Volume Ii Part 18 (2/2)

Every tree within the forest Must be decked anew And the tender buds of promise Should be peeping through, Folded deep, and almost hidden, Leaf by leaf beside, What will make the Summer's glory, And the Autumn's pride.

She must weave the loveliest carpets, Chequered sun and shade, Every wood must have such pathways Laid in every glade; She must hang laburnum branches On each arched bough;-- And the white and purple lilac Should be waving now; She must breathe, and cold winds vanish At her breath away; And then load the air around her With the scent of May!

Listen then, Oh Spring! nor linger On thy charmed way; Have pity on thy prisoned flowers Wearying for the day.

Listen to the raindrops falling From the cloudy skies; Listen to the hours calling Bidding thee arise.

VERSE: EVENING HYMN

The shadows of the evening hours Fall from the darkening sky; Upon the fragrance of the flowers The dews of evening lie: Before Thy throne, O Lord of Heaven, We kneel at close of day; Look on Thy children from on high, And hear us while we pray.

The sorrows of Thy Servants, Lord, Oh, do not Thou despise; But let the incense of our prayers Before Thy mercy rise; The brightness of the coming night Upon the darkness rolls: With hopes of future glory chase The shadows on our souls.

Slowly the rays of daylight fade; So fade within our heart, The hopes in earthly love and joy, That one by one depart: Slowly the bright stars, one by one, Within the Heavens s.h.i.+ne;-- Give us, Oh, Lord, fresh hopes in Heaven, And trust in things divine.

Let peace, Oh Lord, Thy peace, Oh G.o.d, Upon our souls descend; From midnight fears and perils, Thou Our trembling hearts defend; Give us a respite from our toil, Calm and subdue our woes; Through the long day we suffer, Lord, Oh, give us now repose!

VERSE: THE INNER CHAMBER

In the outer Court I was singing, Was singing the whole day long; From the inner chamber were ringing Echoes repeating my song.

And I sang till it grew immortal; For that very song of mine, When re-echoed behind the Portal, Was filled with a life divine.

Was the Chamber a silver round Of arches, whose magical art Drew in coils of musical sound, And cast them back on my heart?

Was there hidden within a lyre Which, as air breathed over its strings, Filled my song with a soul of fire, And sent back my words with wings?

Was some seraph imprisoned there, Whose voice made my song complete, And whose lingering, soft despair, Made the echo so faint and sweet?

Long I trembled and paused--then parted The curtains with heavy fringe; And, half fearing, yet eager-hearted Turned the door on its golden hinge.

Now I sing in the court once more, I sing and I weep all day, As I kneel by the close-shut door, For I know what the echoes say.

Yet I sing not the song of old, Ere I knew whence the echo came, Ere I opened the door of gold; But the music sounds just the same.

Then take warning, and turn away Do not ask of that hidden thing, Do not guess what the echoes say, Or the meaning of what I sing.

VERSE: HEARTS

I.

A trinket made like a Heart, dear, Of red gold, bright and fine, Was given to me for a keepsake, Given to me for mine.

And another heart, warm and tender, As true as a heart could be; And every throb that stirred it Was always and all for me.

Sailing over the waters, Watching the far blue land, I dropped my golden heart, dear, Dropped it out of my hand!

<script>