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And here the star that cheered her in the night；
In this great chest； see curiously wrought；
Are purest of Love's gems。〃 A ruby key；
Enclasped upon a golden ring； he took；
With care； from out some secret hiding…place；
And delicately touched the lock； whereat
I staggered； blinded by the light of things
More luminous than stars； and questioned thus
〃What are these treasures； miser Memory？〃
And slowly bending his gray head； he spoke：
〃These are the multitudes of kisses sweet
Love gave so gladly； and I treasure here。〃
The Sea to the Shell
The sea； my mother； is singing to me；
She is singing the old refrain；
Of passion； of love； and of mystery；
And her world…old song of pain；
Of the mirk midnight and the dazzling day；
That trail their robes o'er the wet sea…way。
The sea； my mother； is singing to me
With the white foam caught in her hair；
With the seaweed swinging its long arms free；
To grapple the blown sea air：
The sea； my mother； with billowy swell；
Is telling her tale to the wave…washed shell。
The sea； my mother； is singing to me；
With the starry gleam in her wave；
A dirge of the dead； of the sad； sad sea；
A requiem song of the brave；
Tenderly； sadly； the surges tell
Their tale of death to the wave…washed shell。
The sea； my mother； confides to me；
As she turns to the soft； round moon；
The secrets that lie where the spirits be；
That hide from the garish noon：
The sea； my mother； who loves me well；
Is telling their woe to the wave…washed shell。
O mother o' mine； with the foam…flecked hair；
O mother； I love and know
The heart that is sad and the soul that is bare
To your daughter of ebb and flow；
And I hold your whispers of Heaven and Hell
In the loving heart of a wave…washed shell。
The Silent Tide
I heard Old Ocean raise her voice and cry；
In that still hour between the night and day；
I saw the answering tides； green robed and gray；
Turn to her with a low contented sigh；
Marching with silent feet they passed me by；
For the white moon had taught them to obey；
And scarce a wavelet broke in fretful spray；
As they went forth to kiss the stooping sky。
So； to my heart； when the last sunray sleeps；
And the wan night； impatient for the moon；
Throws her gray mantle over land and sea；
There comes a call from out Life's nether deeps；
And tides； like some old ocean in a swoon；
Flow out； in soundless majesty； to thee。
The Watch on Deck
Becalmed upon the equatorial seas；
A ship of gold lay on a sea of fire；
Each sail and rope and spar； as in desire；
Mutely besought the kisses of a breeze；
Low laughter told the mariners at ease；
Sweet sea…songs hymned the red sun's fun'ral pyre：
Yet One； with eyes that never seemed to tire；
Watched for the storm； nursed on the thunder's knees。
Thou watcher of the spirit's inner keep；
Scanning Death's lone； illimitable deep；
Spread outward to the far immortal shore！
While the vault sleeps； from the upheaving deck；
Thou see'st the adamantine reefs that wreck；
And Life's low shoals； where lusting billows roar。
Autumn
When； with low moanings on the distant shore；
Like vain regrets； the ocean…tide is rolled：
When； thro' bare boughs； the tale of death is told
By breezes sighing； 〃Summer days are o'er〃；
When all the days we loved the days of yore
Lie in their vaults； dead Kings who ruled of old
Unrobed and sceptreless； uncrowned with gold；
Conquered； and to be crowned； ah！ never more。
If o'er the bare fields； cold and whitening
With the first snow…flakes； I should see thy form；
And meet and kiss thee； that were enough of Spring；
Enough of sunshine； could I feel the warm
Glad beating of thy heart 'neath Winter's wing；
Tho' Earth were full of whirlwind and of storm。
Mary Gilmore。
A Little Ghost
The moonlight flutters from the sky
To meet her at the door；
A little ghost； whose steps have passed
Across the creaking floor。
And rustling vines that lightly tap
Against the window…pane；
Throw shadows on the white…washed walls
To blot them out again。
The moonlight leads her as she goes
Across a narrow plain；
By all the old； familiar ways
That know her steps again。
And through the scrub it leads her on
And brings her to the creek；
But by the broken dam she stops
And seems as she would speak。
She moves her lips； but not a sound
Ripples the silent air；
She wrings her little hands； ah； me！
The sadness of despair！
While overhead the black…duck's wing
Cuts like a flash upon
The startled air； that scarcely shrinks
Ere he afar is gone。
And curlews wake； and wailing cry
Cur…lew！ cur…lew！ cur…lew！
Till all the Bush； with nameless dread
Is pulsing through and through。
The moonlight leads her back again
And leaves her at the door；
A little ghost whose steps have passed
Across the creaking floor。
Good…Night
Good…night！ 。 。 。 my darling sleeps so sound
She cannot hear me where she lies；
White lilies watch the closed eyes；
Red roses guard the folded hands。
Good…night！ O woman who once lay
Upon my breast； so still； so sweet
That all my pulses； throbbing； beat
And flamed I cannot touch you now。
Good…night； my own！ God knows we loved
So well； that all things else seemed slight
We part forever in the night；
We two poor souls who loved so well。
Bernard O'Dowd。
Love's Substitute
This love； that dares not warm before its flame
Our yearning hands； or from its tempting tree
Yield fruit we may consume； or let us claim
In Hymen's scroll of happy heraldry
The twining glyphs of perfect you and me
May kindle social fires whence curls no blame；
Find gardens where no fruits forbidden be；
And mottoes weave； unsullied by a shame。
For； love； unmothered Childhood wanly waits
For such as you to cherish it to Youth：
Raw social soils untilled need Love's own verve
That Peace a…flower may oust their weedy hates：
And where Distress would faint from wolfish sleuth
The perfect lovers' symbol is 〃We serve！〃
Our Duty
Yet what were Love if man remains unfree；
And woman's sunshine sordid merchandise：
If children's Hope is blasted ere they see
Its shoots of youth from out the branchlets rise：
If thought is chained； and gagged is Speech； and Lies
Enthroned as Law befoul posterity；
And haggard Sin's ubiquitous disguise
Insults the face of God where'er men be？
Ay； what were Love； my love； did we not love
Our stricken brothers so； as to resign
For Its own sake； the foison of Its dower：
That； so； we two may help them mount above
These layers of charnel air in which they pine；
To seek with us the Presence and the Power？
Edwin Jame