CURRENT VERSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 180, 29 July 1916, Page 17

CURRENT VERSE.

THE WHITE ROSE OUT. OF REACH. Tie red rose close by "the garden wall Has climbed up over my window-sill. And flaunts, like a laughing ligutoMove, Her scarlet" ibeart, as a red rose wIU. A white rose, stately and cold and sweet, Jnst over the narrow wall -I'see; The farthest rbonnd of the farthest etar Is not so far as that rose from mc. I may wear the red rose if I will, , But my heart cries oat the old, old cry: "Oh, give mc the white rose oat of reach — Pray, what do I care for the rose nearby?' , . Thns ever I hold out empty .ihande, <V With world-old longing too deep foe sps£ch. For what, to mc, is the rose'nearby?— . I want the rose thi't "isout'of reach! —FLORENCE ''HAMLET. THREE VISIONS. 'Mid the golden glow of a summer's day, 1 saw the Xavy steam away; Sing ho, for the British Navy! Dreadnoughts, cruisers and submarines, .Moving afar to other scenes-^ The sheltering Koyal ;>'avy' ~ . I In the mnrky haze of a winter's sisht I heard the British Navy fight; Hurrah for the battling Navy! The giant caimou, Tearing forth, - Shfcok the crags of the qniet North, 'From decks of the Koyal Navyi - Thro' the mist o' dawning I watched Hi* ships Steam past, with sullen Iron lips, . fctone-inute in the British, 'Navy; And then 1 knew the •work wae done Ami viet'ry o'ec the Germans won. By our stately Royal Navy. —E. L. EYRE, Davanaort. PBATEB. Wlieu the last sea Is sailed, wh.cu the last shallow's charted, When the last field Is reaped and the last harvest stored, When the last fire is out and 'the last guest ' departed, Grant the last prayer that I jsaall pray, Be good to mc, O Lord! ' And let mc pass in a night at sea, a night' of storm and thunder; ,• la the loud crying of the wind through, \ ' sail and rope afld 6par; - Send mc in a ninth great, peaceful wave to drown mc and roll mc under i To the cold tuiray fish's home where toe drowned galleons are. 7 And In the dim, green, quiet .place, far ; out of eight and hearing, r Grnnt I may naar at wiiles the wasi and thresh of the sea foam 'About the flue, keen l»ws of the stately dippers steering Toward the lone Northern Star and the , -fair ports of borne. 0 s] ; ;'• -JOHN MASEFIEIJX X %| SHELLS. ,s c Shells, shells, shells! t F.-nsb. and dainty and fair, With radiant hues and rare, c And life is hidden there. •Shells, with the eonnd of the so And the wild winds -whispering free, n Lying in ocean bed, By seaweed covered. Or rocked t>y the raging storm, '•■ • With their wondrous grace of form. Shaped by the hand of God. ShcUsi shells, shells! L Evil thlnss of the night, lS Shrieking in pitiless flight. Hurling a curse and alight; ■Each messenger of death . ... Smiting, with flery breath, '■. As reeking vapours rise, " " J a An<\ tenor fills the skies. Whilst the shuddering air is- rent And earth made broken and epent - s j 'ly. these, the -work <tf man.. , r _— BV4. P. CATO," Pouptii* ')