VAGRANT VERSE

Southland Times, Issue 20011, 27 October 1926, Page 4

VAGRANT VERSE

THE ORETI ANTHOLOGY. (Written for the Southland Times.) 48— 1. M. (Sir James CarrolL) Part 111. See—over the tall grey mountains A wee speck in the azure Coming closer out of the sky, Over the wide sunlit lake, Poised like an Oriental butterfly, Floating still nearer And shaping itself into a bird-form. A large white bird Whose flight is lyrical, Noiseless, snow-like, beautiful It flies over with a soft rhythm, Above our heads away into the blue depths. Did you sense its presence? Did you hear what the Maoris said, Droning every word slowly, Holding it long on the tongue Like something preciously sweet? “Look, it is the great white crane Whose flight a man sees but once, Once only and it is all over!” They repeat the words to monotony And then the chief speaks but: “Beauty may seem to come back again, But never the truly beautiful; Glamour may appear to touch the heart But never the gladly glamorous; Those who have seen the white crane Must forever look back into the past For all that was loveliest, Their dream must, change to memory.” “I have spoken,” said the tall chief And the sun turned his white head To the silver of the mountain tops. —Southerner. Invercargill, October 26.