


s: That hearts with power to love may echo back


s: Their Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus! to the hymn.


s: Strange and sweet the calm that followed,


s: Strange and sweet the sounds that floated


s: "Why this change?" the pilgrim whispered --


s: Shone a vision, bright, strange, thrilling;


s: Down he knelt -- 'twas Christmas night --


s: Oh! 'twas sweet, 'twas sweet and charming


s: Oh! 'twas sweet, while wreathes of incense


s: A Reverie ["Those hearts of ours -- how strange! how strange!"]


s: Those hearts of ours -- how strange! how strange!


s: How they yearn to ramble and love to range


s: Down through the vales of the years long gone,


s: Up through the future that fast rolls on.


s: To-days are dull -- so they wend their ways


s: The present is blank -- so they wing their flight


s: To future to-morrows where all seems bright.


s: They'll soon grow weary and want to roam;


s: Find them a spot without sorrow or pain,


s: They may stay a day, but they're off again.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how wild! how wild!


s: They're as hard to tame as an Indian child;


s: They're as restless as waves on the sounding sea,


s: Like the breeze and the bird are they fickle and free.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how lone! how lone!


s: Let them revel in joy, let them riot in cheer;


s: The revelry o'er, they're all the more drear.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how warm! how warm!


s: Like the sun's bright rays, like the Summer's charm;


s: How they beam and burn! how they gleam and glow


s: Their flash and flame hide but ashes below.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how cold! how cold!


s: Like December's snow on the waste or wold;


s: And though our Decembers melt soon into May,


s: Hearts know Decembers that pass not away.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how deep! how deep!


s: You may sound the sea where the corals sleep,


s: Where never a billow hath rumbled or rolled --


s: Depths still the deeper our hearts hide and hold.


s: Where the wild storm's tramp hath ne'er been known


s: Thus the heart's surface may sparkle and glow,


s: There are wrecks far down -- there are graves below.


s: How shallow and narrow, how tiny and small;


s: Like scantiest streamlet or Summer's least rill,


s: They're as easy to empty -- as easy to fill.


s: One hour of storm and how the streams pour!


s: One hour of sun and the streams are no more;


s: One little grief -- how the tears gush and glide!


s: One smile -- flow they ever so fast, they are dried.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how wise! how wise!


s: They can lift their thoughts till they touch the skies;


s: They can sink their shafts, like a miner bold,


s: Where wisdom's mines hide their pearls and gold.


s: Where the halls of the Day-King burn and blaze;


s: Or they fly with a wing that will never fail,


s: O'er the sky's dark sea where the star-ships sail.


s: Those hearts of ours -- what fools! what fools!


s: How they laugh at wisdom, her cant and rules!


s: How they waste their powers, and, when wasted, grieve


s: For what they have squandered, but cannot retrieve.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how strong! how strong!


s: Let a thousand sorrows around them throng,


s: They can bear them all, and a thousand more,


s: And they're stronger then than they were before.


s: Those hearts of ours -- how weak! how weak!


s: Like a poisoned shaft, like a viper's fang,


s: That one slight word leaves a life-long pang.


s: Those hearts of ours -- but I've said enough,


s: As I find that my rhyme grows rude and rough;


s: Two little children played among the flowers,


s: Their mothers were of kin, tho' far apart;


s: E'en to an hour -- and Ethel was her name,


s: A fair, sweet girl, with great, brown, wond'ring eyes


s: That seemed to listen just as if they held


s: The gift of hearing with the power of sight.


s: Six summers slept upon her low white brow,


s: And dreamed amid the roses of her cheeks.


s: Her voice was sweetly low; and when she spoke


s: Her words were music; and her laughter rang


s: So like an altar-bell that, had you heard


s: Its silvery sound a-ringing, you would think


s: Of kneeling down and worshiping the pure.


s: They played among the roses -- it was May --


s: And "hide and seek", and "seek and hide", all eve


s: They played together till the sun went down.


s: Earth held no happier hearts than theirs that day:


s: And tired at last she plucked a crimson rose


s: And gave to him, her playmate, cousin-kin;


s: And he went thro' the garden till he found


s: The whitest rose of all the roses there,


s: And placed it in her long, brown, waving hair.


s: "I give you red -- and you -- you give me white:


s: What is the meaning?" said she, while a smile,


s: As radiant as the light of angels' wings,


s: Swept bright across her face; the while her eyes


s: In sweetest pearls; and he did make reply:


s: "Sweet Ethel! white dies first; you know, the snow,


s: (And it is not as white as thy pure face)


s: Will bloom when all the snow hath passed away."


