THE ONLY ONE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 February 1926, Page 18

THE ONLY ONE.

Families think it can’t be fun Just to be born an only one; Families think it’s dull to play All by yourself the whole long day. They haven’t been where I can go All by myself on tip-a-toe; They haven’t heard the things I hear At dusk when nobody else is near. Late last night when the shadows stood Tossing their arms so high and clearly I ran out of the little wood And saw the Wind, or very nearly: I saw the Wind with his horses four All galloping past the garden door, He reined them in, so I saw them pass, And every pool was his lookingglass; 1 saw the Wind, or very nearly. Families think it must be queer Alone, when no one else is near; Families think you need a friend Mvcn to play at "Let’s Pretend ’; But they haven’t seen what I have seen All by myself when fields are green, And they haven’t found the things I’ve found When I have stood on fairy ground Yesterday, on a windy hill, When all the buds were tired of pouting, 1 was lying as still as still, And almost heard the Mayflowers shouting; Yes, I could hear them singing high Silvery songs to the dappled sky. Then up at the nodding tree I glanced ' And I saw them danc-e (they really danced); I almost heard the Mayflowers shouting. There Is a magic .just begun When anyone’s born an only one— A shout of welcome, "Let him be Free of the woods and hills and sea! ’ ’ This is the magic. "Let him pass On tip-a-r.oe through the dancing grass; Let him follow and understand That all of the world'"is Fairyland.’’ Just once, when I was quite alone, I saw the fairy Water-lady; She tossed her hair from stone to stone, When all the pools with reeds were shady, And nobody else was there at all To say her hair was a waterfall; Her silver hair, I saw it curling All twisted through the water’s swirling; 1 saw the fairy Water-lady. —Punch.