AT THE SIGH OF THE LIRE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7301, 3 December 1910, Page 9

AT THE SIGH OF THE LIRE

Oh Strong Desires. Oh strong desires that hunt the. heart With useless strife of _ blunted rvrngfi, 1 weary of your travai lings. Wily must you always surjrc- and start When X am ‘nearest happiness? Acres the freedom of the sty , Like dazzling phantom gods you fly. And seeing you, my joy is less. "When sometimoA by an April brook Beneath the birchen buds I kneel. And, almo-rt turned a. dryad, feel Tito thrill of that green life which shook Old woodlands that the Hellenes knew, — When every breath is raw and good; Tliore sweeps n shudder down the wood : Wild-hearted wonders pierce me through. Or. when beside the hearth I lio And listen to the liquid flame, . While one 1 love most speaks mynam® And in t'.hi',t peace, my dreams ail die: Then from the shadow-pools beyond Our -small rcd-cirolcd joy, there lea.p Tall shapes, fantastical as sleep, , To 00.111 us mortal, helpless, fond; • And blind my eyes with visions—vain, Enormous, never known on earth,— A longing for immortal mirth That mortal lips may never stain. Ohstrcmg desir.es! Oh worthless wings! Sta/r-vPaohings, heaven-fiulings, why Will you remind me I must die To taste: the utmost joyful things? 1 —Fannie -Stearns Davis in—Harper’s* . (August). - St. James’s Park. Dark shadowy trees oh either hand. While, at tho end. majestic lights A; Stream - from, the palace. Hei-e a band Of fairies plays on,. charmed nights; And on the lake, obscure and still. Float secret; stealthy water-f0w1..: , While odd fantastic shapes at will t Along the moonlit pathways prowl. And there, see! there is pale Pierrette, , And X’ierrot .merry with despair, ty :;:■ And Harlequin, and MisUgvcUe, ; And, Columbine; with wayward hail-, How all the crowd on. that .smooth’ lawn . , Lit .by tiro stars grimace and jeer; And look. l beyond-!: . . , a. dancing faun, . And satyrs that make eyes and leer. . .. Who would- believe in London Town’ . Such funny creatures could parade,; That such, strange gods wquld wander - 'down. : 1 ■ l,l ;y y To join, a grotesque masquerade? ■ Watteau, Lancret, or Fragonard 'lias, surely dreamed' : this ; curious timing, " ■ Pori hark! the sound; of a guitar, A And voices in, an old sad. song; ■A I lean and: listed from my seat, A Lost in delight—no townsman now— And hear Ihe fairy folk repeat Ay-' i,ijS.In, silvery tones their midnight vow. —(From "A Country .Boy and Other v Poems") by D.; Goldring (Lane). , Kore .-■■■! Yea, she hath passed hereby, and blewed the shcavee,. y,"A; And the great ..garths,: and fstacks, and quiet farms, And ail the tawny and; tho crimson leaves. ".V-A.;' Yea, she. hath passed, with poppies; jp ■ her arms, 1 • Tinder'the stqr. of dusk, through stealing L: .? ■ m i.st, ■ - And blessed ; the earth,; and ; gone, while ‘;m> nian wist. t.;..,;.' I '- With slow,- reluctant feet, and weary A , eyes, . And eyelids- heavy with the ,; coming sleep, yy AiAyyyy With small breasts lifted up in stress A 1 of sighs ■ She passed, ns shadows pass, among the' :■ .sheep; ;■■■■■•■ ■• ■ While the earth dreamed, and only I was ’ware;.. .v.-yy'.A;;'—*;- .-y' Of that faint- fragrance' bloiyn from Her Af soft hair... , ■ r'? 1 y ;' : ;s.:.ryy.y; : .yy; The land lay steeped in peace of silent . - ; : dreams; There was no sound • amid tho sacred boughs, ■ a;:. Ar". ■ ( : :-:v btA-i v' ! Nor,any mournful music in her streams; ; ' Only.'! saw the shadow on her brows, ,: Only I know her for the yearly slain; And wept; and weep until:: she come .again: I;: y ■'"y,‘ : AAyiAy-fAAy —From “Poems,” by Frederic Hanning (Lane). If I Should Die To-night. The following poem has been attributed by some to tho late Frederick Myers, but a correspondent of "T.lVs Weekly”;, states-it is by Eider Haggard, and is.to. : ba found in early: editions;of: his South African novel “Jess.” . . .. If I should die to-night. Then wouldst thou look upon my quiet . ■ face, A;,;yA-y-;Ay,--c■ ;.;4Ln-.■.yAA:Ay:.yy::Ay Before they laid me in my resting-place. And, deem. that. Death had made it al- v .....most fair; ,'..-. A:A:.", And laying A snow-white :' flowers . against ; . A my hair, i Wouldst ou my cold: check tender kisses press,: AAy -A--! A - j'- a.";:A''-;-: ;A':a And fold ’my ’ hands with lingering caress— 1 ■■■■■.'■ Poor hands so empty and so cold tonight ! ■ AA .i;.;;.-'-a.'."-'-..'?- :: If I should die to-night. Then would’st thou call to mind with loving thought; a- v":-:-A Somo kindly deed the icy hands had "wrought,; ■ A ; a,.' . : A: ■' '■!' ,A'.';aa; Some tender words the frozen lips had ■ 'said,'.;', .A- yA Errands on which the willing feet had sped : . ■: ■ And memory of my passion and my pride, ■ .> ■■■( : And every fault would sure, bo sot aside. - So should I be forgiven of all to-night! Death waits on mo to-night. E’en now my summons echoes from. - afar,;.- ;:,a ; Ami grave mists gather fast about ray ■ Star. ,v, - ■■■.. Think gently of mo; I am travel worn. My faltering feet are pierced with many .. a."thorn, . This cruel world has made my faint _ heart bleed. - When dreamless rest is mine I shall not need The .tenderness for which X long to- ; nightf. A. ,T-fJ ■