s: She sighed a little sigh, then laughed again,


s: And hand in hand they walked the winding ways


s: Of that fair garden till they reached her home.


s: A good-bye and a kiss -- and he was gone.


s: She leaned her head upon her mother's breast,


s: And ere she fell asleep she, sighing, called:


s: "Does white die first? my mother! and does red


s: Live longer?"  And her mother wondered much


s: At such strange speech.  She fell asleep


s: With murmurs on her lips of red and white.


s: Those children loved as only children can --


s: With nothing in their love save their whole selves.


s: When in their cradles they had been betroth'd;


s: They knew it in a manner vague and dim --


s: Unconscious yet of what betrothal meant.


s: The boy -- she called him Merlin -- a love name --


s: (And he -- he called her always Ullainee,


s: No matter why); the boy was full of moods.


s: Upon his soul and face the dark and bright


s: Were strangely intermingled.  Hours would pass


s: Rippling with his bright prattle; and then, hours


s: Would come and go, and never hear a word


s: Fall from his lips, and never see a smile


s: With ever-changeful hues, as she was like


s: Ten years passed on.  They parted and they met


s: Not often in each year; yet as they grew


s: In years, a consciousness unto them came


s: Like Guardian-Angel, watched o'er Innocence.


s: As pure as all the stars that gazed on them.


s: They met to part from themselves and the world;


s: Their hearts just touched to separate and bleed;


s: Their eyes were linked in look, while saddest tears


s: Fell down, like rain, upon the cheeks of each:


s: To tear the clasp in twain; and all the stars


s: Looked proudly down on them, while shadows knelt,


s: Or seemed to kneel, around them with the awe


s: And in the heart of that last parting hour


s: And here we bow our heads and breathe His prayer


s: Whose heart was bleeding, while the angels heard:


s: Not my will, Father! but Thine own be done."


s: Raptures meet agonies in such heart-hours;


s: Gladness doth often fling her bright, warm arms


s: Around the cold, white neck of grief -- and thus


s: The while they parted -- sorrow swept their hearts


s: Like a great, dark stormy sea -- but sudden


s: A joy, like sunshine -- did it come from God? --


s: Flung over every wave that swept o'er them


s: "Our loves must soar aloft to spheres divine;


s: Or ever did -- the hearts that lean on it);


s: And prayer shall be the golden marriage ring,


s: "Your words are echoes of my own soul's thoughts;


s: Let God's own heart be our own holy home


s: 'Tis hard to part -- but it is better so --


s: God's will is ours, and -- Merlin! let us go."


s: And then she sobbed as if her heart would break --


s: Of lightning in the skies.  No word was said --


s: Between them fell the shadows of the night.


s: And never met again; and yet their souls


s: Were twined together in the heart of Christ.


s: But Merlin stays still hanging on his cross.


s: He would not move a nail that nails him there,


s: He would not pluck a thorn that crowns him there.


s: With Ethel; she has gone to wear the crown


s: That wreathes the brows of virgins who have kept


s: Their bodies with their souls from earthly taint.


s: And years and years, and weary years, passed on


s: When flowers were in their agony of death,


s: And winds sang "De Profundis" over them,


s: And skies were sad with shadows, he did walk


s: Where, in a resting place as calm as sweet,


s: The dead were lying down; the Autumn sun


s: Was half way down the west; the hour was three --


s: The holiest hour of all the twenty-four,


s: For Jesus leaned His head on it, and died.


s: He walked alone amid the virgin's graves


s: Where virgins slept; a convent stood near by,


s: Unto the cells of death the way was short.


s: Low, simple stones and white watched o'er each grave,


s: While in the hollows 'tween them sweet flowers grew,


s: Entwining grave and grave.  He read the names


s: Engraven on the stones, and "Rest in peace"


s: Was written 'neath them all, and o'er each name


s: He passed each grave with reverential awe,


s: As if he passed an altar, where the Host


s: And o'er the buried virgins' virgin dust


s: He walked as prayerfully as tho' he trod


s: The holy floor of fair Loretta's shrine.


