Among the Poets

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17182, 27 October 1923, Page 5 (Supplement)

Among the Poets

[ h Bouquet of Vsrssa }

ROSES AND LILIES. In the garden there are roses, Roses white and roses red. Rambling roses, standard roses. Bushy roses round a bed : Leaves uncurling, buds unfurling. Blossoms half-burst in the sun, Roses full-blown—past their noon tide. How we love them all, each one! In the garden there are lilies, Lilies lowly, lilies tall, Christmas lilies white and stately Tow’ring to the trellis wail: Lenten, lilies, trumpet lilies, Lilies fierce with tropic lire, Tender lilies-of-the-valley— Of them all we never tire. From the roses and the lilies There is much that we may learn— Many soul-tiuths—if we only Let our inner eye discern. Warmed by sunlight, 'freshed by dewdrops, Climbing upwards, ever true. Winds mav lash them, rains mav dash them. Still each year the spring anew. Mortals ! why this few rish worry ? Wher.co our hurry—whence our haste ? Pause ’mid Nature in the garden And, in trustful leisure taste Of the strength that comes in silence ; Let our souls expand and flow Toward that source of richest wisdom Which the rose and lily know. Roses! in your radiant beauty, Fragrance-laden in the sun ; Lillies ! calm and pure and holy, Teachers are ye. every one! Tho’ man’s throbbing world surrounds Naught heed ye of fret and strife; Eloquent yet silent stand ye, Emblems of eternal life. PATRICIA PARKER. Christchurch.

BRIDGE OF REMEMBRANCE. Strong in the bloom of youth and might. Our heroes passed o’er this Their all to sacrifice for light. Their lives at Britain s feet to lay ; But for their deeds, what might have been ? This bridge shall keep their raem'ry green. A thought we breathe with bated breath ; A spectre of calamity. An Empire’s doom, a nation's death, A crisis to humanity ; All honour to these noble men. Who quickly acted there and then. Can we forget—not- whilst this breath Sends life’s red flow thro’ surging veius ; Then when we’ve joined our loved in death. This bridge forever here remains, A structure in its lofty mien. To keep their memory ever green. In lands afar by death shot rent, In devastation’s cruel train. Where gas and poison, hurtling blent, With comrades crushed and torn and slain. They bore the British standard high ; Our heroes knew the way to die. Tho’ others did their best and tried, And on our Empire lustre shed. We honour them.—but those who died Their names shall live, tho’ they are dead ; Our sons, our heroes, noble, clean. This bridge shall keep their mern’ry green. Remembrance of the days of yore, And happy thoughts of youthful years: These loving comrades gone before, Of them we think midst welling tears, What is to be. what might have been? This bridge shall keep fond raem’ry They gave their lives, and giving left A name as fair and bright as day, And parents of their loved bereft. Can lift their heads and honour'd “ We bred nr.d reared each noble son ; God rest their heads, their crown is Beyond the sombre days of war— Emblazoned bright in burnish’d gold. The peaceful people on before. Shall see their reveied names of old. As bore our Avon’s silver'd sheen, This bridge shall keep remembrance green. H. H. HEATLEY

He: "I love the good, the true, the beautiful, the innocent ” She: “This is rather sudden, but I thiiui father will consent.” She: “ Js that a real diamond, dear?” He: “I don’t know, really. The shop keeper was out when I bought it.” A. “He died because of his wrong thoughts.” B: “No! How’s that?” A: “Why, he thought ho could paddle a canoe !” Doctor: ‘You cough more easily this morning.” Patient (querulously) : “I ought to. I practised nearly all night!” Maurice: “I am going to steal a kiss.” Mary: “Let the crime-wave begin.” Mama: “Yes, dear, the angels can hear everything ; they heard your prayers last night. ” Effie: “That’s funny: I didn’t say them.” ‘Everybody knows about- it. Some people take her part and some her husband’s part.” “And I suppose there are a few eccentric individuals who mind their own business?” “At times,” said the girl, “you seem manly enough, and then at other times you’re absurdly effeminate. Why is it?” “Er-ah—heredity,” ho answered. “Heredity?” “Yes, you see, half my ancestors were men and the other half women.” He is the worst waiter in Christchurch. The other day a. harassed man said to him. “This steak’s been a. long time coming.” “Yes. sir.” said the waiter. “ I’m afraid the kitchen clock must be slow.” Mrs N. Parker: “’Ave you taken a constitutional, Granny?” Old lady (who has a confirmed habit of appropriating other people’s property): “You mind your own business; T ain’t taken nothing belonging to you.” Mrs Mayfair: ‘T hear your son is a great student, and spends most of his time over the midnight oil.” Mrs Newlyrich: “Not a word of truth in it. We ’ave helectric light hall over the ’ouse, an‘ Half red ’as a ’ole chanticleer in ’is room !” Boy: “You can’t see the editor, sir,” Caller: “Then will you-put this poem in the waste basket?” “ Hist !” whispered the .rillain. creeping stealthily away. “I expected you would be.” rejoined the stage man“Yer know , I’m armenic, Mrs Harris.” “Lor, Mrs Green, I thought you was British!” “Ah. yer don’t understand. dearie; it means I ain’t got no blood in me.” “Yes, sir. I always goes to church when you .preaches.” “I’m glad to hear that, bur why when 1 preach—why not every Sunday?” “I’m always sure of getting a good seat when you preaches, Ct Tt must bare been pretty late when you left the party last night?” “Yes —it dawned on me on my way home. ’ “May T kiss you goodnight?” “I should say not'!” But. she didn't. Teacher: “Willie, what is the plural of Man?” Willie: “Men.” “And the plural of child?” “Twins.” Guest: ' Handsome 1 ' barometer you’ve got there.” Parvenu Host: “Yes. but it ain't much good to us. Neither the missus nor myself knows anything about astronomy.” Tramp: “ In my business, lady, it is impossible to get a day’s work.” Housewife: “You don’t say so! that’s your business?’ Tramp: “I’m a night watchman, mum.” “Sins of omission?” repeated young Oswald on being asked what they were. • Why, they *re the sins we have forgotten to do!” Mistress: “I’ve asked Mr and Mrs Brown to dinner at seven, Mary, but i think we’ll give them a quarter of an hour’s grace.” Mary: “Well, mum, I’m as religious as most folk, but 1 do think that’s rather overdoin’ it!” N : “I'm very proud of that horsey He lost only one race the whole of last season.” Y: “You don’t say so! Hew many times was he entered?” X (reluctantly): ‘ -Onco.” Friend: “But how can you marry her? You are too poor to pay the rent.” Dashaway: “Oh, I’m expecting pay rental assistance.” Ada: “When we are married I wi’l share all your troubles and sorrows.” Hod Lover: “I have none!” “I *aid when we are married.” “Were you ever in a railway disaster?” *-Yes. I onced kissed the wrong girl while going through a tunnel . ’ ’ “I always agree with my husband.” “Very sweet of you.” “Except, of course, when he is wrong.” He: T can’t express my love in words.” She: “Perhaps you can in

