VERSES OLD AND NEW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 13

VERSES OLD AND NEW.

- .;/ • A PORTRAIT. ..... /traago de aicing-girl -with'curl of golden •wire, / • With sti pit whito veil,, and sinister :;jewel''s trung Fpon your Wows, your sombre eyes desiro 'Some scci -et.thing. Garlanded leaves aro young; t „, Around ,yo - ar .head, and, , in your beauty's " 'hours,' ! • . Vonico y- Bt loved that Joy's enthusiast Be frail,- f. intastic as gilt iris flowers. 0 startlii ig reveller from out the past, Xjong, long 'ago through lanes of-ehryso- .' .prase • ' - ' The -bark; Eros compelled his exquisite J3vil apostl t. This painter mad? your .. praise, ' / A piece o £ art,, a curious, delight. ■ Put your g host wanders. Yesterday your , sweet Accusing eyes challenged mq. in. the street. 'j _.' . OP DELIGHT. ' . "Oh, who-e fft' thou that sirig'st so sweet, Where me4< lowland and woodland meet, : Hidden" amio lig the first ffiw shadows <!£hat break ilpon the noonday:' heat. ■ '1 of my birth .'There is ml certainfword 011' earth; , , Nor ; 1 if my: Kin. ! ' 'And.those • Vho find me,, e'er'they see Well'what 1 Ihey have, lose, hold on mej. ilany Ibcgin. . . .:.- .'. : With purpo se'set, and seek me where •' • lovo is,. • .-V- • W :- of -,botli; ,and'some have said• '^•--'amiss,. - livo,-with sin. "But I will' e eek thee.. till I" hold ; - Thy clear lim. b's in-their robe of gold, fjrso men eii.Bg thee, white'as sunshine, With glitterici 5 garment, fold on fold." ' "All, no, for you shall never find me, "• ~ 4.nd- all 'your* ; thoughts: of how to" bind • me'. !• .' ■ . Spring :ui vain . ; ; - For shbu}d -j pu,' by/ some' chance . un- • known,. • • .... ■ Bee me,'and-, lipid me -for your own, , j . Like.'a! thing slain ' . '.Buddmly J l.dibuld:fail,-;dro(ip head, and : Bilei°t v airid tl nil," with, sirango tears' in: mv eyes,- I . ; Ana I shij <uld look like pain. ."—E.- ST. da G.-Andrade,' in "The . No-. • jh- ■' "■V -'y : . "Tni-: m vunted stair." • - In", this house,. ritli . walls. so 1 , bare,. , See, there, stand: 5 a. haunted stair! Oft.when wd iry,.,'back'from .town, . Mounting up .to my lone bed, Sad "pf : heart anj l -'sick of head, ■ I' meet 'spirit ;-passing down, Spirits-of'the riij't. yet-dead, Patient faces! passing fair, - - : ■ Silent,;. down:] the.; haunted stair. is' they pass. thM>r, make Ino sign— 1 >¥Naught in.;mi l ..can recognise;-'.... . Yet I'kipw. how .1 mce on mine, - y ... /Loosing' olf a:i life's-disguise, ■ {EuVned '.to gaze : i iose...friendlyf.eyes- 1 ■ . Asking, from • the; world's. far ends,. .; "Comrade, :can ..we.tnbt''be..friehds?''. How to answerlH :ould one;, know,.., ; Prisons 1 were a ot-ilonger'barred.'' i /Whether\thcii"! myi heart's; regard ,;/.:. let 'ii kindred -aus war .go,—! . . Whether then Imy look, stayed:,hard, , Meaning whilej .-.saying no— Nothing now'remar is. to, shoiv. •'.- They have, pass >d, as .breath on' air, Skies of dusk too . 'aintiy starred: v Shadow faces .to an< fro . . ,'; Pass,:mp ; on stair. l; o;.. -i-./i So,' v / ° ■■/'Came they' and i '6 passed, and -so'" Went for ever, out 0 f reach' : Where ; they j went < I do Oiot know ! 1 . In the world;!-mcel i. th'em not, But*.,returning to tlj 6' spot. Where I dwell d ilone—ah! there, '. Faces,' that now knd w me not, . . Meet me on thej haunted stair. Xo, 'this house bo cj logged- with dust, .' All its': dodts 'so 1 little used, Every keyhole- ribbed ;with rust,' •■Windows cracked,! and panels.bruised— This 'poor':house, whq re.l alone; An unwilling tem mt sit,, Filling it'with s'moan: .. :Nay, ' but wait!-4 for..when i. quit, How<: my, going ,'Wi 11 empty it! Stark -and- stripped i its'walls /will .shed. (With; the. life that.;! £, have- led) v ; , All' those spirits—not; yet dead— * '' Patient faces pass ing fair, -;■ .- ■• - . . Silent,, down the b.aunted stair. -"Laurence Housman, i ri -the "Westminster Gazette." . . : - .