s: He passed from grave to grave, and read the names


s: Of those whose own pure lips had changed the names


s: By which this world had known them into names


s: Veiling their faces they had veiled their names;


s: The very ones who played with them as girls,


s: Had they passed there, would know no more than he


s: Or any stranger where their playmates slept;


s: And then he wondered all about their lives, their hearts,


s: Their thoughts, their feelings, and their dreams,


s: Their joys and sorrows, and their smiles and tears.


s: He wondered at the stories that were hid


s: Forever down within those simple graves.


s: Uprose a low white slab that marked a grave


s: Apart from all the others; long, sad grass


s: Drooped o'er the little mound, and mantled it


s: With veil of purest green; around the slab


s: The whitest of white roses 'twined their arms --


s: Roses cold as the snows and pure as songs


s: Of angels -- and the pale leaflets and thorns


s: Beneath.  He walked on to the grave, but when


s: He reached its side a spell fell on his heart


s: So suddenly -- he knew not why -- and tears


s: Upon the grass; he was so strangely moved


s: I believe he prayed.  He lifted then the leaves


s: That hid the name; but as he did, the thorns


s: Did pierce his hand, and lo! amazed, he read


s: He gave the girl in golden days before --


s: He sat beside that lonely grave for long,


s: He took its grasses in his trembling hand,


s: He toyed with them and wet them with his tears,


s: He read the name again, and still again,


s: He thought a thousand thoughts, and then he thought


s: It all might be a dream -- then rubbed his eyes


s: And read the name again to be more sure;


s: Then wondered and then wept -- then asked himself:


s: "What means it all?  Can this be Ethel's grave?


s: Was she the white dove that I saw in dream


s: Rang sweet upon the breeze, and answered him


s: His question.  And he rose and went his way


s: Unto the convent gate; long shadows marked


s: One hour before the sunset, and the birds


s: Were singing Vespers in the convent trees.


s: Her face was like the picture of a saint,


s: Or like an angel's smile; her downcast eyes


s: Were like a half-closed tabernacle, where


s: God's presence glowed; her lips were pale and worn


s: By ceaseless prayer; and when she sweetly spoke,


s: And bade him enter, 'twas in such a tone


s: He followed her along a flower-fringed walk


s: Of virgin hearts.  The very flowers that bloomed


s: Within the place, in beds of sacred shapes,


s: (For they had fashioned them with holy care,


s: Into all holy forms -- a chalice, a cross,


s: And sacred hearts -- and many saintly names,


s: That, when their eyes would fall upon the flowers,


s: Their souls might feast upon some mystic sign),


s: Were fairer far within the convent walls,


s: And purer in their fragrance and their bloom


s: Than all their sisters in the outer world.


s: The floor was painted, and upon the walls,


s: In humble frames, most holy paintings hung;


s: Were there.  And she, the veil-clad Sister, spoke:


s: "I'll call the mother," and she bowed and went.


s: This world could enter; and the pictures looked


s: And strangely stirred him.  On the mantle stood


s: More nearly on to it; but he shrank in awe


s: But more amazed he grew, when, at the foot


s: Of that strange crucifix he read the name --


s: A whirl of thought swept o'er his startled soul --


s: When to the door he heard a footstep come,


s: And then a voice -- the Mother of the nuns


s: Had entered -- and in calmest tone began:


s: "Forgive, kind sir, my stay; our Matin song


s: Had not yet ended when you came; our rule


s: Forbids our leaving choir; this my excuse."


s: She bent her head -- the rustle of her veil


s: Was like the trembling of an angel's wing,


s: Her voice's tone as sweet.  She turned to him


s: And seemed to ask him with her still, calm look


s: What brought him there, and waited his reply.


s: He said, "upon an errand still more strange;


s: If what I crave you cannot rightly grant;


s: I would not dare intrude, nor claim your time,


s: Save that a friendship, deep as death, and strong


s: As life, has brought me to this holy place."


s: He paused.  She looked at him an instant, bent


s: Her lustrous eyes upon the floor, but gave


s: Encouraged him to speak, and he went on:


s: He told her Ethel's story from the first,


s: He told her of the day amid the flowers,


s: When they were only six sweet summers old;


s: He told her of the night when all the flowers,


s: A-list'ning, heard the words of sacrifice --


s: He told her all; then said:  "I saw a stone


s: In yonder graveyard where your Sisters sleep,


s: She wore a startled look, but soon repressed


s: "Whose name?" she calmly spoke.  But when he said


s: She forward bent her face and pierced his own


s: With look intensest; and he thought he heard


s: The trembling of her veil, as if the brow


s: It mantled throbbed with many thrilling thoughts


s: But quickly rose she, and, in hurried tone,


s: Spoke thus:  "'Tis hour of sunset, 'tis our rule


s: To close the gates to all till to-morrow's morn.


