POETRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 177, 28 July 1888, Page 10 (Supplement)

POETRY.

NKW ZEALAND'S I''UTUUE.

A CRY

Thou nrt beautiful, New Zealand, With thine nzuro skies and seas, The emerald of Uiy forests, Wiioso ferns are wu-vintr trees.

There's a poetry aliotrt thee With Nature's glamour fraught, Though thou bonro t noMhc sccor<J Of ancient bKtllos fought—

No shattered forts and cnstlos, Nor ornmbllhjr oily walls. No ivy-hidden manors, Nor history haunted, halls.

Yo froc-boni sons of Britain, Your land lies rich and fair: Tuke up tho jien of action, And write your record there.

Y'Hir sirea linvi; given tow freedom They bought it with tbsii: blood.; Linkotl with responsibilif-y 'Tis yours for ill or good.

'Tis you will make the history Of millions yet Uveonie ; Ymi will ik'sij/n tin pattern To issue from Time""*loom.

The future is before yon; Hut the present will dcsid/B If unborn generations Shall praise you or deride I North Shore.

SONGS OF THE CITY.—NOv 2.

I knew a man of soft nnd Kcntlc speech (A Christian usurer), and so bland his tone. You would fancy heaven just within his reach. And angels plucking feathers for his throne!

dfg dhg tdg dhgx bg xdfbxfgb xgfb

And then, with long-drawn sighs, he'd sing a Psalm, " How Kood my loving Shepherd is to me, Lord, make the sinners pay me nn my dues, And nil the glory will J give to Thee.

Ah 1 ye.f ; he livod beside fnir running streams, He folt ho was a child of God by birth ; . And t!m poor wretches imyiiiß cont i)or cent Are diunn'djliencath this ho!y usurer's worth ! He pities the lont) widow and her babes, 'JVIU her ot One who loves and knownth best. And as tho landlord takes some thiiiKfi for rent. He mourns with her, and then ho acoopa tho rest! " Cursed he he," said One, " who spoils the poor. And turns a deaf car to thcirdiclplcss lot; When thoy to v c shall cull, I will not hear, And to their supplication answer not." Sometimes I wonder—Oh! Hut what's the übo To kucss or wonder In this world of sin ? Yet I must wonder If lie loves his God— Ah, yes—God Mammon, that must dwell within !

AKain I wonder, will he reach the throne, Ov rot for ever'neuth the daisied sod/ O! Spirit, let the usurer alone, And let his victims tell it all to God 1 W. It. Wills.

Oh, wanderer in unknown land, what, cheer? How dost thou fare on thy mysterious way 1 What strango lih'lit breaks upon thy distant

Yet leaves mo lonely in the darkness hero? Oh. hide no longer in that far-oil" sphere, Though all Heaven's cohorts should thy foot-

Ilreak through tho splendid, militant array. And answer to my call, oh (loiil and denr! I film 1 not feur thee. hovvsoner Ihoucome. Thy coldness will not chlil, though death is coM - A touch nnd I shall know theo. or a breath : Speak the old. well-known laiiKuuge, or bo Only como'bnefcl Dc near me us of old. So thou and I shnl) triumph over Death I > Louisa Ciiandi.khMoct/io.v, in tho "Century."