SELECTED VERSE.

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14776, 15 October 1921, Page 9 (Supplement)

SELECTED VERSE.

DEFEAT. Bitter, dark, and stagnant are the waters of defeat, Heavy with Ihe force of all our fears, Salted with tin; brine of burning tears, Rising on us with the weight of years — Defeat! But let the Ego fall in it and drown, Let it sink hardly like a weighted stone. Let it break off, and fight, and die alone —■ And you shall find another star has shone Upon defeat! Hold that light softly, 'Lis the heart of things. The dark waves from your spirit combed away, , Tho' dead of sorrow, you shall-live to say You saw the silver moonlight on the spray Above defeat! ; —Dorothy Easton. MISSING THE SKY. I Dreamin? of England,

King Alfred burnt the farm-wife's cakes. And, for our sakes, Quite often .lesus missed the last mule home. Though from efficient Rome, Even Caesar made mistakes, And left his boy Britannicus behind. Milton was blind To lots of things Quite obvious to me, Yel lie could see Some things worth ten of these. So, on my knees, I'll daily pray that I May not. in dodging puddles, miss the sky. —Harry Roberls. MARY. It is the evening hour, How silent all doth lie ! The horned Moon she shows her face In the river with (he sky. •lust by the path on which we pass The flaggy lake lies slill as glass. Spirit of her love, Whispering to me Store of sweet visions as I rove, Here stop, and crop with me Sweet (lowers that in the still hour grew— We'll take them home, nor shake off the bright dew. Mary! or sweet spirit of thee, As the bright sun shines to-morrow Thy dark eyes these flowers shall see, Gathered by me "in sorrow In the slill hour when my mind was free To walk alone —yet wish I walked with thee. —John Clare. BEFORE THE LIFE-MASK OF KEATS. (At, the National Portrait Gallery, March, 1921). They stood like pilgrims in some holy place, Father and daughter—she with a wistful smile; lie with a grave compassion in his face, Gazing at that young life-mask for a while. She looked as Flora might, at seventeen years, Her warm bfcast pulsing with the heart of spring; While, in the father's gaze, the brooding tears Remembered, with the dead, how youth lakes wing. I wished that Keats could see her; but his eyes Were closed to all the yearnings in her own, Closed to the young moon stooping from the skies. He slept, more deeply than Endymion ; Slept, with those painted shadows of tho great, Loved by the world, a hundred years too late. —Alfred Noyes. THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES. WOLSEY. In full-blown dignity sec Wolsey stand, Law in his voice, and fortune in his hand; To him the Church, the realm, their pow'rs consign, Through him the rays of regal bounty shine; Turn'd by his nod the stream of honour flows. His smile alone security bestows: Slill to new heights his restless wishes tower, Claim leads to claim, and power advances power; Till conquest, unresisted, ceased to please, And rights submitted left him none to seize. At length his sovereign frowns—the train of stale Mark the. keen glance, and watch the sign lo hale. Where'er he turns he meets a stranger's eye, His suppliants scorn him, and his followers fly. Now drops at once the pride of awful

stair, The golden canopy, the glittering plate, The regal palace, Ihe luxurious board, Tlie liveried army, and [ho menial lord. —Johnson. TO-DAY. To-day is yesterday returned; relumed Pull-powered to cancel, expiate, raise, adorn, And rein-dale us on the rock of peace; I,ft, it nol share its predecessor's fate, Nor like its elder sisters die a ronl. - -Edward Young. BOOKS. fiolden volumes! richest treasures! Objects of delicious pleasures! You my eyes rejoicing please. Y'Mi my hands in capture seize. Rrillianl wits and musing sages, Light who beamed through many ages. Left |n your conscious leaves their story; And flared to Irust von with their ! glory; And new their hope of fame achieved. Dear volumes! yon have no| deceived. I Ran hail. I