s: Return to-morrow; then, if so God wills,


s: From that unworldly place into the world.


s: Straight to the lonely graveyard went his steps --


s: Swift to the "White-Rose-Grave", his heart:  he knelt


s: Upon its grass and prayed that God might will


s: Where it was drooping on the slab, a rose,


s: The whiteness of whose leaves was like the foam


s: And reached his room, where, weary of his thoughts,


s: Sleep came, and coming found the dew of tears


s: Undried within his eyes, and flung her veil


s: Around him.  Then he dreamt a strange, weird dream.


s: A rock, dark waves, white roses and a grave,


s: And cloistered flowers, and cloistered nuns, and tears


s: And two great angels with such shining wings --


s: All these and more were in most curious way


s: Blended in one dream or many dreams.  Then


s: He woke wearier in his mind.  Then slept


s: But I forgot the most.  I remember this):


s: A dove, whiter than whiteness' very self,


s: Fluttered thro' his sleep in vision or dream,


s: Bearing in its flight a spotless rose.  It


s: Thro' forests where the trees were all in dream,


s: And over wastes where silences held reign,


s: And down pure valleys, till it reached a shore


s: By which blushed a sea in the ev'ning sun;


s: The dove rested there awhile, rose again


s: And then from near or far (he could not say)


s: Came sound as faint as echo's own echo --


s: And then he heard, or else he thought he heard,


s: As if it were the hymn's refrain, the words:


s: "White dies first!"  "White dies first."


s: The sun had passed his noon and westward sloped;


s: Into the wide and pictured room, and there


s: The Mother sat and gave him welcome twice.


s: "I prayed last night," she spoke, "to know God's will;


s: That they might pray for me, and I might know


s: My conduct in the matter.  Now, kind sir,


s: What wouldst thou?  Tell thy errand."  He replied:


s: That brought me hither or that prompts my lips


s: To ask the story of the `White-Rose-Grave',


s: Who was she, pray?  Dost deem it right to tell?"


s: There was a pause before the answer came,


s: There was a tremor in her voice when she


s: Unclosed two palest lips, and spoke in tone


s: Of lofty gift and grace who fills that grave,


s: And who has filled it long -- and yet it seems


s: Her body there.  Her mem'ry clings around


s: Our hearts, our cloisters, fresh, and fair, and sweet.


s: Her face was wont to be:  among the flowers,


s: In chapel, underneath those trees.  Long years


s: Have passed and mouldered her pure face, and yet


s: It seems to hover here and haunt us all.


s: Of her most holy life, that you may know


s: The hidden grace and splendor of the whole."


s: "Nay, nay," he interrupted her; "all! all!


s: Had passed from off the flowers and grass -- ere yet


s: Our nuns had come from holy Mass -- there came,


s: With summons quick, unto our convent gate


s: A fair young girl.  Her feet were wet with dew --


s: Another dew was moist within her eyes --


s: Her large, brown, wond'ring eyes.  She asked for me


s: And as I went she rushed into my arms --


s: Like weary bird into the leaf-roofed branch


s: That sheltered it from storm.  She sobbed and sobbed


s: Until I thought her very soul would rush


s: My words were waiting for a calm.  Her sobs


s: Sank into sighs -- and they too sank and died


s: In faintest breath.  I bore her to a seat


s: In this same room -- and gently spoke to her,


s: And held her hand in mine -- and soothed her


s: With words of sympathy, until she seemed


s: `What brought thee hither, child? and what wilt thou?'


s: `Mother!' she said, `wilt let me wear the veil?


s: Wilt let me serve my God as e'en you serve


s: Him in this cloistered place?  I pray to be --


s: Nay, Mother -- say not nay -- 'twill break a heart


s: With those brown, wond'ring eyes, which pleaded more,


s: More strongly and more sadly than her lips


s: That I might grant her sudden, strange request.


s: `Hast thou a mother?' questioned I.  `I had,'


s: She said, `but heaven has her now; and thou


s: Wilt be my mother -- and the orphan girl


s: `Ere I was cradled he was in his grave.'


