HYACINTHUS AND THE WIND

Evening Star, Issue 14420, 16 July 1910, Page 8

HYACINTHUS AND THE WIND

(The sounds hi inverted commas to be. imitated by the breath.) I raced with the wind to-day. O-ho! the things he did say! Over the hills we ranged together; On the ribs of the earth the rain, came' sweet; And the mists swirled after us over the, heather; And the swooping clouds flew fleet. “ Phew-hue 1” wailed the weather. The forest, crouched like a chidden thing, To the straining, vibrant earth did cling— ! That echoed Adieu To the wind as he flew. Ho-ho! the weather! Each sibilant reed Caught the passion of speed, And the shrill marsh streamed like a feather. Hail the wild weather I “ Phew-hue-hew!” On the mountain ridges hoary and sterile \Ye poised a moment, and plucked at a sky Mad with its mirth, defiant of peril, Convolved and exultant plunging by Down the bounding space of the solar way Like a hoyden out for a holiday. A tarn looked up with its lonely eye From a hollow of dreams to the scurrying sky; A score of hamlets, huddled at ease, Lay lapt in a quiet of brooding trees. “What shall we do in the world to-day, Mighty, merry one? Say? Say?’’ “Let us hurl the waters, and harry the moors, And loss and tumble the pride of men, And buffet the churches, batter the doom, And a saint's nose split in its window pane, And make the noise of our hullabaloo At the altar-steps where faint souls sue Not God tut a dream, and torture and tease A world ihat is sighing for ease— Yea, the tranced soul from the truce of peace, And foster the creed-smothered flame of truth Till it flash info living for life's increase— Life at Ihe flush of its youth! And strengthen men with the gusto of strife. And hearten the years with a rush of song To the rapture of doing, and feed man’; life With force till lie stand amid passions nfi Serene, and joyous, and strong! By croft and comb, o’er bight and brae, Away! away! away!" “Whew!’’ echoed the earth like a startler; mind. “Wlioo!” iossed the galloping leagues behind. “ Hhee-hhee!" laugher! the flying wind. And the tun broke loose from the riding rack And rode down the azure track. Mv swift soul leapt with lust for the race, And whistled and whizzed the wide heather; And the blood burned hot in the windwhip t face, And the heart tugged hard at its tether. “Shec-hue” shrilled the weather; “ Hoo ” whooped the weather. Ho! the wild weather! My burly comrade charged his lungs; Woods flapped when the storm of his breath rushed forth; The summits rang, and the chasms roared ; An eddy shook the tumultuous north, And the shuddering south looked up with a cry, And the dancing east made shrill reply. Like the whistling sweep of a shearing sword, . To the shooting west; and afar and anigh Was a riotous rapture of tongues! And the swift land leapt like a bird and flew With the whirling sky with a ‘ Phe-ew r Up and over and down the heather, Hand in hand with the boisterous jester. I sped, a spirit, we together, I and the wild nor’-wester; With a resonant crew we flew—we flew I “ Ahee-hoo-hue-hue!" And slow tune waved us a wild adieu; “Whoo-hoo!” Ho! the wise weather! Hail! the wild weather! “ Hu-hu-hue!’’ —J. A. Mackereth, in the Yorkshire ‘Post.’ _