I am glad I am only a bird!"
Then he flew up over the meadow, And that was all I heard.
NEW YEAR RESOLVE
As the dead year is clasped by a dead December, So let your dead sins with your dead days lie.
A new life is yours and a new hope. Remember We build our own ladders to climb to the sky.
Stand out in the sunlight of promise, forgetting Whatever the past held of sorrow and wrong.
We waste half our strength in a useless regretting; We sit by old tombs in the dark too long.
Have you missed in your aim? Well, the mark is still shining.
Did you faint in the race? Well, take breath for the next.
Did the clouds drive you back? But see yonder their lining.
Were you tempted and fell? Let it serve for a text.
As each year hurries by, let it join that procession Of skeleton shapes that march down to the past, While you take your place in the line of progression, With your eyes to the heavens, your face to the blast.
I tell you the future can hold no terrors For any sad soul while the stars revolve, If he will stand firm on the grave of his errors, And instead of regretting--resolve, resolve!
It is never too late to begin rebuilding, Though all into ruins your life seems hurled; For see! how the light of the New Year is gilding The wan, worn face of the bruised old world.
WHAT WE WANT
All hail the dawn of a new day breaking, When a strong-armed nation shall take away The weary burdens from backs that are aching With maximum labour and minimum pay; When no man is honoured who h.o.a.rds his millions; When no man feasts on another"s toil; And G.o.d"s poor suffering, striving billions Shall share His riches of sun and soil.
There is gold for all in the earth"s broad bosom, There is food for all in the land"s great store; Enough is provided if rightly divided; Let each man take what he needs--no more.
Shame on the miser with unused riches, Who robs the toiler to swell his h.o.a.rd, Who beats down the wage of the digger of ditches, And steals the bread from the poor man"s board.
Shame on the owner of mines whose cruel And selfish measures have brought him wealth, While the ragged wretches who dig his fuel Are robbed of comfort and hope and health.
Shame on the ruler who rides in his carriage Bought with the labour of half-paid men-- Men who are shut out of home and marriage And are herded like sheep in a hovel-pen.
Let the clarion voice of the nation wake him To broader vision and fairer play; Or let the hand of a just law shake him Till his ill-gained dollars shall roll away.
Let no man dwell under a mountain of plunder, Let no man suffer with want and cold; We want right living, not mere alms-giving; We want just dividing of labour and gold.
BREAKING THE DAY IN TWO
When from dawn till noon seems one long day, And from noon till night another, Oh, then should a little boy come from play, And creep into the arms of his mother.
Snugly creep and fall asleep, Oh, come, my baby, do; Creep into my lap, and with a nap We"ll break the day in two.
When the shadows slant for afternoon, When the midday meal is over, When the winds have sung themselves into a swoon, And the bees drone in the clover, Then hie to me, hie, for a lullaby-- Come, my baby, do; Creep into my lap, and with a nap We"ll break the day in two.
We"ll break it in two with a crooning song, With a soft and soothing number; For the day has no right to be so long And keep my baby from slumber.
Then rock-a-by, rock, may white dreams flock Like angels over you; Baby"s gone, and the deed is done, We"ve broken the day in two.
THE RAPE OF THE MIST
High o"er the clouds a Sunbeam shone, And far down under him, With a subtle grace that was all her own, The Mist gleamed, fair and dim.
He looked at her with his burning eyes And longed to fall at her feet; Of all sweet things there under the skies, He thought her the thing most sweet.
He had wooed oft, as a Sunbeam may, Wave, and blossom, and flower; But never before had he felt the sway Of a great love"s mighty power.
Tall cloud-mountains and vast s.p.a.ce-seas, Wind, and tempest, and fire-- What are obstacles such as these To a heart that is filled with desire?
Boldly he trod over cloud and star, Boldly he swam through s.p.a.ce, She caught the glow of his eyes afar And veiled her delicate face.
He was so strong and he was so bright, And his breath was a breath of flame; The Mist grew pale with a vague, strange fright, As fond, yet fierce, he came.
Close to his heart she was clasped and kissed; She swooned in love"s alarms, And dead lay the beautiful pale-faced Mist In the Sunbeam"s pa.s.sionate arms.
THE TWO GLa.s.sES
There sat two gla.s.ses, filled to the brim, On a rich man"s table, rim to rim.
One was ruddy and red as blood, And one was as clear as the crystal flood.
Said the gla.s.s of wine to his paler brother: "Let us tell tales of the past to each other.
I can tell of banquet, and revel, and mirth, Where I was king, for I ruled in might; And the proudest and grandest souls on earth Fell under my touch, as though struck with blight.
From the heads of kings I have torn the crown; From the heights of fame I have hurled men down; I have blasted many an honoured name; I have taken virtue and given shame; I have tempted the youth, with a sip, a taste, That has made his future a barren waste.
Far greater than any king am I, Or than any army under the sky.
I have made the arm of the driver fail, And sent the train from its iron rail.
I have made good ships go down at sea, And the shrieks of the lost were sweet to me.
Fame, strength, wealth, genius, before me fall, And my might and power are over all.
Ho! ho! pale brother," laughed the wine, "Can you boast of deeds as great as mine?"
Said the gla.s.s of water: "I cannot boast Of a king dethroned or a murdered host; But I can tell of hearts that were sad, By my crystal drops made light and glad; Of thirsts I have quenched, and brows I have laved; Of hands I have cooled and souls I have saved.
I have leaped through the valley and dashed down the mountain; Slept in the sunshine and dripped from the fountain.
I have burst my cloud-fetters and dropped from the sky, And everywhere gladdened the landscape and eye.
I have eased the hot forehead of fever and pain; I have made the parched meadows grow fertile with grain; I can tell of the powerful wheel o" the mill, That ground out the flour and turned at my will; I can tell of manhood, debased by you, That I have uplifted and crowned anew.
I cheer, I help, I strengthen and aid, I gladden the heart of man and maid; I set the chained wine-captive free, And all are better for knowing me."