Granny
Here, in her elbow chair, she sits A soul alert, alive, A poor old body shrunk and bent- The queen-bee of the hive. But hives of bees and hives of men Obey their several laws; No fiercely-loving filial throng This mother-head adores. This bringer of world-wealth, whereof None may compute the worth, Is possibly […]
Future Verdict
How will our unborn children scoff at us In the good years to come, The happier years to come, Because, like driven sheep, we yielded thus, Before the shearers dumb. What are the words their wiser lips will say? “These men had gained the light; “These women knew the right; “They had their chance, […]
Easter Decorations
O take away your dried and painted garlands! The snow-cloth’s fallen from each quicken’d brow, The stone’s rolled off the sepulchre of winter, And risen leaves and flowers are wanted now. Send out the little ones, that they may gather With their pure hands the firstlings of the birth,- Green-golden tufts and delicate half-blown […]
Dawnlight On The Sea
When I kneel down the dawn is only breaking; Sleep fetters still the brown wings of the lark; The wind blows pure and cool, for day is waking, But stars are scattered still about the dark. With open lattice, looking out and praying, Ere yet the toil and trouble must be faced, I see […]
Dawn
All the wild waves rock’d in shadow, And the world was dim and grey, Dark and silent, hush’d and breathless, Waiting calmly for the day. And the golden light came stealing O’er the mountain-tops at last- Flooding vale and wood and upland,- It was morning-night was past. There they lay-the silvery waters, Fruitful forests, […]
Dawn God039s Sabbath
The dawn of God’s dear Sabbath Breaks o’er the earth again, As some sweet summer morning After a night of pain; It comes as cooling showers To some exhausted land, As shade of clustered palm trees ‘Mid weary wastes of sand. Lord, we would bring for offering Though marred with earthly soil, Our week […]
Candle Lord
“The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.” “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Our spirit-ay, our own!-the tree whose fruits Have never fail’d-the sign upon the door ‘Twixt us and God’s intelligent dumb brutes, That parts us evermore! Our spirit-last, best gift-still […]
By The Camp Fire
Ah, ’twas but now I saw the sun flush pink on yonder placid tide; The purple hill-tops, one by one, were strangely lit and glorified; And yet how sweet the night has grown, with palest starlights dimly sown! Those mountain ranges, far and near, enclasp me,- sharply pencilled there, Like blackest sea-waves,-outlined here, like […]
By A Norfolk Broad
One hour ago the crimson sun, that seemed so long a-drowning, sank. The summer day is all but done. Our boat is moored beneath the bank. I bask in peace, content, replete-my faithful comrade at my feet. The water-violet shuts its eye; the water-lily petals close; So in the evening light we lie and […]
Baptistry
One winter eve, at twilight, when the sound Of sorrowful winds scarce troubled Nature’s rest, As she lay sleeping, with her hair unbound, Holding her grey robe to her shivering breast, I enter’d through a low-arch’d oaken door, Circled with curious sculpture; and I crept With slow, hush’d footsteps, o’er the shadow’d floor, Where […]
Aunt Dorothys Lecture
Come, go and practise-get your work- Do something, Nelly, pray. I hate to see you moon about In this uncertain way! Why do you look so vacant, child? I fear you must be ill. Surely you are not thinking of That Captain Cameron still? Ah, yes-I fear’d so! You may blush; I blush for […]
At Sea
When the investing darkness growls, And deep reverberates to deep; When keyhole whines and chimney howls, And all the roofs and windows weep; Then, through the doorless walls of sleep, The still-sealed ear and shuttered sight, Phantoms of memory steal and creep, The very ghosts of sound and light- Dream-visions and dream-voices of a […]
At Long Last
Late, late, the prize is drawn, the goal attained, The Heart’s Desire fulfilled, Love’s guerdon gained. Wealth’s use is past, Fame’s crown of laurel mocks The downward-drooping head and grizzled locks. The end is reached-the end of toil and strife- The end of life. Love flowers and fades like grass, and flowers again; The […]
An Old Doll
Low on her little stool she sits To make a nursing lap, And cares for nothing but the form Her little arms enwrap. With hairless skull that gapes apart, A broken plaster ball, One chipped glass eye that squints askew, And ne’er a nose at all- No raddle left on grimy cheek, No mouth […]
An Anniversary
I. AS flower to sun its drop of dew Gives from its crystal cup, So I, as morning gift to you, This poor verse offer up. II. As flowers upon the summer wind Their air-born odours shake, So, in all fragrance you may find, I give but what I take. III. My tree blooms […]
All Saints Day 1868
“But they are at peace.” Never to weary more, nor suffer sorrow,- Their strife all over, and their work all done: At peace-and only waiting for the morrow; Heaven’s rest and rapture even now begun. So tired once! long fetter’d, sorely burden’d, Ye struggled hard and well for your release; Ye fought in faith […]
All Saints Day 1867
Blessed are they whose baby-souls are bright, Whose brows are sealèd with the cross of light, Whom God Himself has deign’d to robe in white- Blessed are they! Blessed are they who follow through the wild His sacred footprints, as a little child; Who strive to keep their garments undefiled- Blessed are they! Blessed […]
After Our Likeness
Before me now a little picture lies- A little shadow of a childish face, Childishly sweet, yet with the dawning grace Of thought and wisdom on her lips and eyes. Fair, oval, broad-brow’d face-small, delicate head- Transparent skin, with blue veins shining through- All the soft outlines, beautiful and true, Bring me the echo […]
A Story At Dusk
An evening all aglow with summer light And autumn colour-fairest of the year. The wheat-fields, crowned with shocks of tawny gold, All interspersed with rough sowthistle roots, And interlaced with white convolvulus, Lay, flecked with purple shadows, in the sun. The shouts of little children, gleaning there The scattered ears and wild blue-bottle flowers- […]
A Sigh In The Night
O sweet darkness, still, and calm, and lonely! Spread thy downy pinions round about. Spare me from thy hidden riches only One dream-face; blot all the others out. Bring him now, for thou hast power to free him, From that ugly garb he wears by day; Bring him now-my darling!-let me see him Ere […]
A Sermon
Midsummer, 1867. We have heard many sermons, you and I, And many more may hear, When sitting quiet in cathedral nave, With folded palms and faces meek and grave;- But few like this one, dear. We ofttimes watch together ‘fore the veil, With reverent, gleaming eyes, While priestly hands are busy with the folds,- […]
A Prayer
Spirit and Breath of Life, whate’er Thy name! Bear with Thy creature, Man, That makes his dwelling-place a blot of shame Upon the Ordered Plan. Not Thy hand, O Divine Designer, hurled Athwart the starlit skies One blood-stained, greed-diseased, hate-eaten world, To shock celestial eyes. Not Thy default, O Beautiful, this crust Of fratricidal […]
A Dream Of Venice
Numb, half asleep, and dazed with whirl of wheels, And gasp of steam, and measured clank of chains, I heard a blithe voice break a sudden pause, Ringing familiarly through the lamp-lit night, “Wife, here’s your Venice!” I was lifted down, And gazed about in stupid wonderment, Holding my little Katie by the hand- […]