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He only hears
Joseph； an old man bent and white
Toiling alone from morn till night
Thru all the years。
Swift clouds make all the heavens blind；
A storm is running on the wind
He only sees
How Mary will stretch out her hands
Sobbing； who never understands
Voices like these。
THE MOTHER OF A POET
SHE is too kind； I think； for mortal things；
Too gentle for the gusty ways of earth；
God gave to her a shy and silver mirth；
And made her soul as clear
And softly singing as an orchard spring's
In sheltered hollows all the sunny year
A spring that thru the leaning grass looks up
And holds all heaven in its clarid cup；
Mirror to holy meadows high and blue
With stars like drops of dew。
I love to think that never tears at night
Have made her eyes less bright；
That all her girlhood thru
Never a cry of love made over…tense
Her voice's innocence；
That in her hands have lain；
Flowers beaten by the rain；
RIVERS TO THE SEA
And little birds before they learned to sing
Drowned in the sudden ecstasy of spring。
I love to think that with a wistful wonder
She held her baby warm against her breast；
That never any fear awoke whereunder
She shuddered at her gift； or trembled lest
Thru the great doors of birth
Here to a windy earth
She lured from heaven a half…unwilling guest。
She caught and kept his first vague flickering smile；
The faint upleaping of his spirit's fire；
And for a long sweet while
In her was all he asked of earth or heaven
But in the end how far；
Past every shaken star；
Should leap at last that arrow…like desire；
His full…grown manhood's keen
Ardor toward the unseen
Dark mystery beyond the Pleiads seven。
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And in her heart she heard
His first dim…spoken word
She only of them all could understand；
Flushing to feel at last
The silence over…past；
Thrilling as tho' her hand had touched God's hand。
But in the end how many words
Winged on a flight she could not follow；
Farther than skyward lark or swallow；
His lips should free to lands she never knew；
Braver than white sea…faring birds
With a fearless melody；
Flying over a shining sea；
A star…white song between the blue and blue。
Oh I have seen a lake as clear and fair
As it were molten air；
Lifting a lily upward to the sun。
How should the water know the glowing heart
That ever to the heaven lifts its fire；
RIVERS TO THE SEA
A golden and unchangeable desire？
The water only knows
The faint and rosy glows
Of under…petals； opening apart。
Yet in the soul of earth；
Deep in the primal ground；
Its searching roots are wound；
And centuries have struggled toward its birth。
So； in the man who sings；
All of the voiceless horde
From the cold dawn of things
Have their reward；
All in whose pulses ran
Blood that is his at last；
From the first stooping man
Far in the winnowed past。
Out of the tumult of their love and mating
Each one created； seeing life was good
Dumb； till at last the song that they were waiting
Breaks like brave April thru a wintry wood。
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But what of her whose heart is troubled by it；
The mother who would soothe and set him free；
Fearing the song's storm…shaken ecstasy
Oh； as the moon that has no power to quiet
The strong wind…driven sea。
。
IN MEMORIAM F。 O。 S。
You go a long and lovely journey；
For all the stars； like burning dew；
Are luminous and luring footprints
Of souls adventurous as you。
Oh； if you lived on earth elated；
How is it now that you can run
Free of the weight of flesh and faring
Far past the birthplace of the sun？
TWILIGHT
THE stately tragedy of dusk
Drew to its perfect close；
The virginal white evening star
Sank； and the red moon rose。
SWALLOW FLIGHT
I LOVE my hour of wind and light；
I love men's faces and their eyes；
I love my spirit's veering flight
Like swallows under evening skies；
THOUGHTS
WHEN I can make my thoughts come forth
To walk like ladies up and down；
Each one puts on before the glass
Her most becoming hat and gown。
But oh； the shy and eager thoughts
That hide and will not get them dressed；
Why is it that they always seem
So much more lovely than the rest？
TO DICK； ON HIS SIXTH BIRTHDAY
Tho' I am very old and wise；
And you are neither wise nor old；
When I look far into your eyes；
I know things I was never told：
I know how flame must strain and fret
Prisoned in a mortal net；
How joy with over…eager wings；
Bruises the small heart where he sings；
How too much life； like too much gold；
Is sometimes very hard to hold。 。 。 。
All that is talkingI know
This much is true； six years ago
An angel living near the moon
Walked thru the sky and sang a tune
Plucking stars to make his crown
And suddenly two stars fell down；
Two falling arrows made of light。
Six years ago this very night
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I saw them fall and wondered why
The angel dropped them from the sky
But when I saw your eyes I knew
The angel sent the stars to you。
TO ROSE
ROSE； when I remember you；
Little lady； scarcely two；
I am suddenly aware
Of the angels in the air。
All your softly gracious ways
Make an island in my days
Where my thoughts fly back to be
Sheltered from too strong a sea。
All your luminous delight
Shines before me in the night
When I grope for sleep and find
Only shadows in my mind。
Rose； when I remember you；
White and glowing； pink and new；
With so swift a sense of fun
Altho' life has just begun；
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With so sure a pride of place
In your very infant face；
I should like to make a prayer
To the angels in the air：
〃If an angel ever brings
Me a baby in her wings；
Please be certain that it grows
Very； very much like Rose。〃
THE FOUNTAIN
On in the deep blue night
The fountain sang alone；
It sang to the drowsy heart
Of the satyr carved in stone。
The fountain sang and sang
But the satyr never stirred
Only the great white moon
In the empty heaven heard。
The fountain sang and sang
And on the marble rim
The milk…white peacocks slept；
Their dreams were strange and dim。
Bright dew was on the grass；
And on the ilex dew；
The dreamy milk…white birds
Were all a…glisten too。
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The fountain sang and sang
The things one cannot tell；
The dreaming peacocks stirred
And the gleaming dew…drops fell。
THE ROSE
BENEATH my chamber window
Pierrot was singing； singing；
I heard his lute the whole night thru