Part 8 (1/2)

COLUMBINES

Late were we sleeping Deep in the mold, Clasping and keeping Yesterday's gold-- h.o.a.rdings of suns.h.i.+ne, Crimson and gold; Dreaming of light till our dream became Aureate bells and beakers of flame,-- Splashed with the splendor of wine of flame.

Raindrop awoke us; Zephyr bespoke us; Chick-a-dee called us, Bobolink called us,-- Then we came.

ARTHUR GUITERMAN

THE MORNING-GLORY

Was it worth while to paint so fair Thy every leaf--to vein with faultless art Each petal, taking the boon light and air Of summer so to heart?

To bring thy beauty unto perfect flower, Then, like a pa.s.sing fragrance or a smile, Vanish away, beyond recovery's power-- Was it, frail bloom, worth while?

Thy silence answers: ”Life was mine!

And I, who pa.s.s without regret or grief, Have cared the more to make my moment fine, Because it was so brief.

”In its first radiance I have seen The sun!--why tarry then till comes the night?

I go my way, content that I have been Part of the morning light!”

FLORENCE EARLE COATES

THE BLOSSOMY BARROW

Antonio Sarto ees buildin' a wall, But maybe he nevva gon' feenish at all.

Eet sure wonta be Teell flower an' tree An' all kinda growin' theengs sleep een da Fall.

You see, deesa 'Tonio always ees want'

To leeve on a farm, so he buy wan las' mont'.

I s'posa som' day eet be verra nice place, But shape dat he find eet een sure ees ”deesgrace”; Eet's busta so bad he must feexin' eet all, An' firs' theeng he starta for build ees da wall.

Mysal' I go outa for see heem wan day, An' dere I am catcha heem sweatin' away; He's liftin' beeg stones from all parts of hees land An' takin' dem up to da wall een hees hand!

I say to heem: ”Tony, why don'ta you gat Som' leetla wheel-barrow for halp you weeth dat?”

”O! com' an' I show you w'at's matter,” he said, An' so we go look at hees tools een da shed.

Dere's fina beeg wheel-barrow dere on da floor, But w'at do you s'pose? From een under da door, Som' mornin'-glor' vines have creep eento da shed, An' beautiful flower, all purpla an' red, Smile out from da vina so pretty an' green Dat tweest round da wheel an' da sides da machine.

I look at dees Tony an' say to heem: ”Wal?”

An' Tony he look back at me an' say: ”Hal!

I no can bust up soocha beautiful theeng; I work weeth my han's eef eet tak' me teell spreeng!”

Antonio Sarto ees buildin' a wall, But maybe he nevva gon' feenish at all.

Eet sure wonta be Teell flower an' tree An' all kinda growin' theengs sleep een da Fall.

T. A. DALY