s: `And hast nor sister nor brother?'  `No,' she said,


s: This very day He parted us.'  `Poor child,'


s: I murmured.  `Nay, kind Sister,' she replied,


s: `I have much wealth -- they left me ample means --


s: I have true friends who love me and protect.


s: But yesterday all guardianship did cease,


s: My worldly means -- and, Sister, they are thine


s: If thou but take myself -- nay -- don't refuse.'


s: `Nay -- nay -- my child!' I said; `the only wealth


s: We wish for is the wealth of soul -- of grace.


s: Not all your gold could unlock yonder gate,


s: Or buy a single thread of Virgin's veil.


s: Could bribe an entrance here for any one.


s: God's voice alone can claim a cell -- a veil,


s: My child?  Thyself?  Or did some holy one


s: Direct thy steps?  Or else some sudden grief?


s: Or, mayhap, disappointment?  Or, perhaps,


s: Hath cloyed thy spirit?  Tell me, which is it.'


s: `Neither,' she quickly, almost proudly spoke.


s: `Who, had he lived in those far days of Christ,


s: Would have been His belov'd Disciple, sure --


s: Would have been His own gentle John; and would


s: Have leaned on Thursday night upon His breast,


s: And stood on Friday eve beneath His cross


s: To take His Mother from Him when He died.


s: He sent me here -- he said the word last night


s: In my own garden; this the word he said --


s: Oh! had you heard him whisper:  "Ethel, dear!


s: Your heart was born with veil of virgin on;


s: In all your words and smiles; and when you weep


s: I hear it rustle more.  Go -- wear your veil --


s: And hast been from the first.  And, Ethel, list:


s: My heart was born with priestly vestments on,


s: And at Dream-Altars I have ofttimes stood,


s: And said such sweet Dream-Masses in my sleep --


s: And when I lifted up a white Dream-Host,


s: A silver Dream-Bell rang -- and angels knelt,


s: Or seemed to kneel, in worship.  Ethel say --


s: Thou wouldst not take the vestments from my heart


s: Nor more than I would tear the veil from thine.


s: My vested and thy veiled heart part to-night


s: To climb our Calvary and to meet in God;


s: And He is here, who, in that other, bled;


s: And they are here who came to comfort Him --


s: His angels and our own; and His great prayer,


s: Ethel, is ours to-night -- let's say it, then:


s: Father! Thy will be done!  Go find your veil


s: And I my vestments."  He did send me here.'


s: "She paused -- a few stray tears had dropped upon


s: Her closing words and softened them to sighs.


s: I listened, inward moved, but outward calm and cold


s: To the girl's strange story.  Then, smiling, said:


s: With much of folly and some of fact in it;


s: It is a heart affair, and in such things


s: There's little logic, and there's less of sense.


s: You brought your heart, dear child, but left your head


s: Outside the gates; nay, go, and find the head


s: You lost last night -- and then, I am quite sure,


s: You'll not be anxious to confine your heart


s: Beneath my words one moment -- then replied:


s: `If e'en a wounded heart did bring me here,


s: Dost thou do well, Sister, to wound it more?


s: If merely warmth of feelings urged me here,


s: Dost thou do well to chill them into ice?


s: Should that debar me from a purer place?


s: The vase was human -- but the flower divine;


s: And if I break the vase with my own hands,


s: Will you forbid that I should humbly ask


s: Save his who yesternight did send me here


s: `Nay, child, I spoke to test thee -- do not weep.


s: If thou art called of God, thou yet shalt come


s: And find e'en here a home.  But God is slow


s: In all His works and ways, and slower still


s: When He would deck a bride to grace His court.


s: Go, now, and in one year -- if thou dost come


s: Thy veil and cell shall be prepared for thee;


s: Nay -- urge me not -- it is our holy rule --


s: A year of trial!  I must to choir, and thou


s: Into the world to watch and wait and pray


s: True to the very day and hour, and said:


s: `Wilt keep thy promise made one year ago?


s: Where is my cell -- and where my virgin's veil?


s: Wilt try me more?  Wilt send me back again?


s: I came once with my wealth and was refused:


s: Who had no place to rest His weary head --


s: Who sent me here; he sent me speedy word


s: And hide the giving -- ere you give yourself


s: To God!"  `Wilt take me now for my own sake?


s: I bring my soul -- 'tis little worth I ween,


s: And yet it cost sweet Christ a priceless price.'


s: "`My child,' I said, `thrice welcome -- enter here;


s: A few short days of silence and of prayer,