“Pa, why do motor-cars have numbers?” “So that those- who are run over may read.” Tom: “ If there are microbes in kisses, what disease do they produce?” Jim: “Palpitation of the heart.” She: “ I want some wrinkles.” He: “What about?” She: “Oh, how to remove them !” Visitor: “ Johnny, do you ever get any good marks at school?” Johnny: “ Y-yes : m, but I can’t show ’em.” Professor: “What bone is this?” Pupil: “ Er—um—the bone of something dead.” Wife: “ You used to say I was the light of your life.” Hubby: “Yes; but I didn’t suppose you were going tc get put out at every little thing.” He : “ Hush ! You musn’t go up there! There's company.” She: “ How do vou know?” He: “ Ma’s calling pa ‘ My love.’ ” The visitor was examining the class. “ Can any little boy tell me what a fishing-net is made of?” “ A lot of iittles holes tied together with string,” replied the never-failing bright boy. Teacher: “ What is the milky way?” Bobby: “It's the path the cow took when she jumped over the moon!” Little Lucy: “ Ma, I’ve bet Alfie Summers my hat again a star-fish that you’d give mo a penny for some chocoiates. You don’t want me to lose my hat, do you?” “ Charles, you do not love me any (more!” “My treasure! why do you say such a foolish thing?” “ Because it is impossible for you to love a. woman who has worn a dress as long as I have this one.” Grocer : “ I>id that, ham I sold you do for your whole family?” Customer: | Very nearly. The doctor is still calling!” Tramp: “Kind sir. I am penniless, starving, and my wife has left me!” Worried Husband : “ Then what have you to complain about?” V Husband : “ Look here, Mary ! It was only last month I paid a dressmaker’s bill of £2O, and here is another one for £17!” Wife: “Well, dear, doesn’t that show that I am beginning to spend less?” “ Poor old Jim’s dead, I ’ear. A two-ton block o’ stone fell on his chest.” “Ah, ’o always ’ad a weak chest, ’ad Jim.” Gus* “Bertie is always bragging about bis ancestral halls*” Algy: “ His ancestral hauls, ho means. His grandfather mads a fortune out of kippers J’V*/ Erasable: “We’ve got an addition to our family.” Thorne:, “A boy?” Bramble : “ Guess again.” Thorne: “A girl, then.” Bramble: “Right both times.” He: “She wears the smile that won’t come off.” She (her rival): “But that is more than you can say for her complexion I” He (over the phone) : “ W hat time are you expecting me?” She (icily): “ I'm not expecting you at all.” “ Then I’ll surprise you.” Small Boy. “ I>addy. can you still do tricks?” Father. “ What do you mean, my son, ‘do tricks ’ ?” “Well, mamma says that when you were young you used to drink like a fish.” Ashe: “Let’s ask Hughes to settle the question. He’s married, and will be able to speak from experience.” Beec.be : “ On the contrary- He’ll keep his mouth shut from experience.'* “ Why do you spend your evenings at the club?” “ Because I am single. And you ?” “ Because I am marShe (relating experience): “Really, for a time. I was quite beside myself.” He: “You had a charming companion.” The Girl : “ Will you love mens much in December as you do in June, dear?” The Boy: “More, darling. There’s one more dav in December.” Mamma: “ Did you have a nice time in the park?” Boy: “Yes.” Mamma; “What did you do?” Boy: “ Oh, lots of things. Ran on the grass, an’ made faces at the ploece* man. an’ dodged the horses, an’ fired stones at the ‘ Keep, off the Grass ’ signs, an’ everything!” Young Salesman: “I’m independent, anyway.} I take orders from nobody.” Jack: “ There’s a new baby boy up at our house.” Pat: “Named him yet?” “Yes. We’re going to call him Bill. He came on the first of the month.” Guest: “I say, I’m thirsty.” Hostess: “Just a minute and I’ll you .some water.” “ I said thirsty.