Some Poems.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11251, 1 July 1922, Page 11

Some Poems.

1 8 | Original and Selected. j

THE PARAMOUNT GIFT.

(Special to the “N.Z. Timee.”) Dare tv© feel that life is futile—all its happ’nings n-o avail f'U the scheme of things eternal r 1 That, when dleath has closed the tale, There was naught to recompense us ? There was nothing really worth stress and strain and struggle of our trivial span on earth? •F° r j it*s oh, the woes around us! Oh, the sorrows everywhere! Existence seems one tragedy of and pain and care; Oh, ithe victims of injustice, of rapacity, of lust! The stricken lives! The broken hearts! The honour tramp’d in dust! Sornertimes I think that even God, omnisciently wise, Must seek some brief forgetfulness; must close His sadden’d eyes To all their base-hypocrisies, lest He, perforce, abhor The clods whose dwarf’d, material souls real higher things ignore. How pitiful to let the sun, that glows the soul within, * Sink to inglorious, sullen resit be-ciouded by a sin! Misguided, passion-toss’d desires are but the raging sea Where rocks to its destruction lure poor, frail humanity. The Deity whose Glory’s in the dying sunset-glow; In the fairy touch of moonlight on the glist’ning gems of snow; In the songs of running waters; in the pearl-encrysitalPa dews; In star-bespangled canopy; in rainbow's wondrous hues. Makes pure as snow-fed waters, fair as peaiT-en-c-ry stall’d dews; Tho souls that steep in ecstasies which know no vile misuse, iho hand) of ready comradeship can find a ready mate; -A-ftd from a clean heart never flows the poison-scum of hate. Ah, rapturous infection of a laugh that rings out true! All, wonderful the vision where no malice hides tho view f kweet lips shall sweeter b© that greet, with honest words that bind In sympathy, the souls that seek, and seeking, sure shall find. 1 nothing recompenses like a gladsome word of cheer-"-he gentle smile of sympathy can banish manv a tear.’ W hen comradeship and love shall stand to bar n heart from pain Lite s stress and strain and struggle we shall not have liv’d in vain. Y\ lien the pure moonlight-rays of I’eace in silver oath do fall Upon the-hallow’d seas of Truth—as sounds'a clarion call, from distant hill-tops fair and sweet, with startling clarity bha l sound in (the furthest arch of'Heav’n the. Voice of Charity, lo love. To stand on peaks of joy! To gather in a. crown * mu v rarest jewels—the diadems by Angels handed down! though to be lov d is boon enough conceded from above How paramount, by grace of God, the pow’r we have’ to love. Wellington, p- t> l| AN WORTH ' June 23th, 1922. ’ J A ‘ N V

"THE PIPES OF PAN.”.

Tne gods of love and laughter Are dead these many years : The sad gods that come after Are stained with toil aud .tears. Vet ere the dull earth, passes. Take comfort, ye who can, Lean down among the grasses And list the Pipes of Pan. Low lilting in the sedges, The song of morn is blown By shining river edges, Through fields with poppies sown. Across the dewy meadows The happy sunbeams go, And dancing in the shadows The fauns flit to and fro. High noon her radianeo flinging On ranges dim doth lie, And hears. die music ringing Afar 'twixt earth and skv; Wild songs of elf and fairy, Bold warriors’ daring deeds, and bravo dream-castles airy,. Blown from those magic reeds. Ay. Lean among the grasses. When vesper winds blow cool, And sunset flame amasses , In every western. Dool; Till melodies appealing Win thee to tears and smiles, What time the night comes stealing Adown the forest aisles. Who quaffs of font Castalian, For him shall mpsic flow, Alike in lands Australian, Or far Sierra’s snow. Then, ere the dull earth passes, Take comfort, ye who can: Lean down among the grasses, And hear the Pipes of Pan.

“GOOD-BYE.”

“God be with you, o.ncl that is the older and better form of Good-bye.” —George BJcDonald. I say it with its best, its oldest meaning, May God bo with you, dear, on land and sea, ' And guard you through the long days intervening Till that glad hour • which gives you back to me. May God be with you through the summer’s gladness, Through wintry days, through nights of calm star-sliiao, In ev’ry moment’s joy, in aught of sadness. May His care cherish you, 0 Love of mine. May God be with you, where in misty ■ morning Of life’s great conflict you must stand alone; Till spite of failures past, some glad sun’s dawning Shall greet yob crowned and conqueror, my own. , May God he with you, take niy olden greeting, And let it nestle birdlike in vour liear(, TwjU lceop my inemorv green until our meeting, Twill say I love vou though w© be apart. A. if. Bowyer Bosnian.